Flipping Sulcata

[Knack4things]

So I heard a story from a lady who said her new Sulcata kept flipping over in an indoor enclosure. She left him alone for a few hours and found him dead when she came back. Cas has flipped once, but managed to right himself. We then moved the enclosure from that location to a more even surface.

The second time he was more on his side and the water bowl he was in wasn't level with the ground, so I fixed it after nearly having a heart attack. I came back a while later to find that he had climbed onto the ledge of wood running along the bottom part inside of the enclosure- not sure how he got up there o.o - and placed some flat rocks under it for him to climb down. No flipping occurred the rest of the day, even if he seems to enjoy climbing onto things.

I check on him as much as I can throughout the day, but he stays outside at night and of course, I can't keep going out throughout the night to check on him. Is flipping common in baby tortoises? Does Cas sleep at night, thus eliminating my worries for him flipping over and finding him dead in the morning?

 

[Jacqui]

It is pretty common, but it sounds like your tortoise already knows how to flip himself back over which is great! The major spots to watch are where a light or heat bulb are located or a waterdish, as this are places where death can happen faster. In those areas, keep out anything he can climb on (until he is older). Make sure water dishes are very shallow and have little sides rather then being deep sided. Also plant the water dish down into the substrate so the top is pretty even with the top of the substrate. Those tiny plant water saucers are great for using on hatchlings for their water.

As you are finding out these guys are active and love to explore. The sides of enclosures are another spot where flipping happens a lot, as your finding out. Because there is not the intense heat threat nor the drowning threat, these areas are more "safe". In the wild, tortoise hatchlings have to learn on their own to manage to upright themselves. Luckily, your guy has you to also help wath out for him. Many folks if they find their hachling on it's back, will give the animal a little time to get upright on it's own, so it learns how. Don't make him stay too long on his back, if you decide to go this route. A minute or two is enough, as you for one will be freaking along with the little guy and there is no reason for the added stress to either of you. For some having a solid barrier around the base of the walls, will lessen the wall climbing and thus the flips. It also seems to help to have an uneven surface for them to right themself on. With age this will happen les and less.

 

[Knack4things]

Well it's the third day of having Cas around and there hasn't been a flip since I made the adjustments. Thanks for the information, I do feel better knowing that he can flip himself back over, thank goodness, and I'm not so worried about him at night. He seems to go right to sleep and doesn't wake up until the morning. He seems to be settling in well, and I caught him munching on a leaf today.

 

[Jacqui]

That's wonderful!

 

[Saleama]

Get rid of corners. I got some of that plastic garden edge stuff and made all my corners curves. Have not had a flip over since!