Do land turtles drink water, how to water a turtle at home

Observations of land tortoises allowed scientists to understand that in the vast majority of cases, these animals receive moisture from succulent plant food. Sometimes they also drink water in the usual way – i.e. take in moisture through the mouth. But this happens only in those situations when the animal has severe dehydration.

How fluid enters the body

Like any other animal, turtles need water. It must constantly enter the body to maintain all life processes. Therefore, the land tortoise needs water, but this does not mean that it needs to be purposefully watered with the help of any container.

The entire volume of the necessary fluid comes with juicy plant foods:

• White cabbage;
• carrot;
• cucumbers;
• dandelions;
• clover;
• berries;
• apples and other fruits.

Therefore, turtles drink water, but not directly from the drinker, but from the cell sap of plants. The menu of the animal should always contain natural plant foods – then you do not need to water the turtle separately with water from the container.

When you need a water bowl

However, if the origin of the reptile is doubtful (it was previously kept by irresponsible owners), in the first days it is necessary to put a shallow drinker. It is likely that the pet has not eaten plant foods for a long time, so dehydration has set in. Then the turtle will try with all its might to replenish the liquid supply, including it will even begin to drink from the supplied container.

Watering a land tortoise at home is only necessary with clean, settled or filtered water. A dehydrated animal will automatically find a drinking bowl placed in the aquarium, lower its head there and begin to drink. Water will begin to flow out of her mouth, so only a small amount will get inside. This is normal: a turtle’s jaws are not designed for daily fluid absorption.

However, then the drinker will need to be removed. It occupies a certain place, which is already scarce in the aquarium. The container can roll over and fill the soil, causing inconvenience to the pet. Also, water can become clogged, and then, because of which it can subsequently harm the health of the animal.

How else do turtles replenish their water supply?

Another way in which water enters the body of a turtle is through the skin during bathing. It is advisable to carry out the procedure at least 1-2 times a week. It contributes not only to the replenishment of water reserves, but also to the hygiene of the animal. To ensure maximum comfortable bathing, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. The water should be warm enough, but not hot: temperature range 30-35oC.
2. The duration of bathing is 30-40 minutes.
3. The water level is a maximum of 2/3 of the height of the shell. The turtle’s head should protrude freely so that it can breathe easily on the surface.
4. Just in case, while swimming, you need to monitor the behavior of the animal so that the turtle does not choke on the liquid.
5. While bathing, the pet will defecate, which is quite normal. But in this case it is better to replace the water, so you need to keep a spare basin of liquid.

Purposeful watering of turtles is not necessary, since they receive all the necessary amount of moisture from plant food, as well as during bathing. But if there is a suspicion of dehydration, it is better to put a drinker with water in the aquarium for a while.