Tortoise keeps going onto his back

[Audrey27]

Hi I have a 1 yr old Herman tortoise he keeping climbing and going onto his back can anyone tell me how long he can survive on his back as there is not always someone there to help him get back over I have heard so many different stories about how long they can survive on their back so any help is appreciated thank you

 

[TechnoCheese]

Can we see a picture of your enclosure?
What is he flipping on?

 

[Melis]

The question you want to be asking is WHY he keeps flipping on his back, so you can eliminate the hazard. Is there something in his enclosure he is flipping off of? Is his enclosure too small? Etc.

 

[Audrey27]

He has a half wood log as a hide and climbs on it when he falls he usually lands on his back and he can’t get himself back over again

 

[Audrey27]

This is the log he falls of

 

[Audrey27]

The question you want to be asking is WHY he keeps flipping on his back, so you can eliminate the hazard. Is there something in his enclosure he is flipping off of? Is his enclosure too small? Etc.

The enclosure is a 3 ft viv

 

[Melis]

What about putting in a new hide that he can't climb on top of?

 

[Bee62]

Hi, flipping is not the problem. The hide is not the problem too. It is the soil that makes the problem worse. When a tortoise falls on his back she should be able to turn herself back without help.
When you place small smooth stones or small pieces of wood in the soil around the hide your tortoise will be able to turn herself back on her legs with the help of this stones and wood.
My young Hermanns climb a lot and often fall onto their backs but they always get quick back on their legs. They learned it and have things like stones and wood in the soil that helps them to flip back.
To my opinion they must learn how to flip back. An enclosure without things to climb is boring for tortoises. A soil with stones and small pieces of wood or plants is natural.
Giving your tortoise a more natural enclosure makes flipping less dangerous.

 

[Audrey27]

Hi, flipping is not the problem. The hide is not the problem too. It is the soil that makes the problem worse. When a tortoise falls on his back she should be able to turn herself back without help.
When you place small smooth stones or small pieces of wood in the soil around the hide your tortoise will be able to turn herself back on her legs with the help of this stones and wood.
My young Hermanns climb a lot and often fall onto their backs but they always get quick back on their legs. They learned it and have things like stones and wood in the soil that helps them to flip back.
To my opinion they must learn how to flip back. An enclosure without things to climb is boring for tortoises. A soil with stones and small pieces of wood or plants is natural.
Giving your tortoise a more natural enclosure makes flipping less dangerous.

It’s my 11 year old daughters tortoise and she has been told that if they lay on their back for to long they can die so she panics every time it happens and what do u mean by small stones is it like gravel I was told the coco cour was best for him

 

[Bee62]

It’s my 11 year old daughters tortoise and she has been told that if they lay on their back for to long they can die so she panics every time it happens and what do u mean by small stones is it like gravel I was told the coco cour was best for him

It is true, lying for a longer time on their back can kill a tortoise.
Coco coir is a good substrate but when you add small stones and pieces of wood it is more natural.

 

[Audrey27]

It is true, lying for a longer time on their back can kill a tortoise.
Coco coir is a good substrate but when you add small stones and pieces of wood it is more natural.

Do you no how long they can survive on their backs iv heard it’s only about an hour is this true

 

[Audrey27]

It is true, lying for a longer time on their back can kill a tortoise.
Coco coir is a good substrate but when you add small stones and pieces of wood it is more natural.

Could I see a picture of what u mean plz

 

[Melis]

Do you no how long they can survive on their backs iv heard it’s only about an hour is this true

There's no difinitive answer to this question. For example, an adult tort that is flipped in shade will survive longer than a baby flipped under a heat lamp.