Tortoise was on her back!!

[Fueledbylatte]

Posted a question the other day about my little Mediterranean tortoise. People said to put items in her vivarium so she isn't scared, so I did. Today I found her upside down! It was only for 10 minutes max but I did some research and people said their tortoises died the next day after doing this cause they can't breathe. Just after I righted her, she opened her mouth wide like a yawn. Searched this and apparently this means she can't breathe!! Will she die!??! Seriously freaking out everyone, please reply

 

[Ashes]

Posted a question the other day about my little Mediterranean tortoise. People said to put items in her vivarium so she isn't scared, so I did. Today I found her upside down! It was only for 10 minutes max but I did some research and people said their tortoises died the next day after doing this cause they can't breathe. Just after I righted her, she opened her mouth wide like a yawn. Searched this and apparently this means she can't breathe!! Will she die!??! Seriously freaking out everyone, please reply

Breathe. I came home to found my little'un on it's back, and that was well over a month ago - still alive and kickin'.... Was yours still struggling to turn over when you found him or was he completely still? How's he acting today? Normal activity? Eating okay? As far as the yawn? Maybe it was a tired yawn from struggling to turn over. Or maybe he did need a big gulp of air.

 

[Fueledbylatte]

Breathe. I came home to found my little'un on it's back, and that was well over a month ago - still alive and kickin'.... Was yours still struggling to turn over when you found him or was he completely still? How's he acting today? Normal activity? Eating okay? As far as the yawn? Maybe it was a tired yawn from struggling to turn over. Or maybe he did need a big gulp of air.

He wasnt struggling from what i could see, but i did rush to open the door and turn him over. I think he was still but moving his legs a little bit. He couldnt have been over for more than 10 minutes as i have been checking on him a lot today, because hes been more active than normal and has been climbing the walls all day. He is acting normal, still climbing the walls XD Im just worried because i read a forum post on here where smeones tortoise died the next day after this happened due to lung issues I currently have my webcam set up and im watching him through skype on my phone XD

 

[Ashes]

He wasnt struggling from what i could see, but i did rush to open the door and turn him over. I think he was still but moving his legs a little bit. He couldnt have been over for more than 10 minutes as i have been checking on him a lot today, because hes been more active than normal and has been climbing the walls all day. He is acting normal, still climbing the walls XD Im just worried because i read a forum post on here where smeones tortoise died the next day after this happened due to lung issues I currently have my webcam set up and im watching him through skype on my phone XD

Well hopefully that doesn't happen to your tort. I've read some that have turned over in water dishes and died. That's scary because mine managed to do that somehow (even though his dish is a terra cotta dish). But just hope for the best. If yours is acting normal, I wouldn't be worried.

 

[Fueledbylatte]

Well hopefully that doesn't happen to your tort. I've read some that have turned over in water dishes and died. That's scary because mine managed to do that somehow (even though his dish is a terra cotta dish). But just hope for the best. If yours is acting normal, I wouldn't be worried.

Mine hasnt done that yet, she just likes to climb against the glass to try and get out. I dont know what to do to make her stay away from it

 

[Ashes]

You could cover the glass on the outside. A lot of people do - like stick those terrarium "views" on there all the way around. Or heck, you could just do duct tape. Basically, if a tort can see the other side, they'll do what they can to GET to the other side. Thankfully I only have this problem in his soak while I'm watching him. Otherwise he's pretty routine what he does in his enclosure. Also, you could line the edges with plants.

 

[Fueledbylatte]

You could cover the glass on the outside. A lot of people do - like stick those terrarium "views" on there all the way around. Or heck, you could just do duct tape. Basically, if a tort can see the other side, they'll do what they can to GET to the other side. Thankfully I only have this problem in his soak while I'm watching him. Otherwise he's pretty routine what he does in his enclosure. Also, you could line the edges with plants.

What kind of plants could i use? This is an amazing idea!

 

[Ashes]

Well, I use fake. Because I kill plants without trying. Lol. Here - here's a couple ways I've done mine (and is changing again soon). However, I don't have a problem with him trying to get out so I haven't needed to block the glass. And this is a temp home until I can get a large one built. There's just so much you can do!! Just play with it!

 

[Fueledbylatte]

Well, I use fake. Because I kill plants without trying. Lol. Here - here's a couple ways I've done mine (and is changing again soon). However, I don't have a problem with him trying to get out so I haven't needed to block the glass. And this is a temp home until I can get a large one built. There's just so much you can do!! Just play with it!

