My tortoise will not drink any water directly or when she is bathed however when she has her weeds they have been washed and i assume that this is giving her enough water,as her urates are watery and look creamy.

Is a tortoise able to absorb water thru their skin to aid hydration???

Tams thanks for the help on id-ing pics, are on the way just to clarify.

Tortoises not only drink through the mouth but take water up their tails - so whilst bathing they may not appear to actually drink they are in fact taking in water! Which is why bathing torts, especially younger ones, is recommended so often!

Tamie

No tortoises dont absorb water through their skin.

How long do you leave your tort in the bath for? I would leave for at least 20 mins, change the water half way through if it goes cold to encourage him/her to stay in longer.

What are your torts urates like? If they are creamy then he/she must be drinking when your not looking, but if they are chalky or gritty I would give extra baths until they return to normal.

They do get some hydration from their food, but obviously not the full amount they require.

__________________
Phoebe

Keeping: Hermanns and Whitei's

Wow they absorb fluid up the "Tail" that must be news to a few people as I have never heard that mentioned anywhere before! she is bathed about 3 times a week for about 10 mins. thanks for the help

Do you see urates from your tortoise? What is their consistency?

__________________
Phoebe

Keeping: Hermanns and Whitei's

i have had my babies for a month now i bath them every morning and havent seen any urates at all. but they are active and dont seem dehydrated and eat well diddy loves his/her baths every mornin he/she washing it faces with its feet while snoop just sits there and chills out evry now and again he/she dips his/her head in. should i be worried that there hasnt been any urates???

__________________
kelz
0.0.2 hermanns tortoise (snoop and diddy)
0.1.0 cat (tilly new mummy)
1.0.0 kitten (toby born 17.08.07)
1.0.0 staffy (max)
0.1.0 guinea pigs (ginge R,I.P scruffs)
1.0.0. boyfriend (jay)

No urates in tortoises which are bathed daily, is a sign of very well hydrated tortoises so I wouldnt worry about this

__________________
Phoebe

Keeping: Hermanns and Whitei's

thanks pheobe you have put my mind at rest now thats one less thing to wory about... loads going on at the mo my one year old cat just popped out 3 kittens un expectidly friday so been really busy with the torts routine and sortin her im exhausted ... so im glad i dont need to worry about my preceous babies

__________________
kelz
0.0.2 hermanns tortoise (snoop and diddy)
0.1.0 cat (tilly new mummy)
1.0.0 kitten (toby born 17.08.07)
1.0.0 staffy (max)
0.1.0 guinea pigs (ginge R,I.P scruffs)
1.0.0. boyfriend (jay)

My babies don't have any urates and there bathed everyday but my bigger one occasionally has urates and hes bathed daily to, does that mean sometimes hes not fully hydrated?

__________________
5 hermanns (little T, Turbo, Timone, Pumba and Paris)
2 Red foots (Elliot and Tommy)
1 chihuahua (rex)
1 jackrussel/daschund (scrappy)
2 cats (sparky and mieque)
6 glodfish (henry the 2nd, splodge,Bart, Homer,Speckle and ginge)
3 gerbils (timmy, raisin and squirt)
R.I.P Frank & Mr.T (hermanns torts) love you always.

Dont worry <g> .......... as long as the urates are creamy the tort is hydrated. My 3yr olds are bathed everyday and they pass creamy urates...as long as they have the opportunity to drink when they need to thats the most important thing.

__________________
Phoebe

Keeping: Hermanns and Whitei's