# DROPPED MY TORTOISE



## Elsiemouse

I was holding my three year old Hermann tortoise Tally, when he accidentally slipped off the towel and fell about 4 feet (or more!!!) onto the hard concrete floor  he landed on his shell but might've flipped a few times and skidded! he seemed a bit dazed for a few minutes and didn't move, he seems alright now but the edges around his shell seem a lighter colour? My mum said tortoises die if you drop them but will Tally be okay? It sounded like a crack/smash. 
I feel incredibly guilty


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## yillt

Please could I see a photo? Tortoises shouldn't be lifted more than a foot f the ground. Especially on a towel. But don't blame yourself, mistakes happen.  Give him loads if baths and lets wait untill the more experienced members come along and help. Maybe a vet trip wouldn't go amiss.


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## crimson_lotus

Make sure there is no internal bleeding, like pink under their plastron or any cracks. Check him thoroughly!


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## Elsiemouse

I'm not very experienced and how do i make sure there is no internal bleeding?


crimson_lotus said:


> Make sure there is no internal bleeding, like pink under their plastron or any cracks. Check him thoroughly!


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## Elsiemouse

yillt said:


> Please could I see a photo? Tortoises shouldn't be lifted more than a foot f the ground. Especially on a towel. But don't blame yourself, mistakes happen.  Give him loads if baths and lets wait untill the more experienced members come along and help. Maybe a vet trip wouldn't go amiss.


I'll try to upload one


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## Tyanna

You might want to take a vet trip after very careful examination and looking for changes in behavior. He might be hurt, and you cannot see it.


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## Elsiemouse

Tyanna said:


> You might want to take a vet trip after very careful examination and looking for changes in behavior. He might be hurt, and you cannot see it.


Given him some food and he's eating it as normally, no changes i can see


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## Elsiemouse

just taken this now, no visible cracks to his shell but the edges around the patterns seem a brighter yellow, might be just mind over matter but I'm not sure.


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## crimson_lotus

What does his belly look like?


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## Elsiemouse

I'll go take a picture brb


crimson_lotus said:


> What does his belly look like?


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## tortdad

its too hard to tell from that picture. You'll need to check real close to see if there are any chips or scratches in his shell. No bleeding anywhere? Walking fine?


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## WillTort2

My Russian tortoises have managed to climb over their walls a couple of times in the early years; I'm thinking they fell about 3 feet onto a carpeted floor. 

There was no sign of injury, so they are quite resilient. Keeping an eye on the tort that fell is essential. As mentioned earlier watch for a pinkish color showing through the lighter parts of the shell. The pink could indicate internal bleeding. Also watch for any behavior changes.

And to any new Russian owners, take heed, Russians can climb things that mere mortals would never try! With Russians, when I build a ramp, I put a slat of wood across the top in a fashion that allows me to see into the ramp but blocks the tort from climbing over the edge of the walls of the ramp.


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## Elsiemouse

tortdad said:


> its too hard to tell from that picture. You'll need to check real close to see if there are any chips or scratches in his shell. No bleeding anywhere? Walking fine?


I'm sorry about the bad quality  i checked real close, a few chips around the edges but they were there before. He's walking fine and no visible bleeding. There are a few chips/bumps on his belly, but i don't know whether they were there before.


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## Elsiemouse

WillTort2 said:


> My Russian tortoises have managed to climb over their walls a couple of times in the early years; I'm thinking they fell about 3 feet onto a carpeted floor.
> 
> There was no sign of injury, so they are quite resilient. Keeping an eye on the tort that fell is essential. As mentioned earlier watch for a pinkish color showing through the lighter parts of the shell. The pink could indicate internal bleeding. Also watch for any behavior changes.
> 
> And to any new Russian owners, take heed, Russians can climb things that mere mortals would never try! With Russians, when I build a ramp, I put a slat of wood across the top in a fashion that allows me to see into the ramp but blocks the tort from climbing over the edge of the walls of the ramp.


Tally's a Hermann but he climbs like there's no tomorrow!! I turn my eye for a second and he's climbing my bookcase or some equivalent to mount everest


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## Elsiemouse

WillTort2 said:


> My Russian tortoises have managed to climb over their walls a couple of times in the early years; I'm thinking they fell about 3 feet onto a carpeted floor.
> 
> There was no sign of injury, so they are quite resilient. Keeping an eye on the tort that fell is essential. As mentioned earlier watch for a pinkish color showing through the lighter parts of the shell. The pink could indicate internal bleeding. Also watch for any behavior changes.
> 
> And to any new Russian owners, take heed, Russians can climb things that mere mortals would never try! With Russians, when I build a ramp, I put a slat of wood across the top in a fashion that allows me to see into the ramp but blocks the tort from climbing over the edge of the walls of the ramp.


Thanks for the advice and if he changes behaviour is it bad?


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## Tyanna

If he changes behavior it MIGHT be a sign that he's hurt.


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## wellington

@Yvonne G may be able to give some advice on what to do or look for. She has many years experience and rehabs tortoises if needed. Good luck, hope all turns out just fine.


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## Elsiemouse

wellington said:


> @Yvonne G may be able to give some advice on what to do or look for. She has many years experience and rehabs tortoises if needed. Good luck, hope all turns out just fine.


Thank you but how do I message her?


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## wellington

Elsiemouse said:


> Thank you but how do I message her?



The way I entered her name into my post will send her an alert and she will be able to find this thread. You just have to wait, that's all.


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## leigti

How is your little tortoise doing?


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## Elsiemouse

leigti said:


> How is your little tortoise doing?


Well funny enough if he's brain damaged i'm not complaining because he's way happier!!!!  On a more serious note he seems okay, no internal bleeding which is such a relief!! thanks for asking!


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## leigti

Elsiemouse said:


> Well funny enough if he's brain damaged i'm not complaining because he's way happier!!!!  On a more serious note he seems okay, no internal bleeding which is such a relief!! thanks for asking!


I'm glad he's doing okay. I dropped my box turtle wants, luckily it was outdoors but she did bounce across the enclosure. I was mortified and felt so guilty! no damage, but I swear if a tortoise can give you a dirty look she did. they are incredibly tough in some aspects. But I would've been extremely worried if I dropped her on the concrete. We just have to be careful and hold onto their little bodies tight.


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## J.P.

i once dropped one of leopards, from less than a foot high. i picked it up to put in front of the food plate, and it kicked free from my hands. the tortoise was okay, but i got soaked with a gallon of pee.


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## smarch

I hate to think about this but its happened with my and my RT Nank as well  ...

I was taking him inside from his outside box (since its not yet good for being out without supervision) walked into out basement and was walking to his inside house, and someone forgot to close our stinking laundry room door (people in my house literally don't know how to close a darn door!!!  ) and I walked smack (literally) into the door and Nank fell from my hands probably a good 3 feet to our thinly carpeted floor... I was so mad at my family about that stinking door it wasn't even funny because he could have been seriously hurt and I constantly tell them to close the darn door ... yeah ok as you can tell I'm still pretty upset about this... he acted funny for a few hours but was back to normal in no time


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## Randi

Mine isn't a tortoise fall story but one day my turtle decided to climb this fountain I had in his tank and managed to get out. He fell about three feet. I was at work and came home to hear a scratching noise. He was walking into the wall. I was really worried and of course got rid of that fountain. I felt bad. I have learned they are quite resilient.

Glad your babies are ok!


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