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Oh wow those look amazing XD Compared to that, no wonder mine is trying to escape! Shes probably bored senseless! XD

 

[Ashes]

Oh wow those look amazing XD Compared to that, no wonder mine is trying to escape! Shes probably bored senseless! XD

Haha!! Thank you! Like I said - play with it, have fun!!

 

[Fueledbylatte]

Haha!! Thank you! Like I said - play with it, have fun!!

Were going out later to buy some plants, and the bark. Possibly some view stickers too Ill post some pictures when its done dont you worry about your torts eating the fake plants though?

 

[Ashes]

Were going out later to buy some plants, and the bark. Possibly some view stickers too Ill post some pictures when its done dont you worry about your torts eating the fake plants though?

Funny thing - he's tried. But he never tried hard enough to bite anything off. I'm sure it doesn't taste that great. lol. And since I've put that grazing grass mix in (which is embarrassingly dead right now - need to replant but he likes to sleep in it), he hasn't tried. We have our routine now. He eats at night, and then grazes if he needs during the day.

 

[leigti]

Another possibility that might work is to make the floor of the enclosure with lots of hills and bumps, not totally flat. This allows them to be able to get some "footing" when they are trying to flip back over. And make sure the ground is not too soft also.

 

[Ashes]

Another possibility that might work is to make the floor of the enclosure with lots of hills and bumps, not totally flat. This allows them to be able to get some "footing" when they are trying to flip back over. And make sure the ground is not too soft also.

Agreed! That's why I have the hills and so much stuff in there!

 

[Fueledbylatte]

Funny thing - he's tried. But he never tried hard enough to bite anything off. I'm sure it doesn't taste that great. lol. And since I've put that grazing grass mix in (which is embarrassingly dead right now - need to replant but he likes to sleep in it), he hasn't tried. We have our routine now. He eats at night, and then grazes if he needs during the day.

Ooo good idea, we have some seeds of a tortoise mix, which has all his favourite plants in, so ill plant some of those in there Weve decided to use soil instead of bark because we were told he might eat the bark and could choke, so dont wanna risk it.

 

[Fueledbylatte]

Another possibility that might work is to make the floor of the enclosure with lots of hills and bumps, not totally flat. This allows them to be able to get some "footing" when they are trying to flip back over. And make sure the ground is not too soft also.

Ooo another good idea! We will make some mounds out of the soil I think the reason he couldnt flip himself back was because the sand wasnt hard enough for him to get a grip, his foot was just slipping through it.

 

[Ashes]

Ooo good idea, we have some seeds of a tortoise mix, which has all his favourite plants in, so ill plant some of those in there Weve decided to use soil instead of bark because we were told he might eat the bark and could choke, so dont wanna risk it.

I use the Eco Earth and I hate it. For whatever reason, it smells like rotten eggs when I mix it up - but nobody else has had this problem. I've done two batches and I'm just over it. Lol. I'm actually switching to coco chips. It was either that or the fine grade orchid bark. I will try the coco chips first for humidity reasons. If I don't like it, I'll try the orchid bark. I'm not worried about him eating it. And I'm just glad you're switching from sand - sand is a bad substrate - if they eat that, they can get impacted easily. :/ I'm excited to see your new setup!

 

[Fueledbylatte]

I use the Eco Earth and I hate it. For whatever reason, it smells like rotten eggs when I mix it up - but nobody else has had this problem. I've done two batches and I'm just over it. Lol. I'm actually switching to coco chips. It was either that or the fine grade orchid bark. I will try the coco chips first for humidity reasons. If I don't like it, I'll try the orchid bark. I'm not worried about him eating it. And I'm just glad you're switching from sand - sand is a bad substrate - if they eat that, they can get impacted easily. :/ I'm excited to see your new setup!

Weve used part topsoil and part orchid bark. Here are 2 pictures, his viv before and his viv today. It looks so much better but hes still flipping himself by climbing the walls! He has a really big shell so cant flip himself back, and we are all working tomorrow so scared to leave him

 

[Fueledbylatte]

And this is what i mean by he has a big shell. He just cant flip himself over!

 

[Ashes]

What if you put the plants on the inside, not outside? That would make it much harder for him to climb the glass and turn himself over.