Can't get my head around this bathing...

[Steph37]

I bath my hatchlings daily-my adult hermanns have a deep bowl (not too deep) which they do actually soak in and drink from themselves so must admit I dont bath them more than once a week (if they're lucky!). My Horsfields I dont notice drinking so much so do try to do the juveniles once a week. They always poo in the bath unlike the Hermanns who only occasionally do, Steph

[16 shells]

When my Herman's are outside 24/7 as early in the year possible i bath them once a week? and it has to be early morning or they just don't relish it, there's a deep enough water dish in there enclosure and have bathed themselve's on occasion's. Noticed after rain when not cold they can dig in the soil a bit and maybe take in humidity, i don't know. I dowse the enclosure every night or early morning if no rain.
Inside in table's i would follow the daily thing i think.

[TortBabe]

I bath my torts everyday, they all love getting bathed

[Pussygalore]

back to the bit about nutrients, if in the wild their food is much poorer then it would be in their interest to hang onto it longer so the body can make the most of it. In captivity everything we give them is far richer so thinking along that line they are going to get far more from their food in a much shorter time so even if they poo they'll have still absorbed as much if not more than they would in the wild (if that makes sense). Also we don't want them to grow quickly so bathing and making them poo would take what they absorb down to a less harmfull level, I don't bathe my adults who are outside unless its very hot and dry but do any youngsters that are in the house.

[mrscross78]

Originally Posted by Pussygalore

back to the bit about nutrients, if in the wild their food is much poorer then it would be in their interest to hang onto it longer so the body can make the most of it. In captivity everything we give them is far richer so thinking along that line they are going to get far more from their food in a much shorter time so even if they poo they'll have still absorbed as much if not more than they would in the wild (if that makes sense). Also we don't want them to grow quickly so bathing and making them poo would take what they absorb down to a less harmfull level, I don't bathe my adults who are outside unless its very hot and dry but do any youngsters that are in the house.

Good point... that makes me feel better. Thanks!

[Anita Sayles]

Originally Posted by caledonia

it helps prevent bladder stones

Are bladder stones common then?
More common in a captive tortoise than one in the wild...
Thanks

[Ozric Jonathan]

In connection to the digestion argument, I think this is in Wolfgang Wegehaupt's book. If I rmember accurately, he was making an argument against using warm baths in the pre hibernation period. His view was that this causes a sudden emptying which shouldn't happen because the tortoise would be gradually absorbing nutrient from fibrous material and they need it. Wolfgang is writing there about a very natrualistic hibernation which very few of us do here.

I agree that hydration especially for hatchlings is a real issue. Its not certain the tortoise absorbs any water from the bath. They might drink some and they might not.

[Anita Sayles]

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

In connection to the digestion argument, I think this is in Wolfgang Wegehaupt's book. If I rmember accurately, he was making an argument against using warm baths in the pre hibernation period. His view was that this causes a sudden emptying which shouldn't happen because the tortoise would be gradually absorbing nutrient from fibrous material and they need it. Wolfgang is writing there about a very natrualistic hibernation which very few of us do here.

I agree that hydration especially for hatchlings is a real issue. Its not certain the tortoise absorbs any water from the bath. They might drink some and they might not.

Thanks, interesting point there about forcing the gut to empty... which has made me think of another question
If we are forcing guts to empty with bathing, could we be encouraging our tortoises to eat more than they would naturally.
I'm thinking that they would feel hungrier if we are speeding up the digestion process.
This could be a factor towards pyramiding which is much rarer in the wild than in captivity.
If we were to bathe less, they might eat less... hmm makes you think doesn't it!

[mrscross78]

Originally Posted by Anita Sayles

Thanks, interesting point there about forcing the gut to empty... which has made me think of another question
If we are forcing guts to empty with bathing, could we be encouraging our tortoises to eat more than they would naturally.
I'm thinking that they would feel hungerier if we are speeding up the digestion process.
This could be a factor towards pyramiding which is much rarer in the wild than in captivity.
If we were to bathe less, they might eat less... hmm makes you think doesn't it!

Good point there Anita... Keeping tortoises for me is a lot of enjoyment and I am so glad I bought my 2 Western Hermann's but it is so very complicated ... I wonder if any one really knows these answers... Just when I think I have things sorted another set of questions arise... Wouldn't it be good if there was a simple set of instructions to follow that we all knew we could trust!

[kkenny]

Originally Posted by mrscross78

My tortoises are 9 months old. I bath them most days - not every day though, also I bath them at any time in the day I have no set order... I don't know if this is correct or not, I like to think I'm doing things OK though.

Me too as above so hope that is fine.