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| StarTortoises.net | * Indian / Sri Lankan & Burmese Star Tortoises... plus a few other species... |
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Burmese & Indian / Sri Lankan Star Tortoises
Other Stars Angulate Tortoise Misc. Pages
Tip:
Get THE Star tortoise book on amazon or eBay (direct links to book). It covers all aspects of Indian, Sri Lankan, and Burmese Star tortoise care. A must-have book for all current and prospective Star owners!
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Food & Water Dishes for Tortoises bowls, dishes, and pans
Sri Lankan Star in her drinking water dish Safety If you use a water dish with a hatchling, check that the baby tortoise can get in and out of it easily. You don't want him to get trapped in it or flip over and drown. For safety, it's best to keep the food and water dishes at the cool end of the enclosure, not under the heat lamps. Hard eating surfaces Feeding tortoises on a hard surface may help prevent beak and nail overgrowth. However, feeding some "tough" foods that require pulling and shredding by the tortoise is probably more beneficial for keeping beaks in top condition. To provide a hard eating surface and prevent accidental ingestion of substrates, you can feed your tortoise on a large tile or a big, flat rock. I buy tiles that have a somewhat rough surface and rounded corners for safety. Tortoises are messy animals and drag substrates with their feet all over the enclosure and dishes. Placing water and food bowls on large tiles helps keep them cleaner. Plastic lids etc. Many tortoise keepers use small plastic jar lids or disposable paper/plastic plates as food dishes, but I find them to be rather flimsy. They are very lightweight and tend to tip, or even turn over, when a tortoise steps on the edge of the lid to eat. Larger size plastic box lids may work better because they don't flip as easily. They are big enough to accommondate the whole tortoise, not just his front legs and body. Flat reptile dishes Granite Rock food dish I prefer Exo Terra's Granite Rock feeding dishes (pic) for water because they are low, heavy, very stable, and don't tip over when my turtles and tortoises walk all over them. Granite Rock feeding dishes are available in three sizes. The smallest size is model PT-2811, medium size is PT-2812, and the largest size is PT-2813. The text description for the size varies by the dealer. For example, some sellers call the PT-2813 a large dish, and some call it an extra-large dish. The smallest size with the lowest sides is best for a baby. Little ones can climb in and out of it fairly easily, but it's still large enough for one baby tortoise to soak himself. These food dishes are made of hard, food-grade resin. They used to made in a yellow brown color, but the newer ones are chocolate brown. Note: The Exo Terra "feeding dishes" and "water dishes" have different designs! The matching water dishes are less suitable for babies because they have higher sides. Repti Rock food dish Another low reptile dish I use as a water dish for babies is Zoo Med's Repti Rock food dish (pic). It's made of slightly softer material. The Repti Rock food dish is available in various colors and in four sizes from small to extra-large. All sizes have very low sides. The largest size food dishes (XL, pic) can be used as feeding trays to prevent accidental ingestion of substrate or as shallow soaking dishes for small tortoises in an indoor enclosure. Note: The Zoo Med "food dishes" and "water dishes" have different designs! The matching water dishes are quite a bit higher. Not suitable for little ones. Ramp bowls Reptile ramp bowls, i.e., water dishes with built-in steps, are available from several manufacturers. My favorite is Zoo Med's Repti Ramp Bowl (pic). It's available in several colors and sizes. The largest Repti Ramp Bowl (XL) is big enough for a small to medium size tortoise to soak himself. The actual water area is about 7.5" x 6". Ramp bowls with their high sides are not the best choice for little babies. Babies may tumble over the edge. Unless, the bowl is wedged so that the only way up and down is along the ramp. Poultry waterers Some tortoise keepers use non-automated chicken waterers, aka poultry fountains, as indoor water dishes. These waterers have a large water reservoir (plastic bottle) attached to a round bowl base. The bowl is only big enough for drinking. It does not allow the tortoise to soak himself so the water stays poop-free. If your tortoise is a self-soaker, this type of water dish is not appropriate for him. Plastic chicken waterers are cheap. The cost of a small, one quart unit (reservoir and base) is only a few dollars. For example, the Miller 690 jar screws into the Miller 740 fountain base. This base also fits a standard 1 qt glass Mason jar. Both the jar and base are made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic which is considered safe. For more plastic material info, see the housing and allergy sections on the links page. Note: If you use a very small water dish or a fountain/waterer type unit as your tortoise's main water bowl, do provide him regular opportunities for soaking (e.g. a separate soaking pan). Soak (bathe) baby Star tortoises daily in lukewarm water, and adult Stars 1-2 times a week. See the care tips page. Reptile waterers There are a few different brands of reptile waterers available, but I like Zoo Med's Repti Rock Reservoirs I mostly use reptile waterers if I leave my tortoises alone overnight. This way they will have plenty of clean water to drink while I'm