Tip for newbies about the importance of water

[Daryn]

Thought my Ibera was on her last legs this morning, not ate anything, seemed sluggish and slow not opening her eyes just looked rough. Not bathed her since last week but she always has fresh water in the coldframe and in the wild tortoise garden but she never seems to drink.

So whenever I bath her she never drinks unless she has just come out of hibernation, Ive caught her a few times drinking out the bowl but not many times.

I got her in the bath this morning and boy did she gulp lots of water, I cant understand why she wont drink out of her sunken bowl, the other drinking bowl I have in the garden is a shallow paint tray with stones in the bottom that she can walk in and out of with ease,its topped right up with fresh water everyday to make it look like a large puddle but no she wont have it. I let her have a very long soak then started feeding her with cucumber she has perked right up and stomping around the garden looking for extra food, totally back to normal, munching on her weeds as if nothing had been wrong, obviously dehydration. Ill keep an eye on her everyday and bath her every day from now on.

Im wondering if its her deformed plastron giving her the problem, she has metabolic bone disease through having a bad start in life with her original keeper, her plastron sticks out a bit far under her chin and she cannot get her mouth down to the ground and finds it difficult picking up her food, I always have to heap her food up so she can munch from the top, wondering if its the same with the water bowl, Im going to find something alot bigger and deeper sink it in the ground and give this a try and see how it goes.

[Stellanne]

Daryn, my Bertha is like that. She had a bad start in life as a 'garden' tortoise, I rehomed her a number of years ago. She even has a scar where she had been tethered by her shell, which I believe was common practice back in the 1950's. Her shell looks like she has had some sort of trauma and it could be because of this she cannot stretch her neck out. I do as you do, pile food in front of her, because if not she would never get to eat as she has some sort of complication and stiffness with her right leg. She is very poor at walking but on a positive note she is becoming much better and gets around quite well now.
I too bath her weekly and she rarely drinks, however, when it is very hot, as it has been occasionally, she will drink such a lot. So I have to make a point of putting her in deep water. X x x. Hugs x x x

[sandy]

My tortoises will only drink rain water, I have never seen mine drink tap water.
But hatchlings and adults regularly drink from their birdbath tops, or from rain puddles:0)

[Daryn]

awwwwwww its awful seeing them struggle, I sit in the garden and feed her by hand some days.

I normally bath her every week, sometimes a couple of times a week especially when the weather is nice and hot but the one week I dont and she gets like this, never seen her react like that before. As I say Ill watch her and bath her every day for the next 7 days then knock it back to a couple of times a week again and see how she goes. If it happens again then back to the vets it is

[Stellanne]

I hand feed Bertha occasionally, only because no matter where scatter weeds, the rest of the creep just want to be around her. So I will hand feed her just so I know she has had a good feed.

You are right it isn't nice seeing them struggle, but given extra care it is wonderful to see our disadvantaged tortoises thrive. X x x. Hugs x x x

[Stellanne]

Originally Posted by sandy

My tortoises will only drink rain water, I have never seen mine drink tap water.
But hatchlings and adults regularly drink from their birdbath tops, or from rain puddles:0)

Now that is interesting Sandy. I know there are thoughts about not topping up a wildlife pond with tap water...... And I always fill the bird baths up with rainwater.... Mmmmmmm going to check this out x x x hugs x x

[CherryBrandy]

I must admit I have never bathed my 'outsiders' Horsfield ever in over 20 years pre or post but rely on them bathing and drinking. I have a 60 year old that doesn't eat either unless I hand feed her despite the multitude of weeds - unless Im a sucker and its like the Little Britain wheelchair sketches !!! I think she is v poor sighted or blind though as I have to put it in her mouth and show her mouth where the bowl is? not sure how you can tell this on a Tortoise? CB

[Daryn]

Well thats what I thought, if I dont get to bathe her for a week or two its not goning to matter the water is there for her to drink but obviously in this case something went wrong. Ill just see what happens over the next 7 days and find something a bit bigger so she she can walk in and out

[Stellanne]

I agree......in all my years I have never bathed my creep once they are outdoors all the time.... But with Bertha she had different needs so I guess being mindful a closer eye is kept on her. X x x. Hugs x x x

[CherryBrandy]

Originally Posted by Daryn

Well thats what I thought, if I dont get to bathe her for a week or two its not goning to matter the water is there for her to drink but obviously in this case something went wrong. Ill just see what happens over the next 7 days and find something a bit bigger so she she can walk in and out

I'm with you Daryn I think you have a very good point. I will try it with the ones which I have always thought just older and slower. Stellanne made me laugh with her reference to 'creep' - those not aware will think it's your tortoise name and a very good one it could be too !!! CB