upsidedown tortoise

GemJam · 01-04-2014, 09:04 PM

When I got home today (over an hour later than usual at 8pm) my poor Hettie was upside down. She was at least a couple of inches from anywhere and 5 inches away from her log thing, which she has managed to climb up and over before. I don't know how long she was there for.

I instantly righted her, once she had got her bearings I gave her a bath and she drank quite a lot. So I was quite worried she had been like that for most of the day.

Is there anything I can do to help her learn to right herself?
I really don't want her to be stuck upside down under the light.

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r169/gemjamster/

This is Hettie's enclosure she was 4 inches from the entrance to her hide and about 2 inches away from the end of the cuttlefish. So not near much and the soil did not look disturbed.

So worried about her now!

GemJam · 01-04-2014, 09:08 PM

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...pspqvupbvs.jpg

Try this link.

Catwoman63 · 01-04-2014, 09:45 PM

The only thing you can do is place small stone around the table, especially near the corners so if he does fall over then he has a stone to help right himself x

GemJam · 01-04-2014, 10:07 PM

Ok, I will do that, thanks. Near the lamp there is some slate, which is on top of the soil, so there are raised edges she'd be able to use to help get herself the right way up.

Lorna · 01-04-2014, 11:38 PM

I wouldn't have the lamp on whilst I'm out of the house. They won't come to any harm.

Lorna

GemJam · 02-04-2014, 07:38 AM

Sadly I don't have that option, as I am out of the house from 6:30am to 6:30pm.

Catwoman63 · 02-04-2014, 08:02 AM

I wouldn't leave the heat lamp off for 12 hours, he would never get up! But if you scatter little rocks around the enclosure then at least he can use those to right himself.

You could plug the heat lamp into a timer maybe and have it go off in intervals, but if he fell on his back under the heat lamp during the times it's on then it doesn't make any difference really.

GemJam · 02-04-2014, 07:17 PM

I did have the heat lamp on 7am-7pm. But she doesn't wake up until 10am and gets moving around 10.30am and is usually settled in her comfy spot at around 4pm. So I have the light on 9am-5pm.

I think I will have to go pebble hunting again - a good excuse to go round Rutland Water

I've reshuffled the table a bit, so the log hide is further away from the lamp and her food is in the corner (and this is the first time since I've had her she has eaten from the food bowl - yay!). So hopefully once the pebbles are in, we will be a bit more equipped if she topples over.

Catwoman63 · 02-04-2014, 09:33 PM

That's good news

x

01-04-2014, 09:04 PM	#1
GemJam Member Incubating Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Leicestershire, UK Posts: 123	upsidedown tortoise When I got home today (over an hour later than usual at 8pm) my poor Hettie was upside down. She was at least a couple of inches from anywhere and 5 inches away from her log thing, which she has managed to climb up and over before. I don't know how long she was there for. I instantly righted her, once she had got her bearings I gave her a bath and she drank quite a lot. So I was quite worried she had been like that for most of the day. Is there anything I can do to help her learn to right herself? I really don't want her to be stuck upside down under the light. http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r169/gemjamster/ This is Hettie's enclosure she was 4 inches from the entrance to her hide and about 2 inches away from the end of the cuttlefish. So not near much and the soil did not look disturbed. So worried about her now! __________________ Gemma 1 Hermanns Tortoise - Hettie Last edited by GemJam; 01-04-2014 at 09:07 PM.

01-04-2014, 09:08 PM	#2
GemJam Member Incubating Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Leicestershire, UK Posts: 123	http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...pspqvupbvs.jpg Try this link. __________________ Gemma 1 Hermanns Tortoise - Hettie

01-04-2014, 09:45 PM	#3
Catwoman63 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South East England Posts: 6,739	The only thing you can do is place small stone around the table, especially near the corners so if he does fall over then he has a stone to help right himself x __________________ BEV XXX 0.3.0 - T Horsfieldii (Xena, Zelda & Lilly) 2.2.0 - TG Terrestris (Zeus, Astreus / Zagreus & Alexia) 1.2.0 - Zebra Finches (Gunner / Bonnie & May) 0.1.0 - SBT (Hazel) 1.0.0 - FBD (Ted)

01-04-2014, 10:07 PM	#4
GemJam Member Incubating Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Leicestershire, UK Posts: 123	Ok, I will do that, thanks. Near the lamp there is some slate, which is on top of the soil, so there are raised edges she'd be able to use to help get herself the right way up. __________________ Gemma 1 Hermanns Tortoise - Hettie

02-04-2014, 07:38 AM	#6
GemJam Member Incubating Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Leicestershire, UK Posts: 123	Sadly I don't have that option, as I am out of the house from 6:30am to 6:30pm. __________________ Gemma 1 Hermanns Tortoise - Hettie

01-04-2014, 11:38 PM	#5
Lorna Junior Member Egg Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 42	I wouldn't have the lamp on whilst I'm out of the house. They won't come to any harm. Lorna

02-04-2014, 08:02 AM	#7
Catwoman63 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South East England Posts: 6,739	I wouldn't leave the heat lamp off for 12 hours, he would never get up! But if you scatter little rocks around the enclosure then at least he can use those to right himself. You could plug the heat lamp into a timer maybe and have it go off in intervals, but if he fell on his back under the heat lamp during the times it's on then it doesn't make any difference really. __________________ BEV XXX 0.3.0 - T Horsfieldii (Xena, Zelda & Lilly) 2.2.0 - TG Terrestris (Zeus, Astreus / Zagreus & Alexia) 1.2.0 - Zebra Finches (Gunner / Bonnie & May) 0.1.0 - SBT (Hazel) 1.0.0 - FBD (Ted)

02-04-2014, 07:17 PM	#8
GemJam Member Incubating Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Leicestershire, UK Posts: 123	I did have the heat lamp on 7am-7pm. But she doesn't wake up until 10am and gets moving around 10.30am and is usually settled in her comfy spot at around 4pm. So I have the light on 9am-5pm. I think I will have to go pebble hunting again - a good excuse to go round Rutland Water I've reshuffled the table a bit, so the log hide is further away from the lamp and her food is in the corner (and this is the first time since I've had her she has eaten from the food bowl - yay!). So hopefully once the pebbles are in, we will be a bit more equipped if she topples over. __________________ Gemma 1 Hermanns Tortoise - Hettie

02-04-2014, 09:33 PM	#9
Catwoman63 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South East England Posts: 6,739	That's good news x __________________ BEV XXX 0.3.0 - T Horsfieldii (Xena, Zelda & Lilly) 2.2.0 - TG Terrestris (Zeus, Astreus / Zagreus & Alexia) 1.2.0 - Zebra Finches (Gunner / Bonnie & May) 0.1.0 - SBT (Hazel) 1.0.0 - FBD (Ted)

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)