Flippin Tort!

[penny's mom]

My 15 yr old sulcata keeps flipping herself over almost every day. She lives outside and usually enjoys her house to stay cool and for the night. She is never upside down very long, but I know it isn't good for her. Any advise on why she might be doing this and how to prevent it in the future?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

WELCOM to the forum!!! what is your sulcata flipping on?

 

[penny's mom]

WELCOM to the forum!!! what is your sulcata flipping on?

The only thing she can be flipping on is the chain-link fence that goes up the sides of her turtle/dog run.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

maybe put up a 2 foot wood wall around the bottom part of the cain fence.

 

[penny's mom]

Do you think she would be able to climb up a wood fence enough to flip over?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

maybe make it to tall for her to reach

 

[penny's mom]

I like the idea! I think I will try it in the area where she usually ends up upside down and see if that works before I do the whole area - it would be quite a big job and take a lot of wood. If I only find her flipped in other areas then I know the wood is working in her old area.
Thanks a bunch

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

on this forum we love pictures so post a bunch!!

 

[penny's mom]

on this forum we love pictures so post a bunch!!

I'll try, but This is my FIRST EVER forum so I will have to figure out how to add pics.

 

[WillTort2]

Put a horizontal board along the wall to make the tort realize it cannot climb the wall.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

nice. my 2 almost 3 year old sulcata lives in a house like this(its my russians enclosure). i have never seen here spit with wood walls.

 

[penny's mom]

Ok, so she would just slide back down instead of flipping? That sounds like a great idea too.

 

[penny's mom]

She never had problems flipping before this year either and she is 15 yrs old - 50 pounds. So changing her area is pretty much changing the fence of my entire yard - I'll do what I need to if it helps.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

how is she flipping on the fence does she try to climb it? or go through it?

 

[penny's mom]

I don't know how she is actually flipping. The chain-link fence runs from the ground up the side of my house and the fence along my yard so she isn't looking thru the fence to try to get out.

 

[turtlelady80]

Maybe the problem isn't the chain link fence. Before you go reconstructing just take a few hours and watch her. Watch her behavior. See what's she's up too.

 

[Jabuticaba]

Welcome! Perhaps she's trying to get out of her enclosure? The experts here might need a picture of your enclosure, so they can help you with suggestions on enclosure improvements.
Cheers!


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[Kathy Coles]

I'm thinking she is able to right herself? That's good. You might also consider any substance that is "slippery" so she can't climb. I was thinking something plastic might also work. That wavy stuff that is used to make a roof of a shed? Drill holes and zip tie it to the fence.