Terrible 1s

TaylorTortoise

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My 1 yr old western hermann’s will find any way to try and crawl up the wall or check something out and winds up flipping himself over more than usual now. He has always had a flip incident every now and then but noticing it more now that he has been getting bigger…. Had to make it flip proof he still will find ways to flip over!!! Anyone else have any issues with their 1 yr old tortoises being curious within the enclosure? I try to keep it interesting and he has a mind of his own. I gave him a new identification and he goes by flippy now!
 

Cathie G

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Sapphire is a bit bigger so he usually flips furniture over instead or moves it around. It's strategically placed for no escapes. Haha Also since he's a little Russian 🤗 they climb and I figure a Hermans is about the same. Nothing in his enclosure has a toehold but it might be fun if it's short, in the middle.and safely placed.. I don't think he is really trying to escape. He's just getting around like he would in the wild 😜 figuring out a way to go where he wants to. 😂
 

TaylorTortoise

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Sapphire is a bit bigger so he usually flips furniture over instead or moves it around. It's strategically placed for no escapes. Haha Also since he's a little Russian 🤗 they climb and I figure a Hermans is about the same. Nothing in his enclosure has a toehold but it might be fun if it's short, in the middle.and safely placed.. I don't think he is really trying to escape. He's just getting around like he would in the wild 😜 figuring out a way to go where he wants to. 😂
I love his name!
 

TaylorTortoise

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Live or fake. Some torts try to eat fake plants. If that happens, use live. Or just use live.
He does not bother with the fake plants. I took out his hut because I noticed in the same corner he was trying to move the hut and winded up flipping because of his weight being lighter. I had to move things around and he still trys to climb up the walls to turn around switch directions. It’s almost like he doesn’t know how to reverse himself. So he makes it harder by using the wall to switch directions and it flips him…
 

Sarah2020

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My 1 yr old western hermann’s will find any way to try and crawl up the wall or check something out and winds up flipping himself over more than usual now. He has always had a flip incident every now and then but noticing it more now that he has been getting bigger…. Had to make it flip proof he still will find ways to flip over!!! Anyone else have any issues with their 1 yr old tortoises being curious within the enclosure? I try to keep it interesting and he has a mind of his own. I gave him a new identification and he goes by flippy now!
Been there!! Eventually gravity 5akes over and then it follows by a big reaching tortoise who stands on tip toe and looks over the top of containers / enclosures. This is just the beginning. I removed all climbing apparatus to reduce topples.
 

Cathie G

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I put together a fake tree 🌴 for Sapphire in a corner of his indoor enclosure. And put it as far in the corner as I could. Everything went well for at least a year or so. He loved it and would go there to just hang out. Well...then I found the tree knocked over twice. The third time he was at it, I found Sapphire wedged like a tortoise sandwich between the wall of the enclosure and the fake tree.🤣 So I put it in a different strategic place. Now he slides down into his terra cotta soak dish like it or not 🏖️
 

TaylorTortoise

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I put together a fake tree 🌴 for Sapphire in a corner of his indoor enclosure. And put it as far in the corner as I could. Everything went well for at least a year or so. He loved it and would go there to just hang out. Well...then I found the tree knocked over twice. The third time he was at it, I found Sapphire wedged like a tortoise sandwich between the wall of the enclosure and the fake tree.🤣 So I put it in a different strategic place. Now he slides down into his terra cotta soak dish like it or not 🏖️
I found him again today on his side. So I figured it was because I took out his hide but I do have fake plants surrounding the enclosure. He trys to move things and I was getting annoyed because that seems to be the cause of him flipping. Now he has nothing to move he likes to change directions of pacing his enclosure by using the wall of the enclosure and it makes him lose control and flip to his side. It’s scary! I guess I have to pay more attention to him and it’s normal to expect this during the early ages of extra exploring lol
 

TaylorTortoise

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Been there!! Eventually gravity 5akes over and then it follows by a big reaching tortoise who stands on tip toe and looks over the top of containers / enclosures. This is just the beginning. I removed all climbing apparatus to reduce topples.
Oh it’s annoying!! How many times has it happened to you until it stopped?
 

Sarah2020

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Check your set up and size of the enclosure. I added an extension to the back of mine as try do like to roam and want to walk. I also have a large outside enclosure which speedy spends the day in weather permitting and comes in at night. If you can provide a 15 mins supervised walk in open ground that allows some energy to be burnt off and help growth and muscle strength. I find warm shallow soaks also help in a high sided container it provides a change of scenery chance for you to bond and try benefit from hydration. There are options....
 

Cathie G

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One thing I did for my peace of mind is I bought a little WiFi Mobi cam for babies. It was cheap and has an app for your phone. You don't have to buy a subscription. If you put an SD card in it you can record videos. But I'm home usually and haven't checked to see if it works when I'm out and about. I think they do but I'll check that out tomorrow when I go for groceries. Sapphire can always find a way to get himself in trouble but it's also fun to watch what he's up to when I'm not supposedly in the same room 😉😁
 

MsBijou

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My 1 yr old western hermann’s will find any way to try and crawl up the wall or check something out and winds up flipping himself over more than usual now. He has always had a flip incident every now and then but noticing it more now that he has been getting bigger…. Had to make it flip proof he still will find ways to flip over!!! Anyone else have any issues with their 1 yr old tortoises being curious within the enclosure? I try to keep it interesting and he has a mind of his own. I gave him a new identification and he goes by flippy now!
I was having problems with my Greek when I moved him to a new enclosure and hadn’t wet down the base layer of his substrate. I wet it and pack it down and it gives him great footing. He was flipping 6-8 times a day but now he’s flipped once in three weeks.
 

Henry’s mom

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One thing I did for my peace of mind is I bought a little WiFi Mobi cam for babies. It was cheap and has an app for your phone. You don't have to buy a subscription. If you put an SD card in it you can record videos. But I'm home usually and haven't checked to see if it works when I'm out and about. I think they do but I'll check that out tomorrow when I go for groceries. Sapphire can always find a way to get himself in trouble but it's also fun to watch what he's up to when I'm not supposedly in the same room 😉😁
I would like to know how this is working for you and more info if you don’t mind? If you have a link to the product that would be great.
 

Cathie G

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I would like to know how this is working for you and more info if you don’t mind? If you have a link to the product that would be great.
Hello.🤗 I really like this little camera. For indoors it's great because it does have to be plugged into your electric. I found it on sale on Amazon for about $30. I don't know how to send links but it's a Mobi baby cam and easy to find on Google. I wish they did an outdoor one. It's so easy to hook up I was able to do it 😂 and I'm such an internet dummy you can't believe it 😂
 

Henry’s mom

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Hello.🤗 I really like this little camera. For indoors it's great because it does have to be plugged into your electric. I found it on sale on Amazon for about $30. I don't know how to send links but it's a Mobi baby cam and easy to find on Google. I wish they did an outdoor one. It's so easy to hook up I was able to do it 😂 and I'm such an internet dummy you can't believe it 😂
Oh that’s perfect! I bet I could give you a run for your money on who’s more “technologically challenged” as I like to say! 😂😂 Thank you for the information and so very glad it’s simple to use!

Good luck with your little buddy too! 🐢😊
 

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