Marmite baths...

[samincornwall]

Does anyone do this if a tortoise isn't eating? My sister took her tort to the vets a while ago because it wasn't eating and was poorly and they advised her to give the tortoise a bath as usual, but to dissolve a small amount of marmite in it.

She did it and it worked a treat, the tort ate a few hours later. Our neighbour has since used this method and again, it worked. I googled it though and nothing came up, is this a common method?

[burnt toast]

I have never tried or heard of this. But I do rely on a similar treatment & have done with several torts for various reasons: a dehydrated failure to thrive hatchling, one with a surpressed imune system due to heavy parasite load & currently a hatchling with eating problems/suspected jaw deformity. I though add abidec, reptoboost, critical care to their baths once a day (& have recentlytried various other liquid vitamins due to manufacturing problem making abidec hard to get) Definately works!

From memory marmite is highly concetrated in B vitamins so I should imagine thats of benefit, similar to above.

One cautionary note: I also think marmite is high in salt? presumably not good long term?

[samincornwall]

Yeah the salt content worried me but as a 'last attempt before medication' effort it seems to work quite well.

[Ozric Jonathan]

I've not heard of marmite bath either. Does the idea of bathing the tort in water with something added rely on the tortoise drinking via the cloaca? If so, we were not quite agreed on that even happening. Obviously if a tortoise is not thriving then it's well worth doing this. I'm interested on how it works . Any thoughts?

[egyptiandan64]

The tortoise would drink the mixture and as the B vitamins are appetite stimulants, it very well could perk up the appetite.

Danny

[cherylahutch]

I've used abedec for mine before worked really well but never heard of marmite being used.

[Herpard]

Never heard of marmite baths but I have heard of people giving their torts watered down blue powerade bath.

[suttysue]

Very interesting for sure. I will give this a go if I ever need too.
Thanks
sue

[Greatbigchicken]

Originally Posted by samincornwall

Does anyone do this if a tortoise isn't eating? My sister took her tort to the vets a while ago because it wasn't eating and was poorly and they advised her to give the tortoise a bath as usual, but to dissolve a small amount of marmite in it.

She did it and it worked a treat, the tort ate a few hours later. Our neighbour has since used this method and again, it worked. I googled it though and nothing came up, is this a common method?

My Margo hasn't been eating much and was looking weight (which was already low) so I tried this, just a very small amount of bovril (didn't have marmite), only just coloured that water slightly. When I popped her in she started drinking straight away. Back in her table showed much more interest in her food, now she's munching away nicely. She particularly likes the pink pellets.

[samincornwall]

Originally Posted by Greatbigchicken

My Margo hasn't been eating much and was looking weight (which was already low) so I tried this, just a very small amount of bovril (didn't have marmite), only just coloured that water slightly. When I popped her in she started drinking straight away. Back in her table showed much more interest in her food, now she's munching away nicely. She particularly likes the pink pellets.

That's great news!