flipped over - anything I can do?

[PyroLou]

I've just woken up to find my baby on her back waving her arms and legs around. I suppose I could take out the large rocks so she can't flip herself on them but I think she did it by trying to climb up the corner of her tort table. She's always climbing. I've just been reading a thread on here where someone found their tortoise on its back and it died within 24 hours. I read about the problems being on their backs can cause and I'm so scared. She's only 15. Is there anything I can do?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Make sure that you remove anything that your tortoise has used to flip over. Like the rock you described.
I once had a baby die within FOUR hours of flipping over because he overheated near a heat lamp. Do not have a heat source over any location that your tortoise can or has flipped over previously.
Is it in an aquarium? Some tortoises try to get out when they can see outside of their "world". Place some paper up to a level so high that your tortoise can't see over it. Paper and tape. Just to see if it helps.
It is also likely that your enclosure is too small.

 

[PyroLou]

She wasn't near the lamp thankfully, she's in a wooden tort table. Her table is too small and I'm currently working on sourcing the wood the expand it. She's nibbling at yesterday's food and stomping around so I assume that's a good sign. I'm scared to give her breakfast in case that makes things worse somehow.

 

[johnandjade]

hi there. the danger of a flipped tort is if it is under the bulb or in water dish... this can cause them to overheat and die or drown

you can cut down the risk of this happening by making sure the large rocks are not placed near the bulb.
water dish should be shallow and sunk into substrate, also ensure substrate is deep enough to allow your tort to right its self, thats why it was flapping and waving its limbs.

if you can post up a few pics of enclosure,to help people advise you. the climbing of corners could be due to a 'board' tort... our little guy used to do in constantly untill we dropped in some sight barriers etc, now he never does it

 

[ZEROPILOT]

There is a great chance that she is just fine. Flipping over happens from time to time.
I recently had my 22 pound male Redfoot flip over while mating and by the time I got outside, he had righted himself.

 

[Gillian M]

So sorry to have read about your tort having flipped on its back. Torts can be much more 'naughty' than we think, believe me.

Sincerely hope to hear your tortoise was not hurt, and that it is doing well.

And a warm welcome to the forum.

 

[Yvonne G]

Try to figure out why the tortoise is unhappy in the habitat. I'm going out on a limb here and say I THINK the tortoise is in a habitat that is too small. At 15 years, you should have a nice outdoor habitat and only bring it in during inclement weather.

 

[CanadianTestudo]

As hard as we try it is impossible to design an enclosure where the tortoise can't flip over. Even if you have just a bare enclosure with nothing in it it will still have walls that your tortoise can flip on. I try to have a couple of rocks, logs or other objects all over her enclosure (which like yours is too small right now) so that in the case she does get flipped over she can use those objects to hook her feet under to flip back over. I have tested it and mine usually takes 5min to flip herself back.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

As has been said, put objects with a lower gradient for climbing to reduce the chances of flipping.
Keep the basking spot away from any areas of potential flipping.
And try to get a larger indoor and outdoor enclosure, it is possibly boredom and frustration that is causing your tortoise to want to practice gymnastics.