First time on his back

[Jennica]

So imagine my horror when i come home from work and Shredder is on his back. My first heart attack with my little sulcata. I flipped him back over and got him a snack. He "shredded"it. Thankfully he seems ok. Very glad he didnt flip over directly under his heat lamp. Had his first weigh in since i have had him (2 weeks) 3.05 ounces.

 

[wellington]

Glad he was okay. Next time, hopefully there is t one, but next time I would give him a nice warm soak as soon as you find him on his back. They can dehydrate quickly, better safe then sorry, specially if you don't know how long he has been on his back.

 

[Jennica]

Thank you. I was a bit freaked out and wasnt sure what to do.

 

[ascott]

I have adult male CDTs here as well as Redfoot torts (juniors and younger) along with Red Ear Sliders....to this day if I stumble upon a roll over tort...my gut still twists....the last gut twist was a month or so ago when we had a cold night 35 ish with rain....in the morning I looked out the french doors and I found one of the adult CDTs on his dome, tucked in tight and he had been in that position the entire night --through the rain and cold....was the one night I did not go out and do a peek see....I tapped on his foot and there was mild movement so I brought him in, burned the old 100 watt bulb and propped him in his clothes hamper directly under the light for the entire night....by the next day/evening he was no longer amused and requested to be placed back into his yard and faired just fine....my gut not as well however...just remember, when you find a roll over tort---turn the tort slowly to right him....no abrupt flip backs...can create a bit of a twist on the gut in a weird situation....

 

[Saleama]

Last year I came home to one of my baby box turtles turned over. He was my favorite so I was mortified. Considering all the possibilities, I changed the habitat so that it would not happen again. Two days later I came home to find a second hatchling in the same location (different set-up). Two gone in three days. After taking my lunch hour to drive home for the next two months, I finally realized that I had to raise the basking light. While that meant that they could not bask while I was at work, it also meant I would not lose another one. So now my babies bask in the am and the pm while I am at home. Interestingly enough, I have had no more flips that I am aware of in the baby tank (it is an entirely new set of babies). I do have a juvenile that flips in the water dish all the time (sibling to the two that passed). He goes into that frozen posture they are teaching human babies now and floats around with his head on his chest until he gets rescued.
Just remember the advice given. I have observed my Sulcatas flipping while in their outdoor yard and the one common thing to all of them is, that when they flip over they do a vigorous shake to try and right themselves and when that fails, they evacuate their bladder. A good long soak after a flip is not going to hurt a thing and can only do good.

 

[Jennica]

The weird part was that he wasnt near anything when he flipped. I keep rocks near the basking light so that he could get some footing if he did flip over. He was covered in poop when i found him. I felt so bad. He seems ok which i am very thankful for. I have already become very attached to him.