Phoenix Keeps Flipping Over

[byerssusan]

Need a little help here. I had to fix up a fast outside enclosure for Phoenix after the bulb debate that has been going on. Will not use that light any more. So I have been putting her outside for a couple of hours a day for natural sunshine. But yesterday .(.I check on her alot)..She is on our front porch and I have the door open..But still cannot see her because of the sides.so I have to get up and go check on her ..anyway tha doesn't matter.What matters is yesterday I found her flipped over 3 times. What is wrong with the enclosure I have for her? What is making her flip?

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

Where do you find her most often? My guess is she is trying to climb up on the plant and flips herself??

 

[byerssusan]

I found her once beside the flower pot I put on it's side for a hide. And twice beside the side of the enclosure. The plant in the middle I had in her indoor enclosure..She never attempted to climb on it then.

 

[jackrat]

I would extend the sides a little higher. You could also put something like rocks or bigger cypress mulch in. Anything she can use to flip herself back over.

 

[byerssusan]

what type and size rocks are you referring to? And where do I put them? I am wanting to put her outside this morning but am afraidto until I get this taken care of.

 

[dmarcus]

Might be trying to climb where the flower pot touches the wood, when I had my temp outside enclosure my hatchling was always trying to climb out at the corners and then flipping over.

 

[byerssusan]

What did you do to stop this? Should I make the sides higher like Jackrat said?

 

[tyler0912]

If it is the flowerpot....it seems pretty dug under i would dig it up and bury it again but not that he can climb on the pot... ( i meen the pot with the aloe)

 

[ascott]

You could remove the plant the hide and increase the height a bit around the edges...and place something on part of the top to cast a shady spot.....that would free up alot of space...especially if you are mainly utilizing the outdoor space for sun exposure...does not need to be pretty just effective. What is the substrate you have in this pic?

 

[byerssusan]

Well in the morning the sunshine comes through the sides. Not till the afternoon when the sun is too hot does it reach the top. Well maybe not now..With the weather changing the temps are not as high. But in the Arizona sun is let's say 96..is that too hot ? We are having high 80's now. So maybe I could do that..Just remove the hide and plant ..and just bring her out in the afternoons instead of mornings..And the substrate I am using is dirt that was like 2 feet under ground..under all the hot sand here....Soft dirt.Since I have been using it though I soak her everyday before bringing in ..I don't know if that really helps any thing. I figure though if she gets too hot that would help her.

 

[byerssusan]

Well I tried redoing the enclosure. I took everything out and added a few rocks and plants..So far so good

New redone enclosure

Phoenix first bite of Marigolds

Liked it so much she pulled it down further to get it..Is there anything else I can do to prevent her flipping .. I figured the plants in the corners would defer her from wanting to try and climb out ..So heres hoping.

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Well I tried redoing the enclosure. I took everything out and added a few rocks and plants.Also planted the aloe directly in the ground to keep her from flipping on the flower pot itself...So far so good

New redone enclosure

Phoenix first bite of Marigolds

Liked it so much she pulled it down further to get it..Is there anything else I can do to prevent her flipping .. I figured the plants in the corners would defer her from wanting to try and climb out ..So heres hoping.

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Sorry I reposted like that

 

[dmmj]

wow phoenix is bigger than I thought.
I would guess she is climbing the walls and then flipping over.
It is unusual for bigger tortoises to flip over though.

 

[ascott]

Very nice.....just keep an eye on her to make sure that she can not climb the sides...as she is the perfect size to stand on her back legs and belly up to the side and oooooooopppps backwards she will go right onto her silly top

Like I said I would just make sure that if you find the sun is beating down on her too much then simply lay/anchor something on the top on one of the corners to cast her a bit of shade .....but the warm part of the day is likely the best for her sun time....IMHO

She is a cutie

 

[byerssusan]

wow phoenix is bigger than I thought.
I would guess she is climbing the walls and then flipping over.
It is unusual for bigger tortoises to flip over though.

Yeah she is only a little over 2 months old.So still a baby... I think that is what she as doing. Trying to climb the walls. Like she is trying to make me do haha..

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Very nice.....just keep an eye on her to make sure that she can not climb the sides...as she is the perfect size to stand on her back legs and belly up to the side and oooooooopppps backwards she will go right onto her silly top

Like I said I would just make sure that if you find the sun is beating down on her too much then simply lay/anchor something on the top on one of the corners to cast her a bit of shade .....but the warm part of the day is likely the best for her sun time....IMHO

She is a cutie

Yeah I am hoping by putting the plants around the sides and corners that might keep her mind off of trying to climb. I watched today and actually at no point during the day does the sun go completely over head. It's constantly moving through the sides. I guess the way I have it set up on the porch. So I think I will let her out twice..In the morning for a little while and then again in the afternonn. I want to make sure she is getting enough sun. Exactly how much sun do they have to have daily? And thank you.. I'm proud of her but then again I am predjudice haha

 

[ewam]

Wow phoenix is only two months old. He is one big tort.

 

[ascott]

If you could let her stay out for many hours that would be great...the more the better works here...as long as she is hydrated and such IMHO but at least 30 solid minutes per day...but would always always suggest more if at all possible....

 

[byerssusan]

Well I was worried that maybe she was too small there for awhile till I researched and found out it just varies. It's all that trix shes been eating LOL... Well it looks like trix anyway.

 

[ascott]

trix? you mean the froot loop looking pebble thingies....?

 

[byerssusan]

If you could let her stay out for many hours that would be great...the more the better works here...as long as she is hydrated and such IMHO but at least 30 solid minutes per day...but would always always suggest more if at all possible....

Well as long as I know her enclosure is as fool proof as I can get it. I would love to keep her out for most of the day. So keeping water in her enclosure at all times I know is a must. And would soaks everyday before bringing her back in would that be enough to keep her hydrated?

 

[ascott]

Yes a place to soak/drink from would be good (just make sure not too deep ) and a daily soak is always good.....how do you keep her indoor enclosure (humidity wise?)