Tortoise on its back

[EmmaE]

hello, i found my tortoise on her back. she had been that way for 20 minutes maximum. i didnt see any poop or pee around the area where she fell (she was under the basking lamp) then we corrected her and she went straight to eating. then i offered her some water (held a little cap up to her chin) and then she didnt drink, had a bite of food, and then started doing something strange...

she started rapidly moving her head all the way in and out of her shell and opening her mouth.
thoughts?

 

[EmmaE]

it might help to add that she is a hermanns dalmatian tortoise, 21 grams with a 4 centimeter carapace (hatched september 25th 2016)

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Probably just a bit distressed.
As she was upside down under the basking lamp she may have overheated.
Give her a nice long soak.

 

[JoesMum]

Probably just a bit distressed.
As she was upside down under the basking lamp she may have overheated.
Give her a nice long soak.

I agree. I wouldn't be unduly concerned. A nice long soak and keep an eye on her.

Is there anything obvious that caused the tipping? If you post a picture of the enclosure we can give it a look over and maybe offer some suggestions

 

[EmmaE]

yes it was the spaghnum moss that was in the tank. i have a good amount of it but she's very small so she must have tumbled off. i will be using less from now on. and i am soaking her right now. she seems a little less perky and more scared than usual.

 

[EmmaE]

also should i make the water warm or cool? right now its cool

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Warm, always warm.

 

[JoesMum]

Warm, always warm.

I agree. Think baby bath.

Use a flat-bottomed bowl that's deep enough for your tort not to be able to see over. It should also be opaque - not see-through.

The water needs to be deep enough to come just up over the join between the plastron and shell.

 

[EmmaE]

okay thanks

 

[EmmaE]

okay so we soaked her and now she seems REALLY hungry but we haven't seen any poop. also i should add that a week after we got her (3 weeks ago) we found out she had severe pinworms. now she has eaten all of the food in her bowl and is running around a lot and sometimes quickly pumping her head in and wiping her mouth. she also tucked her arm all the way in before. she seems uncomfortable but I'm not really sure

 

[JoesMum]

She'll be unsettled for a while, but will calm down once the lights go off.

 

[keepergale]

What is your cage temperature variation from cool to warm? Your tortoise isn't just over heated is it?