Upside down tortoise

[daveon]

Hi came home from yesterday to find my baby tortoise upside down scary to think how long he was like it for just after a few ideas for a non flipable house he fell off a half tree log tunnel which has now been conviscated [TURTLE]

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Build up the substrate all around and on top of the log. This way he can safely walk over it.

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[daveon]

Hi came home today and found the little guy upside down again poor little guy he is now climbing up the sides and rolling over and stuck all day till I get home is there any thing I can do to stop I can't see that it's nice upside down all day

 

[JoesMum]

Let's start with the lighting. You have a Compact UVB there that needs to be changed to something that isn't hurting your torts eyes. It needs to be replaced with either a tube or an MVB bulb.

Next there is very little in that enclosure. Put some plants in for him to nibble at and hide under and that will stop the enclosure just being a box with straight sides with everything looking the same. The pants can also be used a s leverage by a flipped tortoise so he can have a go at flipping back. There is nothing in your enclosure that your tort can use to help himself.

Put some rocks and pebbles in that he scramble over, use to wear down his claws and they will also give him something to help lever himself upright on when he is flipped.

Cap the corners, so it doesn't look like it might be a good way to climb up and escape.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Joesmum has great points. I'd follow the advice
The more decorated the enclosure the less bored they are. If they do flip, having things to leverage will help them right themselves.

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[Tom]

I agree with Joe's Mum too. That bulb might be hurting his eyes and causing the frantic escape attempts.

 

[daveon]

What plants can I put in there don't want any poison ones

 

[JoesMum]

Aloe and Spider plant are good starters... Grow a spider plant on a window sill and it will throw out trailers of baby plants that you can use to replenish the supply in the enclosure.

Have a look at what you can buy in a garden centre and look them up on the Tortoise Table Plant Database for edibility http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp

I forgot to say that your basking spot lamp should be pointing down vertically, not at an angle, to get the right basking temperature underneath it.

 

[daveon]

Many thanks for the advice I will be changing the light this weekend is there any prefered hight for the light

---

Under the light is about 80 f at the mo

 

[JoesMum]

The right height is the one that gets the right basking temperature directly underneath... 100-105F... and that will depend on the wattage of the basking/MVB bulb and the temperature in your room. Having a lamp hanger that is adjustable in height as the seasons change is useful.

 

[daveon]

Just set up this light this better than the cool its 12% UVB tube