gone. Reptile waterers work best for small to medium size tortoises. For little babies, these reptile bowls may be too high. Reptile waterfalls Two commonly available reptile waterfalls are the Repti-Rapids Waterfall Reptile fountains are designed for small lizards, frogs, chameleons etc., but they can be used in tortoise enclosures to increase the humidity level. Waterfalls and misters tend to lower the ambient temperature. Check the temperature gradient in the enclosure and raise up the heat if needed. Dog & cat waterers For larger tortoises, dog waterers may work well. Static ones, which look like large reptile waterers with a base and a bottle, are easy to clean. However, automated fountains offer the benefit of moving water. The sound and movement of running water can encourage tortoises to drink, or to drink more. This helps prevent dehydration. Water fountains can also raise the ambient humidity in indoor enclosures. However, they require regular cleaning and water changes, and they should be kept away from loose substrates to prevent clogging. You may also hear the sound of the running motor. Some automated pet fountains, e.g. Petmate Pet Fountain,
even have a build-in charcoal filter. The Petmate model oxygenates, filters, cools, and reduces bacteria in the water. The reservoir automatically adds clean, filtered water as needed. This fountain is available in several sizes and colors. The medium size (smallest) unit is 13.5"L x 9"W x 7"H. Drinkwell is another popular brand of automated fountains. The 360 Pet Fountain (pic) actually looks like a fountain. The round shape is similar to poultry waterers, but the bowl is rather high (3.5") and only works with larger tortoises. The constant circulation of water through the charcoal filter inhibits bacteria growth, but of course you have to change the water if your tortoise manages to poop in the fountain. :O) Outdoor water dishes Always provide a drinking water dish for tortoises, except maybe not for just born hatchlings. Even if you think they are not using it, they may drink when you are not watching. Flower pot saucers are popular as tortoise water dishes. I prefer plastic flower pot saucers over clay saucers as outdoor water dishes because plastic is nonabsorbent and easy to clean. The see-through plate also blends in well with the surroundings. A layer of small rocks in the dish gives little tortoises a higher and less slippery surface to walk on. They can stand on the rocks and drink the water between the pebbles. You can dig a shallow hole to put the plate in. When the plate is even with the ground, it's easier for small tortoises to get in and out of the dish. Evenings, I dump the water and rocks out of the plates. Mornings, I let the sun dry and disinfect them before refilling. During hot weather, all dishes get hot if placed in the sun. Replace the water as needed to keep it cool, or put the water dish in a shady area. I like to use small patio tables as sun shades for water bowls (pic). Yes, there is a transparent dish filled with rocks and water under the table. It's just hard to see. :O) Note: Flower pot saucers are not intended for food or water consumption. Both glazed and unglazed terracotta flower pot saucers may contain lead, and material impurity can be a concern with plastic saucers as well. For example, PVC is toxic. People and pets should not drink from containers made of PVC. See housing & allergics. Garden fountains Garden fountains with shallow bottom bowls are suitable as tortoise drinking fountains. Running water may entice tortoises to drink more. Solar powered water fountains (e.g. the Ceramic Frog Water Feature, pic) are great outdoors because no power cords are necessary. As with all motorized fountains, debris, soil, and tortoise feces in the bowl can cause clogging problems.
Always provide a water dish Garden hoses - may leach lead Always check the labels on garden hoses. Regular garden hoses should carry a "Do Not Drink" warning label. Humans and pets should not drink water from standard garden water hoses because they may leach lead into the water. Ideally, buy lead-free garden hoses Note: PVC is a known toxic. See "toxics" in the Allergy section of the links page. Soaking pans Frequent soaks (baths) in lukewarm water are beneficial for tortoises, especially if your tortoise is not a self-soaker. Any large enough dish or pan can be used for this purpose. Each group of tortoises should have their own soaking dish to avoid transferring germs and parasites between different groups and species. Soaking tortoises individually helps keep track of their pooping frequency, poop texture, and consistency. Is the poop solid, loose, dark, light, or bloody? Does it have visible worms? See the fecal exams page for info on fecal gross exams.
Star tortoise being "soaked" in warm water It's beneficial to let the water dishes and soaking tubs dry outside in the sunshine as solar radiation is strongly germicidal (destroys harmful microorganisms).
Read also the indoor housing, lighting & heating,hideboxes, outdoor housing, diet, care tips, substrates, substrates & allergics (more on substrates), and housing & allergics (enclosure materials, air quality etc.) pages for more Indian / Sri Lankan and Burmese Star tortoise care info. |
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(pic) for small tortoises because the bowls have a textured surface for climbing. The other brands I've seen (e.g. Fluker, Lixit, Wardley) have a bowl with a sleek and slippery surface that gives no grip to tortoise nails. Note: Even some of the Zoo Med's waterers have a smooth, slippery surfaces.
