HELP! (upside down in the water)

[Randi]

I came home from work to find my 55 gram Cherry Head flipped on her back in her water dish with her head submerged. The water was black from feces. She was unresponsive when picked up. She is currently sitting in her tub with a heat lamp. Her eyes are closed but she's breathing. Her food was untouched so it had to have happened after this mornings bath and then feeding when I left for work. I don't know how this could've happened. Her dish is completely level with the ground, she walks in. Her substrate is completely level as well with no raised areas. She flipped once when I first got her when she tried to explore the top of her hide but was found in minutes. I plan on keeping her warm to ensure she doesn't get pneumonia and to ward off anything else. If anyone can offer advice, please and thank you.

 

[G-stars]

Sorry to hear that happened to your little one. I'm not sure there is much more you can do except keep her warm.

 

[dmmj]

Keep her warm, your tortoise is probably ehausted, so you will notice her being slow for awhile. As to how this happened, my guess is she flipped while trying to get out of the water dish. I would look for a much lower lipped dish, just my thoughts on the matter.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Sorry to hear about your 'lil guy, hope hes ok.

 

[Randi]

Her dish looks like this but is an inch tall and five inches in diameter. I've tried tortoise specific dishes and she has refused to use them. I placed the one that's in now and she was in it immediately. The substrate is level with the dish. I am not sure as to what water dish I will now use. Thank you for your well wishes, everyone. I added another heat lamp onto her tank to keep her environment warmer then usual for a few days. I moved some things around. She's currently under her hide on the hot side, looking like she's snoozing. I have provided food but she looks tired so she probably won't eat. I will keep everyone posted. I have provided a picture of her very plain tank. She is being moved to a bigger tank soon that will have live plants and a nice set up. Thank you all again. I'm hoping for the best.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

replace it with a thin plant saucer.

 

[Ciri]

This is from Tess Cook book on box turtles:
to resuscitate a turtle that has drowned, tilt turtles head down while pushing its hind legs in and out, helping to expel water out of the lungs and pulling air back into them. Continue working the legs for at least 15 minutes.

Although it sounds like she is okay, I'm sending you this info as she may still have some water in her lungs. I imagine that it might be a good idea to try this just to make sure you have a chance to get any other water out. And it shouldn't make any difference that she's a tortoise instead of a box turtle.

 

[Yvonne G]

Another way to get water out of the lungs is to support the head so it doesn't flop, then, holding the tortoise with its head towards the floor, raise it above your head and quickly whoosh your arm down towards the floor. But be very careful to support the head. Do this a couple times.

 

[Jodie]

How is your little one today?

 

[jeffjeff]

terracotta plant pot saucers are good for food and water dishes. i got them at our local diy place for about 70p each their about 6inch across. hope your torts ok.

 

[Randi]

The tort is a little lethargic this morning. I gave s/he a bath and some food, left for work. I will see how she is when I'm home. If she eats, I will take that as a good sign. I'm worried about her getting sick - the water she was upside down in was almost sludge from her feces. I was thinking of taking her to a vet but I'm not sure what they will be able to do.
I thank you all for your help and concern. I will keep you all posted.

I'll have to look for these dishes. It's winter here, snow everywhere. All the green houses and plant things are mostly put away. Ill check a few places tonight for it.

 

[phebe121]

You could always untill you find a terracotta dish do a butter container and cut it down so.she.can step in and out of it nothing deep

 

[peasinapod]

The tort is a little lethargic this morning. I gave s/he a bath and some food, left for work. I will see how she is when I'm home. If she eats, I will take that as a good sign. I'm worried about her getting sick - the water she was upside down in was almost sludge from her feces. I was thinking of taking her to a vet but I'm not sure what they will be able to do.
I thank you all for your help and concern. I will keep you all posted.

I'll have to look for these dishes. It's winter here, snow everywhere. All the green houses and plant things are mostly put away. Ill check a few places tonight for it.

Keep an eye out for lung infection if she mught have aspirated some if the water. She woukd need antibiotics if that were the case.

 

[KTyne]

I'm so sorry you're having to go through this! I get my ceramic dishes (the ones you use under plant pots) at the dollar store. They always have them year round, although sometimes they run out of the larger ones.

 

[leopard777]

you can still use back that metal dish , just fill it up with pebble rocks

 

[Ciri]

You can use the lid of a plastic container such as a margarine container as a water dish for her. Just sanitize well – I usually wash in the dishwasher and use heated drying. She may be nervous around the old water dish since she had this unfortunate experience. I once adopted a box turtle who rarely got into his water – I think it was due to a past trauma. It will help her if the water dish is very shallow and looks different. Once she's had several months to recover and grow bigger, you can gradually get her used to the old water dish. Putting rocks in the dish at that time is a good idea. Sorry you and she are going through this. Hope she is feeling better.

 

[newCH]

Sorry to hear about your little one. I have a cherry head also,
weighs a bit less than yours. Keep us informed how its doing ~

 

[Randi]

After fighting with myself, I called the exotic vet. Left work and brought her in. The vet said that if it was just water, she'd pass it through her system, but because she inhaled fecal matter, she's at high risk for a bacterial infection in the lungs. She has received an antibiotic injection and requires four days of oral antibiotics. The vet said she looks ok, but I'd rather be safe then sorry. She is really shy and did not like the vet pulling her head out as she would hiss and open her mouth. She's very unhappy with being poked. She wouldn't use that side of her body for a few minutes. She has ate some food. She was also completely cleared today medically from the terrible rot she had when I acquired her.
I am looking tonight for a new water dish. The vet said the dish I currently have has a lid that goes straight down and isn't very forgiving for a tort her size. The vet said I can also try a pie pan as they allow her to walk in nicely. Thank you all for everything!!

 

[KTyne]

Glad to hear you took her to the vet, a bacterial lung infection would not have been fun to deal with! I hope she does well and is back to her normal self asap!

 

[Randi]

She probably won't be happy until the meds are over. She is shy, and I try to leave her alone so I don't stress her. I'm just happy that there are some preventative measures in place, I'm less worried now. My biggest concern was her aspirating her own waste. She has also dropped from 55 grams a few days ago to 51 after all this. I'm stressed.

I wish s/he was more like my turtle - I can always rely on him to flip himself back over. I'll get the hang of this tortoise thing soon!