Frequently Asked Questions
Q.) Should I bath my tortoise?
I 'bath' all of my tortoises to keep their hydration up. They absorb water through the cloaca and will also drink through the mouth whilst bathing. I soak them in Luke warm water for 20 minutes. Personally, I bath my larger tortoises a few times a month when they are outdoors, as they are less likely to become dehydrated when they are outdoors. My hatchlings get daily baths, sometimes twice a day when possible, because of a hatchling’s small size, they are much more prone to dehydration and I give them extra baths to compensate for this. Most tortoises will defecate and urinate when bathed. This is normal.
Q.) My tortoise has urinated a white creamy substance- is this normal?
Yes, this is called Urates. It is the expulsion of excess uric acid. It is completely normal. Healthy urates are creamy in consistency, not gritty or solid. If Urates are gritty or solid, then your tortoise is probably dehydrated. If your tortoise is excreting gritty or solid urates, then increase hydration by bathing at least twice a day for a few weeks. Some keepers also find that a sliver or two of cucumber also helps hydration in tortoises that are passing gritty urates. Once your tortoise’s urates return to normal then be sure to keep water available for them at all times, as well as bathing regularly to help hydration.
Q.) Help! I found my tortoise upside down, could he die of this?
Tortoises often take a tumble when they are exploring their enclosure. They will not come to any harm as long as they are not left on their back under lamps for a long time. If you find your tortoise on it’s back under it’s heat source, or in the hot sun, then they may become dehydrated, so give your tortoise a long soak in the bath. Tortoises can easily flip themselves back on their front if they have a suitable substrate, and probably flip on their backs lots of times when you are not looking! I have personally watched my tortoises fall on their back and right themselves many times. To help hatchling tortoises right themselves, I use an old towel as substrate under their heat source. The ‘loops’ in the towels help them to right themselves.
Q.) I have a new tortoise, when can it be introduced to my current tortoise(s)?
It is advisable to give any new additions an 18-month quarantine period before introducing them to your own tortoise. The stress of moving can often lower a tortoise’s immune system, and any underlying diseases can often manifest themselves and could be passed onto your own tortoises. It is worth noting that 18 months is the bare minimum recommended quarantine period, because of the current outbreak of chelonian herpes. This disease can wipe out a whole collection in no time at all and can lay dormant for up to 10years without showing symptoms. The main group of tortoises at risk are those bought from pet shops or garden centres that may be wild caught or captive farmed. However UK Captive bred tortoises are at no less risk of contracting herpes, depending on the breeder’s hygiene standards. If you are buying a hatchling from a breeder, it is worth asking when the latest addition to their group was made, and if it was quarantined for the correct amount of time.