Feeling bad. Poor secil

[Michael Malone]

Well on Christmas we left house at 12 and before we left I soaked and feed secil. We got home at about 8:30 got the kids settled down and car unloaded. Then I went to check on secil and soak him again. And I opened the lid and my heart stopped e was up side down covered in poop. I'm hoping he wasn't like that the whole time I was gone but I cleaned him off. And soaked him and e seems fine other than he weighed 212 grams before the incident and i weighed him after his soak and he weighed 189grams. Is this weight loss going to be a huge set back. He jumped right back on the band wagon and he's eating good and he is still active.

 

[Michael Malone]

 

[Maro2Bear]

The fact that he jumped right back into action is a good sign. Bowel movement, urination, etc probably accounts for the weight loss. Fingers crossed all is back ok. Try to determine what caused your young guy to flip. Looks to be about the size when they easily do this....then they stop. Good he wasn’t right under a basking light.

Keep us posted, good luck.

 

[Michael Malone]

I don't think he likes his enclosure. Over the past couple months I have had him in a big tub. Cause I am trying to combat his early pyramiding. And I can keep the humidity at 99% with out even trying compared to his big enclosure were it stays at 79%. And ever since then he always scratchs the side. But I don't want to take him out because it is working I can tell his new growth is starting to smooth out. Do you know of anyway to keep him from climbing up wall

 

[Michael Malone]

70%

 

[Maro2Bear]

Upload some pix of your enclosure, I’m sure someone will have some suggestions.

 

[Moozillion]

I don't think he likes his enclosure. Over the past couple months I have had him in a big tub. Cause I am trying to combat his early pyramiding. And I can keep the humidity at 99% with out even trying compared to his big enclosure were it stays at 79%. And ever since then he always scratchs the side. But I don't want to take him out because it is working I can tell his new growth is starting to smooth out. Do you know of anyway to keep him from climbing up wall

I think most tortoises kinda climb the walls. I have a 9 year old Hermann’s Tortoise. When she’s in her outdoor enclosure she often walks all around it, right next to its cinderblock wall. We call it “patrolling the perimeter!” In order to turn around, she sort of half-climbs the wall, even though it would be SO much easier to turn AWAY from the wall instead of TOWARDS it. Silly tort! [emoji38]
When I bring her to her indoor enclosure for the winter, she sometimes climbs the walls a bit, while she really-adjusts to the smaller space.

It WOULD be useful if you could post photos of him inside his tub so we can see if it’s a small enough area to cause him stress.
Sounds like you’re doing all the right things! [emoji2][emoji106]

 

[Michael Malone]

Sry just now getting back with y'all. Here is a pic of the tub I got him in. My heat always stays at about 90 and has a hot spot under Che of 100 it's only a 50w Che cause I put my 100w in there and it was way to much humidity always stays 99% with ease I dumped in a pitcher full of water when I first set it up and all I have to do is fill up the water dish daily and it keeps the humidity up. I know that one of the reasons is the size of the enclosure but with his pyramiding I don't want to risk putting him in his bigger enclosure and not being able to keep humidity and then His pyramiding continues on. Well anyways let me know if u have any ideas to keep him from climbing.

 

[Moozillion]

I'm afraid that tub really does look AWFULLY small and that may well be causing him to feel stressed and climb the walls.

I would suggest you get the biggest tub you can. At least put some things in to break up his line of sight: fake plants or real plants in pots etc. But a bigger tub would be best.
Do you have any sort of lid to help keep the humidity in? I'm not sure I would put the lid that comes with the tub on it, but you could lay a sheet of plexiglass, or anything, really, over the cooler end so that you're not blocking the UVB light, but helping trap the humidity in the tub.
Let's see what other people think, too.

 

[Michael Malone]

At the time I bought this tub at Walmart it was the biggest one they had they were sold out of next size up. I know that should have some bigger tubs now that holidays are over. I have my heater and lights hanging inside tub with lid on it it's only open for the picture. My humors is always 99% unless I'm feeding or soaking and have to open it. I am going to look into get a bigger tub her pretty quick.

 

[Michael Malone]

Humidity

 

[Big Charlie]

This time of the year, they might have extra large tubs for storing Christmas trees.

 

[Mobileturtle500]

This time of the year, they might have extra large tubs for storing Christmas trees.

Yes home depot sells Christmas tree tube with a decent lid and all for 30 bucks it's 53 inches long and 21 wide if that helps anyone