Flipped in water bowl

[THEADEMARCO]

This morning I was relaxing and watching my tortoise roam about in his enclosure. I looked away for less than 2 minutes and when I looked back he was flipped over in the water bowl. I panicked and rushed over to place him out of the bowl.
Anyway, I'm realizing the problem is that my tortoise is just too small for the bowl. However, when I say 'bowl' i really mean terracotta saucer. It was the shallowest saucer I could find and is sunk into the substrate. I think he just has issues getting out of the saucer and that's when he flipped. As I say, I cannot find a shallower saucer. What I can find is those little pebbles for decoration. I was wondering if it would be appropriate to put these in the bottom of the saucer and then fill it with water? They are big enough so that he cannot swallow them.

 

[Maggie3fan]

This morning I was relaxing and watching my tortoise roam about in his enclosure. I looked away for less than 2 minutes and when I looked back he was flipped over in the water bowl. I panicked and rushed over to place him out of the bowl.
Anyway, I'm realizing the problem is that my tortoise is just too small for the bowl. However, when I say 'bowl' i really mean terracotta saucer. It was the shallowest saucer I could find and is sunk into the substrate. I think he just has issues getting out of the saucer and that's when he flipped. As I say, I cannot find a shallower saucer. What I can find is those little pebbles for decoration. I was wondering if it would be appropriate to put these in the bottom of the saucer and then fill it with water? They are big enough so that he cannot swallow them.

This is one of those subjects. I say yep, keep looking for a shallower saucer, and keep pebbles in this current saucer

 

[SinLA]

This morning I was relaxing and watching my tortoise roam about in his enclosure. I looked away for less than 2 minutes and when I looked back he was flipped over in the water bowl. I panicked and rushed over to place him out of the bowl.
Anyway, I'm realizing the problem is that my tortoise is just too small for the bowl. However, when I say 'bowl' i really mean terracotta saucer. It was the shallowest saucer I could find and is sunk into the substrate. I think he just has issues getting out of the saucer and that's when he flipped. As I say, I cannot find a shallower saucer. What I can find is those little pebbles for decoration. I was wondering if it would be appropriate to put these in the bottom of the saucer and then fill it with water? They are big enough so that he cannot swallow them.

Can you share pics?

 

[Tom]

This morning I was relaxing and watching my tortoise roam about in his enclosure. I looked away for less than 2 minutes and when I looked back he was flipped over in the water bowl. I panicked and rushed over to place him out of the bowl.
Anyway, I'm realizing the problem is that my tortoise is just too small for the bowl. However, when I say 'bowl' i really mean terracotta saucer. It was the shallowest saucer I could find and is sunk into the substrate. I think he just has issues getting out of the saucer and that's when he flipped. As I say, I cannot find a shallower saucer. What I can find is those little pebbles for decoration. I was wondering if it would be appropriate to put these in the bottom of the saucer and then fill it with water? They are big enough so that he cannot swallow them.

They make different size saucers. Sounds like the one you have is too big. What size and species of tortoise, and what size saucer have you got?

I start dozens of babies annually with the tiny little terra cotta saucers, and I up the sizes as they grow. I have stacks of them that I sterilize and bake in the sun after use.

 

[wellington]

You can add stones to the saucer to help him right himself. Also don't fill it all the way if when he flips his head would be in the water

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Thanks everyone. I will add some of the pebbles, but look for a shallower one.

@Tom where do you get your saucers from? Also to answer your question my tortoise was hatched July 2022 and is a Hermann's tortoise.

 

[Mulgore]

Thanks everyone. I will add some of the pebbles, but look for a shallower one.

@Tom where do you get your saucers from? Also to answer your question my tortoise was hatched July 2022 and is a Hermann's torto

i get mine from walmart/lowes/homedepot