Flipped on his back

[Watsonpartyof4]

Had a huge scare, with Tyrone... We went to a picnic and he was fine. My son came home about five hours later and he was on his back and he thought Tyrone was dead! ... He picked him up right away and put him on his tummy. He called us and we rushed home. He seemed really lethargic, so I soaked him In warm water and talked to him like I usually do. He seemed to perk up and I put him back in his enclosure.

What seems to have happened is he like to climb on top of his hide log. He does this all the time.. It looks like he may have flipped off of it. When I put him back he wouldn't even go in it.. He went to the opposite corner and a half hour later, he pulled his head in and went to sleep. Should I take his log out? And put a different hide in there? Can flipping over hurt him?

Needless to say I stayed up worrying and kept looking in his enclosure to make sure he was ok all night ...

 

[yagyujubei]

Most tortoises, simply because of the design of their shell, cannot right themselves if on their backs. Since their lungs are at the top, when they're upside down, all of their organs put weight on the lungs. Young ones can die within a few hours. If upside down, they will flail their legs, and sometimes this will help them roll over. Their legs and neck aren't nearly flexible enough to help much, unlike most turtles who generally have no problem at all. I had a young tortoise die this way a couple of years ago. So anything I can do to lessen this possibility, I'll do.

 

[Watsonpartyof4]

That's what I am now worried about, him flipping again! I guess it is shopping time for a different type of hide for him.

 

[Laurie]

That is scary! . If they are flipped for a lengthy time I believe it can be fatal, or if they are flipped in an unfortunate spot, like under the basking light (overheat) or in the water dish (drowning). The only thing you can do is try to make it as safe as possible. You can block off corners ( my little guy flipped in a corner trying to climb), scatter some rocks around so if he flips he has some sort of traction to flip himself back. Good luck!

 

[Watsonpartyof4]

Thanks!

I don't know if he is avoiding his hide log because he flipped or what. But I think a different hide is in order!

 

[Tom]

You can get a big dish washing tub from Walmart for around $3. Flip it and cut a door hole out and you are good to go. The vertical sides discourage climbing, and mine seem to like the black ones since they sort of simulate a cave or burrow.

 

[Watsonpartyof4]

Thanks Tom! I will be heading to Walmart!

 

[Tom]

You are welcome. I tried cutting mine with a razor knife and a dremmel tool before discovering that regular old scissors do the job just fine...