new baby landing on its back

mjones32

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Hi newbie here with my first tortoice. When he falls over on his back should I give him time to figure out jow to get himself back over or should I turn him over? He has only done it once and I panicked and turned him over.
thanks
Melanie
 

G-stars

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What kind of tortoise is it? Most will be able to turn themselves over. As long as he doesn't turn himself over in his water dish.


— Gus
 

mjones32

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He is a leopard. 3 months old. How long should I wait before turning him myself?
 

G-stars

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I'd give him 5-10 mins of him trying to turnover. 90% if the time mine turn over but rarely does this happen. You should possibly look into what is causing him to turnover.


— Gus
 
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Tom

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Just turn him over immediately. Its not good for them to be on their back. Then try to figure out how, where and why he is flipping, and solve the problem.

What are your four temps? What size and type enclosure? Indoor UV? Coil bulb?
 

mjones32

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Tom, I have a 40 gallon tank with a coiled UVB bulb. The warm side of the tank is around 90 degrees. The humidity is 50%. I tried using a plastic container to make a humid hide and the substrate in the hide felt cool to the touch so I was concerned it was too cold and damp. Still trying to figure out how to keep it warm and damp to get the humidity up.
 

Jodie

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The coil bulbs are know to cause eye problems. The cool side and night temp should be no less than 80. Basking over 95. You will probably have to cover the enclosure to keep the humidity at 80 percent and hold the heat.
Have you read the care sheets?
A good heat method is a CHE on a thermostat. Use a regular bulb for basking and a tube uvb or use a combo mvb light for daytime.
 

Tom

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Tom, I have a 40 gallon tank with a coiled UVB bulb. The warm side of the tank is around 90 degrees. The humidity is 50%. I tried using a plastic container to make a humid hide and the substrate in the hide felt cool to the touch so I was concerned it was too cold and damp. Still trying to figure out how to keep it warm and damp to get the humidity up.

Please turn off the coil bulb immediately. They can blind tortoises.

Read these. They will explain how to set them up and hopefully inspire you with ideas of what will work for you. Then come back with llots pf questions for us.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
 

lisa127

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My box turtles can not turn themselves over on their own. I have never understood this.
 

G-stars

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I only have experience with star tortoises. As such I've read somewhere that the shape of their shells are supposed to help with turning over if needed. I've seen this process with mine and they quickly turn themselves over, the very few times it had happened.


— Gus
 

chaseswife

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My baby sulcata had tipped himself over a few times now- and hasn't been able to get himself upright again. I don't usually see it happen, but I swear he doesn't even try to fix himself! He just lays there all tilted funny waiting for one of us to help. We moved stuff and took out a few things and that seems to have stopped him from flipping over so much for now.
 

ascott

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You can offer some things to help the tort out...deep substrate, a few things within the enclosure to allow the tort to get a push off place....if I find a roll over victim...I will usually just offer my finger near their rear leg...they then will be able to get a push off and ali up...right back to right side up...lol...it is funny when you walk by and see them patiently waiting for the magical flipper to aid them...I also know when there has been a roll over by the flapping noise against the side of the enclosure---that along with the dog sitting patiently in front of the torts enclosure like--hey, something is going on in there, will you take a look please so I can go back to sleep......lol
 

mjones32

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They seem to do OK in the indoor enclosure, it's when they are outside and there is so much space to roam. I have rocks and plants out there but they always seem to roll over in a place without anything near by to grab onto. Guess I will go buy more things to put out there. Thanks for your help
 

ascott

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They seem to do OK in the indoor enclosure, it's when they are outside and there is so much space to roam. I have rocks and plants out there but they always seem to roll over in a place without anything near by to grab onto. Guess I will go buy more things to put out there. Thanks for your help

You can also try to place more interesting things and hiding spots closer to the center of the space to try to keep the attention of the tort away from the perimeter walls/fence....?
 
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Maggie Cummings

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I hate to be a downer, but about a month ago I was gone for about 3 hours and when I came home my small box turtle was on his back under the light ...dead. All swollen up and stinking. He had just killed a worm a few hours before. I was extremely upset, and it still bothers me.

And I'm with Tom, turn them back over immediately. It's horrible for them to be on their backs.

ascott....they are not waiting patiently for you to flip them over, they go into like a trance like thing sort of slowing down all their insides so they MIGHT survive this.

Bob has been on his back a couple of times. The last time he had dug a circle from trying to turn back over, he had pooped and peed and was very still with foam at his mouth. Scared the hell outta me.

So let me tell you being on their backs is a bad thing be they little or big... turn'em back over
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Oh and BTW, Tom's not messing around around the coil bulb. I had one yearling Sulcata blinded and another with eye damage, get rid of it immediately.
Put aluminum foil over the top of your tank, that will raise the temp and humidity...
 

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