Keeps tipping over

Status
Not open for further replies.

ustwoandthekids

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Messages
141
I have had my sulcata for about 4 weeks he's around a year old, for the last week he keeps tipping himself over, I have removed everything that he may tip over on even his hide as he kept trying to climb on it (he didnt use it much, but will be getting him another!!) I think the reason he keeps tipping is he keeps making paths though the substrate but don't know how to stop it, he's a very messy little tortoise!! But very worrying dont like going out and leaving him :(


Also when he tips off he just lays there til I find him
 

circus girl

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
kansas
ustwoandthekids said:
I have had my sulcata for about 4 weeks he's around a year old, for the last week he keeps tipping himself over, I have removed everything that he may tip over on even his hide as he kept trying to climb on it (he didnt use it much, but will be getting him another!!) I think the reason he keeps tipping is he keeps making paths though the substrate but don't know how to stop it, he's a very messy little tortoise!! But very worrying dont like going out and leaving him :(


Also when he tips off he just lays there til I find him



my sulcata was doing the same thing. i found in my case his nails gave him the ability to climb the side of his enclosure. he would climb till he tipped. i have him in a plastic tub so seeing blurry images made him obsess. so i took some duct tape and taped two rows around. now he seems to be doing fine. oh, i also smoothed the screen part he was climbing on.


ustwoandthekids said:
I have had my sulcata for about 4 weeks he's around a year old, for the last week he keeps tipping himself over, I have removed everything that he may tip over on even his hide as he kept trying to climb on it (he didnt use it much, but will be getting him another!!) I think the reason he keeps tipping is he keeps making paths though the substrate but don't know how to stop it, he's a very messy little tortoise!! But very worrying dont like going out and leaving him :(


Also when he tips off he just lays there til I find him



sorry. forgot to ask what type of bedding are you using? i use topsoil with rock feeding area.
 

ustwoandthekids

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Messages
141
He's on coco fibre in a wooden viv, with glass front but its seems to be mainly in the middle of the enclosure he tips himself where he's making the substrate un even
 

circus girl

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
kansas
ustwoandthekids said:
He's on coco fibre in a wooden viv, with glass front but its seems to be mainly in the middle of the enclosure he tips himself where he's making the substrate un even

i think you should just keep removing whatever puts him at too big of an angle. they are such climbers!
 

todd and his tortoise

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2012
Messages
40
i know what you are going through. my sulcta sheldon does the same thing. i just put him into a bigger enclosure to give him more room to roam but he keeps tipping over. i came home after going to seaworld to find him on his back again, lord knows how long. he was in the corner and at the cool end of the enclosure so that may have bought him some time. i went as far as putting cardboard on his half log hide because he would climb up,fall off and land on his back quite often. card board makes it too slippery for him to climb now. i get so nervous leaving him alone, cant wait until he grows out of this phase.
 

AZtortMom

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2012
Messages
8,644
Location (City and/or State)
Sunny AZ
Yup. My littlest one was flipping over too because she was climbing up the sides of the enclosure. That was the sign for me to upgrade their enclosure. Now they are in a 300 gallon horse water troph (?)
 

ustwoandthekids

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Messages
141
I should be getting a new enclosure by the end of the week, just waiting to have the money so fingers crossed this will help as its a lot bigger, if it don't help not sure what else to do
 

AZtortMom

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2012
Messages
8,644
Location (City and/or State)
Sunny AZ
Yay! Keeping fingers crossed! :) your baby is gorgeous by the way :)
 

MichiLove

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
179
Location (City and/or State)
New Orleans
Yeah..mine did that alot in the beginning. I'd rush home worried he was tipped over. Though lately he hasn't been doing it anymore!
 

ustwoandthekids

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Messages
141
Mine is not been doing it as much since being in his bigger enclosure, but today he done it twice, he's been in his new enclosure for just under a week and today was the first time in the new enclosure but he has been going on he mad one today!! the 2nd time he did it today he managed to right him self but he wasn't completely on his back that time. But I hate going out just incase :(
 

AZtortMom

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2012
Messages
8,644
Location (City and/or State)
Sunny AZ
Oh man! I went through that stage with my littlest one and it was so scary! She would do that falling out of her frisbee water bowl! I think finally she just got big enough and I took a lot of things out of her enclosure. I ended up building up the area around her water bowl and that helped a lot too. I also had a heart attack when I would find her upside down
 

ustwoandthekids

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Messages
141
Hopefully mine will out grow it soon, never thought any of my animals would worry me this much, my other tortoise (a marginated) is smaller and only done it a couple of time!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top