Re: Sulcatas - clarification for EJ and Eric

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Posted by Terry on June 04, 2000 at 15:47:11:

In Reply to: Re: Sulcatas - clarification for EJ and Eric posted by Heather on June 04, 2000 at 14:32:02:

If the tortoise is on a wet diet, mostly store bought then providing water and soaking might result in loose stools.
My torts are outdoors on a mostly grazing diet, supplemented with edible plants and leaves, with store bought leafy greens making up a very small part of the diet. Opuntia pads only fed about once a week.
If you're providing drinking water, soaking the torts and feeding wet foods ( Grocery produce) then loose stools could result.
So cut back on the store bought greens, add fiber ( grasses, plants etc)to the diet and maybe cut back on the soaking.

Sulcatas don't usually over drink if water is available. It is possible though to soak too much, or feed too much wet food.

If the tortoise is drinking excessive amounts of water, there could be other concerns. Most sulcatas will drink very rarely,although I've noticed that my smaller sulcatas drink or soak themselves more than the bigger torts. All their stools are firm and fibrous.

I really don't see providing water to an outdoor tortoise on a grazing diet as a problem. To an indoor tortoise who may be on a wetter diet and recieving regular soaks it really shouldn't be a problem either.
If the tortoise is nicely hydrated it won't drink that often. But can do so if it chooses.

Rather long and drawn out, and once again only my opinion!
Heather I'm sure you are not the water Grinch (sp)!!
Terry.

Follow Ups:

Re: Sulcatas - clarification for EJ and Eric Heather 06/05/00 (2)
- Re: Sulcatas - clarification for EJ and Eric EJ 06/05/00 (1)
  - Re: Sulcatas - clarification for EJ and Eric Heather 06/08/00 (0)

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Comments:
: If the tortoise is on a wet diet, mostly store bought then providing water and soaking might result in loose stools. : My torts are outdoors on a mostly grazing diet, supplemented with edible plants and leaves, with store bought leafy greens making up a very small part of the diet. Opuntia pads only fed about once a week. : If you're providing drinking water, soaking the torts and feeding wet foods ( Grocery produce) then loose stools could result. : So cut back on the store bought greens, add fiber ( grasses, plants etc)to the diet and maybe cut back on the soaking. : Sulcatas don't usually over drink if water is available. It is possible though to soak too much, or feed too much wet food. : If the tortoise is drinking excessive amounts of water, there could be other concerns. Most sulcatas will drink very rarely,although I've noticed that my smaller sulcatas drink or soak themselves more than the bigger torts. All their stools are firm and fibrous. : : I really don't see providing water to an outdoor tortoise on a grazing diet as a problem. To an indoor tortoise who may be on a wetter diet and recieving regular soaks it really shouldn't be a problem either. : If the tortoise is nicely hydrated it won't drink that often. But can do so if it chooses. : Rather long and drawn out, and once again only my opinion! : Heather I'm sure you are not the water Grinch (sp)!! : Terry.

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