Weird turtle sleep positions...

[zesty_17]

so, I have noticed one of my ornates sleeping in weird positions over the last couple of months. She will climb onto something so that her plastron is vertical to the ground. She only does this when the other turtles are burrowing or finding their nooks & corners in order to go to sleep. Has anyone else seen this behavior? Why is she doing this? I will try to get a photo soon and post.

 

[fbsmith3]

Only time my Cleo would sleep semi-vertical was when she was trying to aim her back toward the sun. She like to play a turtle solar panel. Also when I was a horrible owner and had her in a tank she would lean against the wall and sun her belly.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

My Russian tortoises often bury into the substrate (coco coir), and usually they just completely cover themselves. However, sometimes they like to only dig down partially, remaining vertical with their faces down, and the butts exposed.

Also, one thing I've always loved is when box turtles and tortoises feel safe enough to sleep with their heads out and resting on the ground. I don't have any pictures of that yet, but it is very, very cute!

 

[nikki0601]

My hatchling does this and I have wondered the same.. He will at times, actually often prop up on his cuttle bone for day time naps and at night he props up in the corner on the rocks, I had to burry the rocks more cause I feared he would flip his self, I will place him in his hide but he comes back out and props up

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

My hatchling does this and I have wondered the same.. He will at times, actually often prop up on his cuttle bone for day time naps and at night he props up in the corner on the rocks, I had to burry the rocks more cause I feared he would flip his self, I will place him in his hide but he comes back out and props up

I've seen one of our Russians use her cuttle bone for a pillow. Very cute.

 

[zesty_17]

My hatchling does this and I have wondered the same.. He will at times, actually often prop up on his cuttle bone for day time naps and at night he props up in the corner on the rocks, I had to burry the rocks more cause I feared he would flip his self, I will place him in his hide but he comes back out and props up

yeah, it's just weird to me. i showed it to my mom(a nurse) and she was wondering about possible respiratory or egg issues...so, vet has checked her out, no eggs, and respiratory looks good. i'm baffled.i guess, as long as she's healthy, whatever floats her boat, i just want to make sure there's nothing i am overlooking.

 

[ascott]

maybe they are burping or farting themselves....ok, that was all that came to mind....LOL

 

[nikki0601]

I never thought it to be an issue but glad to hear u had yours checked and all is well, last night my Sully fell asleep proped on the rocks so I moved the rock he was on and piled up his substrate and propped him on that, its so much softer.. he moved his self back to the rocks so I guess its just preference.. your mother thought right though, I'm a nurse too and we always suggest to patients with any breathing difficulty to prop up while resting

 

[Saloli]

Franklin sometimes sleeps with his neck and limbs all streched out like he's dead.

 

[Roxie]

LOL, we call that the dead sea turtle.