Henry needs large, flat, shallow tray for his bath.

September 17, 2012 12:29 PM

I need a relatively shallow 3'x3' or 4'x4', flat bottomed plastic tray... thingy. I want to give Henry, our very large African Spurred Tortoise, a bath.

I want to give Henry, our very large African Spurred Tortoise, a bath. The problem is, I can't seem to find any large, shallow trays or tubs for the job. It needs to hold a couple of inches of water and let Henry move around a bit. I've gone to Home Depot and the local pet super store but nothing fits the bill. Hydroponics supply websites have trays but they're upwards of $60. Are there any other stores or specialty shops I should look into? Even just the right search terms would help a great deal, as I don't really know how to find what I'm looking for. Please help so Henry can feel refreshed and clean!

posted by BlackBox to pets & animals (30 answers total)

I believe the term you're looking for is "kiddie pool".
posted by Grither at 12:30 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

Kiddie pool!
posted by mochapickle at 12:31 PM on September 17, 2012 [2 favorites]

(Argh!)
posted by mochapickle at 12:31 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

Kiddie - oh.
posted by Specklet at 12:47 PM on September 17, 2012 [4 favorites]

Kiddie pool?
posted by ramix at 12:54 PM on September 17, 2012

Never mind.
posted by ramix at 12:54 PM on September 17, 2012 [2 favorites]

Well, that was fast. Kiddie pool it is, then. Seriously, though - I have to order one online? No stores seem to carry these around here.
posted by BlackBox at 12:57 PM on September 17, 2012

Possibly a trip to container store could yield a plastic storage box this size.

Otherwise, there's those inflatable things designed for children to wade/swim in... can't remember what they call them.
posted by softlord at 12:57 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

Your profile doesn't show a location, but this time of year you should be able to find them at garage sales for just a few bucks. Or maybe on sale at big box stores, but it's getting late in the season.
posted by raisingsand at 12:58 PM on September 17, 2012

No stores seem to carry these around here.

Does "here" include a Target, Walmart or Babies R Us? Because they would all normally stock these.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:59 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

Please be careful about what kind of kiddie pool you use for your tortoise. It is not uncommon for kiddie pools to have an algaecide (usually a cyanide) imbedded into the plastic which does not harm children but can harm other animals. A number of owners of koi have found this out the hard way when using a kiddie pool as a temporary holding tank for koi while servicing the main koi pond.

This is probably not a big deal if Henry's bath is not days long, but better safe than sorry.
posted by Tanizaki at 1:04 PM on September 17, 2012 [2 favorites]

Try Toys R Us as well. And MetaFilter demands photographs of Henry, by the way.
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:05 PM on September 17, 2012

They're seasonal, so you might not be able to find one at a big box store right now. Maybe a thrift store, garages sale, or being given away on craigslist. A sandbox could also work (and be amazingly meta), so long as it didn't leak.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:05 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

Another option is a livestock tank (do you have a Tractor Supply store nearby?)
posted by HuronBob at 1:06 PM on September 17, 2012

If you have any big Asian stores near you, they might stock basins that would work. I've seen them at HMart and Lotte near me
posted by brilliantine at 1:13 PM on September 17, 2012

To go meta-meta... I have a sandbox that you could have that might fit this description.

It's shaped like a turtle.

If you happen to be in the SF bay area, or want to come here for the tortoise-bath/turtle sandbox, send a mail.
posted by dfm500 at 1:13 PM on September 17, 2012 [6 favorites]

It is actually pretty hard to find a plastic molded kiddie pool in the stores anymore ... most of them are inflatable. I'd call ahead before spending all afternoon schlepping to different Toys R Uses and Targets ... and order online if I struck out. Don't know why it's all inflatables now, it's annoying.

You might also try a farm supply store, if you live near anything like that, especially one that carries stuff for livestock. They always have a wide selection of random bins, basins, and tubs in a large variety of sizes.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:26 PM on September 17, 2012

Asian grocery stores sell large round shallow containers used to prep/wash vegetables. Should cost $10 or less. I have a couple and they are 3 ft across and about 1 ft deep.
posted by wongcorgi at 1:31 PM on September 17, 2012

Toys R Us has a pool, will let you check stock online, and pick up at a local store you can locate by ZIP code. I actually don't think anyone will ship to you, due to size.

Don't know why it's all inflatables now, it's annoying.

Shelf real estate, basically. The inflatables box up and are more cost efficient to stock in terms of shelf space per foot.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:36 PM on September 17, 2012

Would a cement-mixing tub be big enough? They're very durable and cheap.
posted by chowflap at 1:50 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

I just picked one up on sale at Fred Meyer for $8. (Seattle). They are still around on sale. Also try goodwill.
posted by ramix at 2:10 PM on September 17, 2012

Another alternative. is a hot water drain pan. usually galvanized metal and about 2 feet across, that are ahoy ten compare, and readily. available at hardware shored
posted by dbmcd at 4:08 PM on September 17, 2012

Okay, my phone borked. that! $10, available at hardware stores.
posted by dbmcd at 4:13 PM on September 17, 2012

Your profile doesn't show a location

Ah yes, "here" would be Oakland, CA. I've already checked Toys R us who have cleared out their water toys to make way for... iPods. Who knew? Target and Walmart have the inflatable kind but I really need something rigid. The hard plastic blue tubs that instantly come to mind when you think "kiddie pool" have apparently all vanished from the face of the earth.

Would a cement-mixing tub be big enough? They're very durable and cheap.

That's a really good suggestion. I would have never have thought of that!

It is not uncommon for kiddie pools to have an algaecide (usually a cyanide)

Oooo good to know. This is why AskMe rocks.
posted by BlackBox at 4:21 PM on September 17, 2012

PetSmart//Petco usually carries kiddie pools in the dog section, at least my local store does.
posted by Jazz Hands at 4:34 PM on September 17, 2012

I bought something like a kiddie pool - a rigid plastic liner, meant for a small pond, for less than $30 at Home Depot - this one. Super durable, and you can fill it as deeply or as shallowly as you like.
posted by Ink-stained wretch at 5:23 PM on September 17, 2012

A washing machine drain pan will be bigger than the water heater drain pan, Home Depot carries a super cheap one.
posted by anaelith at 6:00 PM on September 17, 2012

Surely the rule about "if you post a question about your dog or cat you must link to a photo of them" applies to questions about turtles…
posted by Lexica at 6:24 PM on September 17, 2012 [7 favorites]

Yeah, I agree with Lexica. It is impossible to answer this question without pictures of the Tortise in question. Show!
posted by windykites at 9:01 PM on September 17, 2012

the plastic kiddie pools are widely available at hardware stores (Ace) in the Tucson area. Lots of places carry them not just for kids but as a way for dogs to cool off, which would also make the inflatable ones a bad idea.
posted by QuakerMel at 3:58 PM on September 20, 2012