Bathing
Although tortoises will drink little water when fed a mixed moist diet, there should always be fresh drinking water available daily. Tortoises require a shallow warm bath approximately 3-4 times a week and daily throughout the warmer months. On purchasing a tortoise, we recommend that you bath them every day for the first week or two to discourage any stress and encourage active behaviour within the new environment.
The benefits of this are to help aid digestion, waste management and to ensure they are fully hydrated. Use a plastic tub or tray with enough luke warm water to allow your tortoise to place its head under the water but not too deep that it cannot lift its head above the water. A soft toothbrush or cotton wool ball can be used to gently clean the shell if required. Tortoises will drink by submerging both their mouth and nose or even their whole head and neck!. Ensure you check the temperature of the water before placing your tortoise in the bathing tub.
Allow approximately 10 – 15 minutes soak in the bath, this should be enough time to ensure your tortoise is fully hydrated and that the water doesn’t get cold. Your tortoise may empty its bowels in the bath or water bowl which is normal as they also absorb water through the vent in their tails. Drinking water should be refreshed as soon as possible and the bathing water changed.