Flipped Cherry Head Detective Work

[Jackson7]

Cherry has flipped her self again but this time in a different spot. Right where the dark spot is, under the planter and too the left of the ceramic pot. At the time the red hide was pretty close to where she flipped, but she has since moved the red hide around.

I'm trying to to figure out why she flipped, and fix it. The terrain in the area is level.

It would make sense she was trying to eat those plants. If that's the case should I just remove them or trim them?

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Does anyone else have a tortoise that regularly flip themselves? Thanks in advance.

 

[Yvonne G]

The usual reason is trying to climb a wall and falling over backward.

 

[Jackson7]

The usual reason is trying to climb a wall and falling over backward.

Any tip for a tortoise that likes to climb walls?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Cherry has flipped her self again but this time in a different spot. Right where the dark spot is, under the planter and too the left of the ceramic pot. At the time the red hide was pretty close to where she flipped, but she has since moved the red hide around.

I'm trying to to figure out why she flipped, and fix it. The terrain in the area is level.

It would make sense she was trying to eat those plants. If that's the case should I just remove them or trim them?

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Does anyone else have a tortoise that regularly flip themselves? Thanks in advance.

View attachment 395232

Oh bless her
In our red foots whole adult life, I’ve only found her tipped over once, it was so random, I think she’d tried to climb her old cave hide, is it possible your tortoise is using that bar on the floor to push her back legs from, whilst trying to climb the green pot hide and falling back? It’s seems like something our red foot would tryI’d move those hides away from that bar and see if it helps

 

[Jackson7]

Oh bless her
In our red foots whole adult life, I’ve only found her tipped over once, it was so random, I think she’d tried to climb her old cave hide, is it possible your tortoise is using that bar on the floor to push her back legs from, whilst trying to climb the green pot hide and falling back? It’s seems like something our red foot would tryI’d move those hides away from that bar and see if it helps

That's a thought That bar is there because the mulch has compressed/decomposed over time. Getting a mulch refill was actually already on the docket for yesterday before she had flipped this weekend so the bar is covered now. One less thing at least.

last time she flipped in was in her water dish and she aspirated some water which seemed to really stress her out. She bounced back much faster this time so that's good.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

That's a thought That bar is there because the mulch has compressed/decomposed over time. Getting a mulch refill was actually already on the docket for yesterday before she had flipped this weekend so the bar is covered now. One less thing at least.

last time she flipped in was in her water dish and she aspirated some water which seemed to really stress her out. She bounced back much faster this time so that's good.

Yeah covering it should work just as well if that was the issue. Fingers crossed

Bless her, you’re doing everything you can to make the terrain as safe as possible, which is all we really can do as tortoise parents, as well as making sure there’s plenty of space.

We’re lucky that our red foot has never really been one to do this, she did used to flip as a baby sometimes, but corrected herself and soon outgrew it. Yours is still only around 3 correct? Still pretty young, hopefully the older she gets, the less she’ll get into trouble lol

 

[Yvonne G]

Any tip for a tortoise that likes to climb walls?

It means he's trying to get out of an unwanted situation - enclosure too small, too dry, too hot, too cold, too exposed, not safe, etc. . . another place to use your detective skills.

 

[TammyJ]

I think she is trying to reach the plants, and I would take them out. What are they anyway?

 

[Jackson7]

It means he's trying to get out of an unwanted situation - enclosure too small, too dry, too hot, too cold, too exposed, not safe, etc. . . another place to use your detective skills.

I think she is trying to reach the plants, and I would take them out. What are they anyway?

Food was delayed that day so that might be what she was up too. I think I'll take it out for now.

They are just some Pothos from a big box store rinsed and re-potted. It was a variety that does slightly better in low light because there's a plastic cover that's not quite transparent. It was doing pretty well overall considering how little I helped it out.

They were for looks not for food and it helped stabilized humidity a little too. I have some in my other enclosure for Berry but he doesn't pay it any mind.