Amounts of drinking water

CherryBrandy · 01-01-2016, 02:12 PM

I really panicked yesterday when I found the little poorly one in his bowl of water - as below ,like he was asleep.

I have bathed and bathed him, baby food, critical care, reptoboost and he is eating now ...and yet left alone after nearly 4 weeks he drank for the first time (I think) .... nearly a whole dish of water, (it was over his head almost at first).

I have posted to show that even with bathing twice a day this little soul was clearly very very thirsty and I had to resist the temptation of retrieving him as I thought he was just lying in the water at first, like when he falls asleep on the tomatoes.

I have had tortoises for decades but I can not get over how they can hold their heads under water (this was before these photographs) for so long without coming up for air too. It was tens of minutes he was drinking (all the time??). Simply amazing little things.

SpurThighUK · 01-01-2016, 03:20 PM

I'm always amazed at how long mine stay under, it can be up to three minutes they keep their heads below the water!

Jan W · 01-01-2016, 04:18 PM

Thank you for sharing. My 2 never spend time with their heads under the water other than to drink, pause and drink again. Really helpful to know though, as I think I would be inclined to intervene!
Jan

CherryBrandy · 01-01-2016, 04:30 PM

I looked through a window at him and his head was under mostly and I ran to rescue him and I watched as usually you can see their throats moving. I was indecisive and for most of it he just lay there with head in water and then drank and drank....I wonder how big their bladders can get.
I named him John Wayne because he is a fighter, (and had a strange stagger) but weirdly and mysteriously Paul O'grady also nick named a dog at Battersea that on Christmas day ! Copy cat Paul. (splinter can confirm dates!) I must have a word with POG! CB

Wanda · 01-01-2016, 11:14 PM

They are amazing. Hope he settles!

Ozric Jonathan · 01-01-2016, 11:26 PM

That second one is a really good 'tortoise drinking' picture CB! I think that for many of us keepers it's still a special moment when we see the head go right in and the neck bulging no matter how many times we've seen it.

How could anyone think that tortoises don't need drinking water? Only someone who had never observed them for any length of time!

Splinter · 05-01-2016, 06:19 PM

He's looking good anyway!

Finsky · 05-01-2016, 10:40 PM

Oh wow...I'm glad I saw these photos. I did witness deep drinking session with Putin and thought he was in trouble...of course I did had stop him 'drowning'

You learn so much here from fellow tortoise 'slaves' than from reading books...they never go into these 'funny' little details.

CherryBrandy · 07-01-2016, 09:47 PM

thanks all.
yes Jonathan its lovely to watch and don't get to catch it a lot of the time. Little one doing ok it seems. underneath is completely shell rotted but ok, eyes fine now but doesn't open them much even with a bath, doesn't walk round at all, (probably when im not there), digs down a lot under the lamp, eating weeds, but favourite is lambs lettuce. CB

Finsky · 08-01-2016, 11:28 AM

Rotted shell!? Oh dear....what can you do to remedy that...does it re-grow....can it be repaired....will it have big effect to its life?

01-01-2016, 02:12 PM	#1
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	Amounts of drinking water I really panicked yesterday when I found the little poorly one in his bowl of water - as below ,like he was asleep. I have bathed and bathed him, baby food, critical care, reptoboost and he is eating now ...and yet left alone after nearly 4 weeks he drank for the first time (I think) .... nearly a whole dish of water, (it was over his head almost at first). I have posted to show that even with bathing twice a day this little soul was clearly very very thirsty and I had to resist the temptation of retrieving him as I thought he was just lying in the water at first, like when he falls asleep on the tomatoes. I have had tortoises for decades but I can not get over how they can hold their heads under water (this was before these photographs) for so long without coming up for air too. It was tens of minutes he was drinking (all the time??). Simply amazing little things. __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

01-01-2016, 03:20 PM	#2
SpurThighUK Junior Member Egg Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Berkshire Posts: 42	I'm always amazed at how long mine stay under, it can be up to three minutes they keep their heads below the water! __________________ Frankie, Agnes, Peaches, Mojo - TGI and Bill - TGG http://berkshiretortoiseclub.weebly.com

01-01-2016, 04:30 PM	#4
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	I looked through a window at him and his head was under mostly and I ran to rescue him and I watched as usually you can see their throats moving. I was indecisive and for most of it he just lay there with head in water and then drank and drank....I wonder how big their bladders can get. I named him John Wayne because he is a fighter, (and had a strange stagger) but weirdly and mysteriously Paul O'grady also nick named a dog at Battersea that on Christmas day ! Copy cat Paul. (splinter can confirm dates!) I must have a word with POG! CB __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

01-01-2016, 11:26 PM	#6
Ozric Jonathan Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West of Scotland Posts: 4,226	That second one is a really good 'tortoise drinking' picture CB! I think that for many of us keepers it's still a special moment when we see the head go right in and the neck bulging no matter how many times we've seen it. How could anyone think that tortoises don't need drinking water? Only someone who had never observed them for any length of time! __________________ Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises

07-01-2016, 09:47 PM	#9
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	thanks all. yes Jonathan its lovely to watch and don't get to catch it a lot of the time. Little one doing ok it seems. underneath is completely shell rotted but ok, eyes fine now but doesn't open them much even with a bath, doesn't walk round at all, (probably when im not there), digs down a lot under the lamp, eating weeds, but favourite is lambs lettuce. CB __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

01-01-2016, 04:18 PM	#3
Jan W Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Hampshire Posts: 1,400	Thank you for sharing. My 2 never spend time with their heads under the water other than to drink, pause and drink again. Really helpful to know though, as I think I would be inclined to intervene! Jan

01-01-2016, 11:14 PM	#5
Wanda Member Hatched Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Kent Posts: 449	They are amazing. Hope he settles!

05-01-2016, 06:19 PM	#7
Splinter Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 90	He's looking good anyway!

05-01-2016, 10:40 PM	#8
Finsky Member Incubating Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Notts. UK Posts: 135	Oh wow...I'm glad I saw these photos. I did witness deep drinking session with Putin and thought he was in trouble...of course I did had stop him 'drowning' You learn so much here from fellow tortoise 'slaves' than from reading books...they never go into these 'funny' little details.

08-01-2016, 11:28 AM	#10
Finsky Member Incubating Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Notts. UK Posts: 135	Rotted shell!? Oh dear....what can you do to remedy that...does it re-grow....can it be repaired....will it have big effect to its life?

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