Going away for 2 nights, water?

[StaceyLeigh]

We are going away for 2 nights. Lights/heat are all on timers and digital temp control, so I am not worried about those issues. I was wondering about water. One of mine has pooed in her water a couple of times, so I'm not sure if I should leave them water or not? It make me nervous I know drinking from a poo contaminated water bowl is bad! Is 2 days/nights without water a bad idea?

[WanderingChai]

If they have before, I would say don't. Just offer water before you leave and when you get back.

[Jeff]

They will be fine without water for two days, but I always leave water for mine when I'm gone. I have left mine for two weeks before with just having someone come to check on their water once in the middle of that time. It will be fine either way.

[El Lobo]

To put the other side.

Animals can dehydrate from a number of causes and having no water available will not allow them any attempt to re-hydrate. Having had a pet that did dehydrate makes me more conscious of the need to provide more than the expected daily consumption at all times. Apart from seeing a pet in such distress there are also the short and long term effects caused to their body. If that is not sufficient motivation then I will also add the veterinary costs for treatment can be substantial.

I don't know what applies in other areas but in this part of the world not leaving an animal with a supply of potable water is an offence under Animal Welfare laws.

[WanderingChai]

Hmm... Another option may be to put out two water dishes(what's the chance s/he'll poop in them both) so that one is always clean

[Lea]

Try leaving two dishes of water, keep them shallow, but put one on a tile or some stones just to elevate it a bit. They might poo in one over the days days, but it's unlikely theyll poo in both! I do this in hot weather, too, just in case they might tip a dish and be left without.

In Australia, you can dehydrate within hours of running out of water, the climate can be so harsh. I think leaving them without is a bad idea, not to disagree entirely with Jeff, as it is not very likely to be an issue, but if you are under a heat source or even in a warmish house without a globe, thirst is bound to kick in within the first 12 hours, even if you only need a few licks to quench it. Such small animals fall victim to dehydration easily, so it wouldn't be wise to chance it.

It's been close to 40 degrees C in SA the last week- a bird dropped out the sky dead in front of my house this week, much to my astonishment as it's feathers almost brushed my face! I can only assume it was the heat, but little else would stop a bird dead in it's tracks a mile high in the sky.

[Lea]

Lol! Wandering Chai! You beat me by minutes thanks to my hopeless typing and multitude of errors I had to correct!

[WanderingChai]

Lol! Wandering Chai! You beat me by minutes thanks to my hopeless typing and multitude of errors I had to correct!

[bella3]

They should be fine without water for a couple of days.
The caresheet has a section on this.

[El Lobo]

They should be fine without water for a couple of days.

What is the basis or experience for this statement?

The caresheet has a section on this.

The caresheet is not etched in stone.

It is correct that BTS don't need, or even want to drink every day, but how do we determine when they do feel that need? Do we schedule them to have water when we deem the period without is sufficient, or do we just make it available 24/7? I find it difficult to comprehend that a basic of life is the subject of procrastination as to whether it should or should not be provided.

Apart from my previously mentioned experience of an animal dehydrating (I hasten to add that was not because there was no water provided), another example was one of our blotchies emerged from his hide three hours after lights out, had a drink of water and immediately returned to his hide.

This country is just emerging from a 10 year drought. A vet told me that during the drought he was treating as many as four times the usual number of dogs bitten by snakes. The reason: snakes were entering gardens in search of water and being confronted by dogs with no previous experience of snakes. Like many others I also placed a container outside our boundary line and ensured it always had clean water available. As I don't know when a reptile is likely to need water I preferred to make it available in a safer area rather than have them come around the house seeking a drink.

[Katrina]

The caresheet is a great guideline, but it doesn't cover everything and it is just one opinion. That's why this forum is great - so you can get different viewpoints and advice, and make a decision for yourself. If you follow the caresheet to a T your bluey will be just fine... but there are lots of different things you can do that might work better for you, your climate, you species of BTS etc. So don't assume just because you read it on the caresheet that it MUST be done that way.

I always leave water in with mine if we are going away for a day or two. They would be fine without water, but I just leave a clean bowl in. It is the same as if I leave for work and am gone 10 hours and they wake up and poop in their water... and then have the option of drinking from it for the next 8 hours. Either way, I'm sure they will be just fine.

[StaceyLeigh]

Than you for all the advice, it gives me ideas.

[Fatal_S]

In my experience a skink will not drink from dirtied water.