Help! Ned flipped onto his back using the wall!!

[adore]

I had been out all morning and just on a whim decided to stop at home before my next appt. Thank you intuition!!!! Because who do I find ON HIS BACK but my dear Sully Ned!! He must have been there for a while because he had defected on himself and the poo was dry on the outside. I flipped him back and he wandered off. I didn't see any injuries but I'll check him over better when I'm back home. Here's the thing: there was nothing around, just the wall (house wall, painted plaster I think). He was right next to the wall when he was flipped, and I've seen him pace up and down that wall before and climb up the wall to turn around, though normally he just climbs up a little bit. This was in the middle of the wall but I guess he decided to turn around and was too enthusiastic about it?? That's all I can think of.

I'm so worried because I have no idea how to stop it from happening again!

Background info: Ned is approx 12" long (shell) & 17.5 lbs. He has the run of my yard which is approx 18' x 32', solid brick walls except for one of the long walls which is the outside wall of the house, and 5' of chainlink (entirely covered in mesh, bottom 2.5' is covered cardboard so he can't see through). The ground is bricks in the middle and against the house but there is a 4' wide strip of dirt along each short wall and 1 long wall. He always has access to shade and has a shelter that includes a heated area (approx 85F, has both top & bottom heat) and a non heated area, though lately he's been hanging out under the bunny hutch. I started digging him a burrow in another shady spot but so far he hasn't shown interest in it. He has a shallow sunk-in water container that I've seen him drink from, and I have a larger one that I'm going to install soon so he can self-soak if he wants to. I soak him once a 1-2 times a week. He has access to hay (alfalfa blend) all the time and gets fresh grass and weeds (mostly grasses) every morning (a pile approx the size of a football) I supplement with Mazrui tort chow (with added calcium powder (w/out D3) and vitamins) 1-2 times a week.

I'm open to any ideas/critics about anything.

Thank you for helping me keep Ned happy & safe!!

P.S. I'm heading home now so can do a more thorough Ned check to make sure his ok after flipping.

 

[Razan]

How traumatizing for both you and Ned. Thank God we have that small voice giving us direction that we sometimes listen to. I am so glad you found him before it was too late.

Not that I am the best person to get advice from, but is sounds like you take good care of him already. Can you post pictures of his enclosure?

 

[adore]

How traumatizing for both you and Ned. Thank God we have that small voice giving us direction that we sometimes listen to. I am so glad you found him before it was too late.

Not that I am the best person to get advice from, but is sounds like you take good care of him already. Can you post pictures of his enclosure?

Thanks Razan, I'm learning more & more to trust that little voice always! Good idea re: pics, I'll try to take some soon

 

[JoesMum]

A flipped tort needs to be soaked thoroughly for a few days afterwards to ensure rehydration.

Some photos of the enclosure and the offending wall will help us to see what might be done to reduce his climbing attempts.

 

[Carol S]

When turning a tortoise back over do it very slowly to help prevent intestinal torsion.

 

[adore]

A flipped tort needs to be soaked thoroughly for a few days afterwards to ensure rehydration.

Some photos of the enclosure and the offending wall will help us to see what might be done to reduce his climbing attempts.

That's great to know about the soaking, I've been soaking every day since I read this! Thanks!!

Sorry it took me so long to get photos, I'll post them in a separate thread

 

[adore]

When turning a tortoise back over do it very slowly to help prevent intestinal torsion.

Thanks so much Carol! I think I was slow turning him over but now that I know this I'll be super slow if it ever happens again (Which hopefully it won't!!!)

 

[adore]

Photos of Ned's enclosure (aka my yard) especially the offending wall!


The Wall!!


I've seen him climbing up the wall to turn around before (even mid-wall) and I can sometimes hear the scraping from inside. You can see where he's chipped paint (but the large, higher cracks are old)


It sort of looks it in the picture, but the dog bed wasn't within "flipping" distance of where he landed. He likes to hang out on the warm dog beds but when he climbs on & off the bed squished down and it looks really easy for him, so I though they were ok. Thoughts?

And yes, my dogs are in the same yard with him sometimes. Unfortunately it's the only yard I have so sharing has to occur. I have personally introduced each of them to Ned to see how they react to his presence, his movement etc. They all ignore him. I've been a dog trainer for almost 15 years and can read my dogs well so I'm not worried about their behavior, though I continue to monitor it. Also, they are indoor dogs and are rarely outside for more than 5 minutes alone, during which time they are usually either doing their business (which I clean up multiple times a day so Ned doesn't step in it or eat it) or waiting at the dog to come in I know it's not ideal but it's the best I can do right now. But if anyone has any tips or concerns please let me know


Ned's heated (above & ground heat) shelter (with unheated area) and the water container he likes to drink from (currently making a self-soaking sized water container for more water variety & self-soaking fun, if he wants :>) The shelter is getting a better roof soon. But the whole area is covered by a (very sturdy!) tarp that keeps things dry & shady.


Under the bunny hutch is where Ned seems to like to hang out to stay cool. The ground if pure dirt here.


Another dog bed & the coveted chain link fence. Also you can see a board I put up to create more shade.


Even though the bricks are uneven from the tree roots, they are securely in place. Another look at the board.

 

[adore]

Ned chillaxin' on his dog bed

 

[JoesMum]

Hmm it's difficult. I don't think there's much you can do about him trying to climb the wall. The problem is that there's nothing for him to use to flip himself back.

My only suggestion would be some plant troughs and pots along that wall. Plant the right things that dangle over the edge and he can browse there rather than climb.

 

[dmmj]

your tortoise for whatever reason has decided that spot he either really likes it or really hates it. tortoises are very very very very very very very very stubborn he is more than likely not going to stop climbing that spot. that wall looks kind of bare to me I would get a bunch of potted plants and put them
up against that wall that should stop the climbing.

 

[adore]

Thank you JoesMom & dmmj! That's great because I love potted plants (the tort munchable variety!) and was thinking about adding a planter for growing grasses too. In the mean time I'll find something to put there

 

[adore]

Hmm it's difficult. I don't think there's much you can do about him trying to climb the wall. The problem is that there's nothing for him to use to flip himself back.

What could I put to help him flip back, does it have to be a certain size? Thanks!!

 

[JoesMum]

They tend to use the soil, rocks and plants to try to lever themselves against. It's a bit hard to replicate on the floor like you have

 

[adore]

They tend to use the soil, rocks and plants to try to lever themselves against. It's a bit hard to replicate on the floor like you have

Cool thanks! I'm going to try to find some videos of torts up-righting themselves and see if it helps give me some idea of what might work on the bricks.