This morning when I went to go check on Carl and get him in his morning soak, I picked him up and his head automatically shot all the way back into his shell, I honestly didn't know it went back as far as it did. He has NEVER done that.

And then when he pulled his head out, it looked like a little skin flap was folded up around his head more than normal, and he wasn't extending his head as much as is normal, he stopped about halfway out of the shell. I started poking at the skin flap (when in doubt, poke, right?) and he still didn't come out any further, until I soaked him a bit and then the skin flap loosened up and he has his head out all the way now.

Is that even possible that it got stuck or is he just messing with me?

I think he's just messing with you! I've seen this before!

This happens a lot with leopard tortoises. I've seen it 4 different times, and it was leopards each time. Usually they get their head stuck sideways and can't straighten it out.

futureleopardtortoise Wrote:(when in doubt, poke, right?)

haha, yes!

(09-08-2012 10:07 AM)Masin Wrote:  

futureleopardtortoise Wrote:(when in doubt, poke, right?)

haha, yes!

It's always worked for me so far.....

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I wish I would have gotten a picture but I wasn't really worried about that at the time.

futureleopardtortoise Wrote:It's always worked for me so far.....

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I wish I would have gotten a picture but I wasn't really worried about that at the time.

Yea I wouldn't of thought to get a picture either. Plus he might of been embarrassed if you had
I'm interested in seeing what it looks like so I don't panic if it ever happens with our girl. I also can't imagine the sideways head stuck as mentioned above, poor torts!

(09-08-2012 01:54 PM)Masin Wrote:  

futureleopardtortoise Wrote:It's always worked for me so far.....

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I wish I would have gotten a picture but I wasn't really worried about that at the time.

Yea I wouldn't of thought to get a picture either. Plus he might of been embarrassed if you had
I'm interested in seeing what it looks like so I don't panic if it ever happens with our girl. I also can't imagine the sideways head stuck as mentioned above, poor torts!

You know that little fold of skin they get when their head pulls in? It almost looked like his head was stuck in that, kind of like someone with a big head putting on a sweater He coul get his head out a little but not the normal.

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I'm also not 100% sure why this was moved to the leopard tortoise section since Carl is a Hermann's tortoise

futureleopardtortoise Wrote:You know that little fold of skin they get when their head pulls in? It almost looked like his head was stuck in that, kind of like someone with a big head putting on a sweater He coul get his head out a little but not the normal.

haha, poor guy! It's only funny now that he's safe, I like you would of been scared to death at first!

It sounds sad for them to have there head's stuck It would scare the daylights out of me I I saw my tortoise like that!