Upside down

tortoisekev

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
65
Location (City and/or State)
UK
I’ve come home or downstairs a couple of times recently to find Kevin upside down. I’ve no idea how long he’s been like that usually. He likes to climb over a plant and has (twice I think) ended up upside down. He also loves to climb OVER his hollowed out log tunnel, and today my wife found him upside down next to that, presumably after misjudging his normal slide down the other side.

Now I know tortoises are supposed to be experts at flipping themselves right, but I’ve not been witness to either his falling or flipping so cannot confirm if he can or not.

Im worried that he can’t, and he’s going to flip himself when we’re out the whole day or overnight somewhere. He’s only little (9cm and 140g at last weigh in!). Could being upside down for a while kill him? I can’t go putting ramps and soft landings everywhere for him!

Advice? Experiences? Suggestions? Facts?!

(Pics of my Table for reference in my other posts)
 

Miscally

Active Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jun 23, 2017
Messages
248
I’ve come home or downstairs a couple of times recently to find Kevin upside down. I’ve no idea how long he’s been like that usually. He likes to climb over a plant and has (twice I think) ended up upside down. He also loves to climb OVER his hollowed out log tunnel, and today my wife found him upside down next to that, presumably after misjudging his normal slide down the other side.

Now I know tortoises are supposed to be experts at flipping themselves right, but I’ve not been witness to either his falling or flipping so cannot confirm if he can or not.

Im worried that he can’t, and he’s going to flip himself when we’re out the whole day or overnight somewhere. He’s only little (9cm and 140g at last weigh in!). Could being upside down for a while kill him? I can’t go putting ramps and soft landings everywhere for him!

Advice? Experiences? Suggestions? Facts?!

(Pics of my Table for reference in my other posts)
I don't think they can right themselves very well, I've not seen mine do that, but I guess they might flip and right themselves without me knowing[emoji53]
 

T Smart

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Messages
461
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, IL
Hi,

Hatchlings can last longer while flipped due to their lower weight, but forever. Normally problems occur when a tortoise is flipped in direct sunlight or in many cases under a heat lamp.

Just make sure the log and plant is away from the basking area, or better yet take both out.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I would also remove ANY ITEM that my tortoise has ever flipped over on.
I can give you a trick with that half log. Bury it almost level with the substrate then dig out the center of it. Your tort can still go inside whenever he wants. But he cant flip over climbing it because it's not raised up very high.
I assume the plant is purely asthetic?
If so, get a really soft, flimsy one. Like one made for an aquarium. That way your tortoise can trample over it and not get flipped.
 

tortoisekev

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
65
Location (City and/or State)
UK
I’ve sunk the log further down (it was raised before so there was plenty of space for him to get under, but now he likes going over!)

I’ve also moved the plant further in (back left) so he can get behind it rather than over it.

IMG_1007.jpg
 

drew54

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Messages
903
Location (City and/or State)
Indiana
I think Mark84 did a thread on this. From what I got from it was that if the babies are incubated properly they will right themselves. I think he even mentioned that you can check if a tort ha been incubated properly by flying them over and seeing if they right themselves. I haven't tried it, but I did find it interesting.
 

tortoisekev

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
65
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Now found him doing this!

I think it was him climbing the walls that caused him to fall backwards and end up upside down.

I’ve moved things around but he still tries to climb the walls and stretches out so much he’s fallen backwards. (Can’t exactly love the walls!)

IMG_1010.jpg
 

drew54

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Messages
903
Location (City and/or State)
Indiana
Now found him doing this!

I think it was him climbing the walls that caused him to fall backwards and end up upside down.

I’ve moved things around but he still tries to climb the walls and stretches out so much he’s fallen backwards. (Can’t exactly love the walls!)

View attachment 259713

What if you move the objects away from the walls so he can't climb on them?
 

tortoisekev

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
65
Location (City and/or State)
UK
What if you move the objects away from the walls so he can't climb on them?

That’s what I meant. I’ve moved these things away from the edges, but he still patrols and climbs the walls... sometimes stretching up and trying to climb so much that he’s toppled over backwards (that was the last time I saw him anyway). It’s usually late afternoon/eve (4/5pm) that he’s like this.
 

drew54

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Messages
903
Location (City and/or State)
Indiana
Do you keep food available all times? Have you let him roam outside his enclosure?
 

tortoisekev

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
65
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Do you keep food available all times? Have you let him roam outside his enclosure?

Yes, food available all day and changed every morning.

We have done once or twice indoors, and again twice outside (but then it got too cold outside so he hasn’t been out there since).


I had this from a friend who’s owned a tortoise for years already...
He does certainly climb (I think it is in their nature) and very occasionally ends up in his back. Not sure if now he is older and therefore wiser!! In the wild they travel pretty big distances so are explorers by nature. It may be worth reconsidering your set up so he can’t use the plants to climb up the wall. We also have aquarium background on the walls which has no grip - although it doesn’t stop him trying!!

Generally he is more active when he is warm - we think of it like a charged battery. So usually that is closer to bed time when he has had more time to heat up. Tortoises are generally messy. Sorry. [emoji217][emoji51]
 

drew54

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Messages
903
Location (City and/or State)
Indiana
Yes, food available all day and changed every morning.

We have done once or twice indoors, and again twice outside (but then it got too cold outside so he hasn’t been out there since).


I had this from a friend who’s owned a tortoise for years already...
He is right. They are solar powered and very much explorers. Since he has experienced outside of his enclosure he knows that Yvette is a huge world outside of his indoor enclosure. This is a problem with almost all torts of all sizes and ages. He just wants back out to explore the large world you have introduced him to Which isn't possible right now with the cold weather.

I honestly don't know how to remedy this nor have I read any thread that suggests a solution. Torts usually try to escape if there isn't food in their enclosures at all times and if they have been outside their enclosure.
They are also very curious as well which leads them to want to explore.

You could try rearranging his enclosure. Maybe that will keep him occupied for a while. Or you could build onto the table making it larger. Other than those two things I really don't know.
 

New Posts

Top