Upside down tortoise

[kristin_roman]

Hey everyone, I have a tortoise who is very curious, she's always climbing on things in the enclosure therefore always falling on her back. I haven't seen her flip herself over yet i always flip her right side up. Today I was at work and once I got home she was upside down directly under the basking spot, she wasn't moving and her head was limp. Once I flipped her over I gave her a little soak and some food and she seemed okay. I'm worried one day she'll do this and I won't be able to flip her on time. How old are they when they can start flipping themselves right side up. Can any serious damage happen to this if they stay upside down too long? Any advice, suggestions or info about this would be helpful!

 

[Lancecham]

Can you show us a pic of your enclosure that we can give some suggestions?

 

[kristin_roman]

Here's the enclosure, all the ramps and the edge has a wall so she can't fall off, but usually she's upside down on the top level in the substrate.
She's a little Greek tort, about 1.5"

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Here is my honest suggestion for you.

Go to a dollar store or wal mart and buy the fake plant sticks. It is a long stick with 5 or so "branches" coming out of the top each full of leaves. Stick the long part down into the dirt around the perimeter of the dirt box and bend the leaves in.

It is my thought that if a tortoise flips but has "stuff" to get a foot hold on they can use that leverage to right themselves more easily.

I have used these plants in my enclosure always and either my tort has never flipped or has but was able to right itself on the foliage before I ever noticed.

Personally there are a few more changes I would make in your enclosure....

Here is a quick cell phone pic of the fake plants in my enclosure..hopefully it helps you know what I am referring to.


Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[blueturtle]

Maybe its just me but i feel your setup even though its cute, is on the dangerous side. I say that because you mention you usual find your tort flipped over on the substrate up top, more than likely, your tort is trying to get back down from the side edge instead of going back around the way it crawled up. If i was you, I'd change the setup to keep it all one level and see if that helps. If your tort stays flipped over under the light for too long it could overheat and die.

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[ascott]

I suggest taking the little house thing out of the substrate on the second level...and then take something and place it across the entire corner top so that your tort can not see the open edge as a place to try to climb to in order to get over the edge....when the tort can clearly see the "other side" possibility then they will focus on that and try and try and try....if you cap that corner visually then that may help the corner to be less of a challenge your tort is trying to conquer....

 

[Beck]

Re: RE: Upside down tortoise

I suggest taking the little house thing out of the substrate on the second level...and then take something and place it across the entire corner top so that your tort can not see the open edge as a place to try to climb to in order to get over the edge....when the tort can clearly see the "other side" possibility then they will focus on that and try and try and try....if you cap that corner visually then that may help the corner to be less of a challenge your tort is trying to conquer....

I agree with this. Well most of what's been said, but especially this. If you find him in the top with the substrate, he's probably trying to climb out. Move that house he might consider a good stepping stool, and cap that corner so he doesn't attempt to scale his way up using the corner.

Be aware that he may try a different route with different hazards after this one is blocked.

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[wellington]

I would suggest a new, bigger enclosure. This one looks pretty small and dry for a Redfoot.

 

[blueturtle]

I would suggest a new, bigger enclosure. This one looks pretty small and dry for a Redfoot.

i believe its a greek hatchling.

regardless i also think a bigger enclousure would be better.