Flipped tortoise

hunterk997

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I found my 10 month old tortoise on her back a few minutes ago. I know she was only there for a matter of a few seconds because I checked on her literally a few seconds before it happened. I read a thread Yvonne posted about flipped tortoises. It talked about possibility of suffocation, and something about the bladder twisting? Is that something to worry about in young tortoises? She flipped over from trying to climb her humid hide, she wanted to get around it but the way I put the substrate made it almost impossible. I made it so she can walk around it now. Another concern, she likes to climb on her log hide and slide down the other side. What about the ledge? It's 4.5 inches from the substrate level. I made a small slope keeping in mind the possibility of her falling off onto her back. Is there a reason for concern? She is sitting on the top right now, she never even goes near the edge, but I'm worried I will be in school next week and she will flip and no one will be there to flip her back, unless my mom decides to check on her, which is unlikely. Are all of the problems that Yvonne mentioned in that thread a concern for a hatchling? It seemed to target bigger species, but I'm not sure.
 

wellington

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I'm not sure about the things Yvonne mentioned. If it were me, I would make sure there was nothing to make her flip.
 

hunterk997

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I went through the enclosure and tortoise-proofed it. I sunk the log hide in the substrate more, so if se were to fall it would only be 3.5 inches or so. But she seems to understand the concept of the ledge. She crawled on top of it, went to the ledge but just looked down the backed away and walked away.
 

ascott

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possibility of suffocation, and something about the bladder twisting?

The concept is that when you come upon a tort that is flipped you should right them slowly and not the quick flip...this will avoid a sudden twist on the tort and anything inside of them....plus, if you happen upon a tort that has been rolled over for a long period of time the tort should not further be startled....:D
 
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