2 questions...

BusyBee · 09-09-2009, 09:06 PM

Hi, I have got 2 questions for you: The first one:
Please don't laugh...but when I had a tortoise as a child, my mum always said:"Don't let it fall on it's back or it won't be able to breathe and it will die!" and my little Tony has fallen on his back twice in the last couple of days whilst climbing and exploring but my kids saw it happen and put him the right way up straightaway. Is there any danger to him while I'm out at work?
Second question: We are re-vamping the garden this autumn/winter and as I don't know exactly where Tony's outdoor enclosure will be built, I have built him a temporary one for this summer. There is wire on the bottom of it as I have been warned about him "Digging his way out". I have attached a picture of it but I cover part of it with a wooden board to give him extra shade and I put his water, hide and cuttlefish in there for him now. Tony spends a few minutes eating some clover and then he goes in his hide and stays there. It's the same on cloudy/sunny days. What am I doing wrong?

When he is in his tortoise table, he is really active and running around all the time.
Thanks a lot for reading this!

Star · 09-09-2009, 09:19 PM

Hi Busybee,

Your enclosure looks beautiful

If he is spending a lot of his time in his hide sleeping, then it could be that he is cold........if he's more active indoors with the heat then thats the probable cause. You might want to think about sheltering a section, and see if this improves things or maybe having an outdoor heater for him?

As with the wire mesh on the bottom of the enclosure, I would be extremely cautious about it, as I have heard of tortoises getting their legs trapped and circulation being cut of, which in the worst cases has resulted in amputation, but thats the worse case. It might be a better idea to secure the enclosure by adding a flat section of wood around the outside of the enclosure, when the tortoise tries to dig, it has a harder time and has to dig that much further. Or even still, just use a solid wood base and fill it with soil?

I think that with the tortoise falling on his back, its more towards the fact that tortoise shouldn't be left on their backs for to long as it can result in death.....but then tortoises also need to learn to right themselves. Its best to add some largish stones, pebbles around, that way the tort can move himself to an area where he is able to use a stone to aid in turning himself back over

Hope this helps, I am sure you will get lots more advice

**Alan1** · 10-09-2009, 10:44 AM

they tend to try to climb the walls and fall backwards so you should position items, cobble stones are best, round the perimeter just leaving a shell's width from the side and in between.

As said above wire is dangerous for them to be directly walking on. grass isn't ideal for them to be on either especially with the weather we've had this year as it's always damp and could lead to shell rot. Soil would be better or part soil and part grass. just dig up a section of the turf.

Also as marie says it may be too cold but also they will go and hide after eating. Clover although okay is high in something or other

so like everything else, only in moderation

helen1 · 10-09-2009, 05:12 PM

Especially for now...and next spring...I would think about putting a piece of perspex/glass ove one end and making his "sleeping" area more cosy....as in sheltered and snug...#

The point of the perspex will be to warm him up better and set him off for the day!...maybe a couple of slabs in there too under the perspex to bask on..

Hope this helps/makes sense!!

BusyBee · 10-09-2009, 10:17 PM

Thanks a lot for getting back to me. I will be moving his run to a different part of the garden where he has some soil as well as grass and I will also remove the wire from the bottom of the run. I'll get some perspex for him to keep him warm too. This has been very constructive advice and I will be making some changes soon. I'm hoping to built a permanent enclosure for Tony over the next few weeks...for next year...so I will probably be asking you all sorts of things about this project when it gets going!

Star · 10-09-2009, 10:20 PM

That's what SW is for, to help when possible and for everyone to lend a helping hand with advice

I can't wait to see the new enclosure and the changes to this one

Good luck

09-09-2009, 09:06 PM	#1
BusyBee Member Egg Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 70	2 questions... Hi, I have got 2 questions for you: The first one: Please don't laugh...but when I had a tortoise as a child, my mum always said:"Don't let it fall on it's back or it won't be able to breathe and it will die!" and my little Tony has fallen on his back twice in the last couple of days whilst climbing and exploring but my kids saw it happen and put him the right way up straightaway. Is there any danger to him while I'm out at work? Second question: We are re-vamping the garden this autumn/winter and as I don't know exactly where Tony's outdoor enclosure will be built, I have built him a temporary one for this summer. There is wire on the bottom of it as I have been warned about him "Digging his way out". I have attached a picture of it but I cover part of it with a wooden board to give him extra shade and I put his water, hide and cuttlefish in there for him now. Tony spends a few minutes eating some clover and then he goes in his hide and stays there. It's the same on cloudy/sunny days. What am I doing wrong? When he is in his tortoise table, he is really active and running around all the time. Thanks a lot for reading this! __________________ 0.0.1 Testudo Hermanni Boettgeri 0.3.0 Dogs (GSP, Cross, EBT) 0.1.0 Longhaired Moggy 1.1.0 Guinea Pigs 0.3.0 Chickens (2 Marans & 1 Cochin) 1.2.0 Ducks (Welsh Harlequin & Indian Runner) 1.1.0 Children

09-09-2009, 09:19 PM	#2
Star Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: With My Tortoises Posts: 1,495	Hi Busybee, Your enclosure looks beautiful If he is spending a lot of his time in his hide sleeping, then it could be that he is cold........if he's more active indoors with the heat then thats the probable cause. You might want to think about sheltering a section, and see if this improves things or maybe having an outdoor heater for him? As with the wire mesh on the bottom of the enclosure, I would be extremely cautious about it, as I have heard of tortoises getting their legs trapped and circulation being cut of, which in the worst cases has resulted in amputation, but thats the worse case. It might be a better idea to secure the enclosure by adding a flat section of wood around the outside of the enclosure, when the tortoise tries to dig, it has a harder time and has to dig that much further. Or even still, just use a solid wood base and fill it with soil? I think that with the tortoise falling on his back, its more towards the fact that tortoise shouldn't be left on their backs for to long as it can result in death.....but then tortoises also need to learn to right themselves. Its best to add some largish stones, pebbles around, that way the tort can move himself to an area where he is able to use a stone to aid in turning himself back over Hope this helps, I am sure you will get lots more advice __________________ 1.1./. Amazing kids 0.1./. Gorgeous Malamute 0.1./. Beautiful Cat 0.5.0. Playful T.H.H / T.H.B 11 Tropical Fish 1 Bearded Lizard Lots of Aspirin Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. ~Zen Buddhist Proverb Last edited by Star; 09-09-2009 at 09:21 PM.

10-09-2009, 05:12 PM	#4
helen1 Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NORTH WEST Posts: 1,977	Especially for now...and next spring...I would think about putting a piece of perspex/glass ove one end and making his "sleeping" area more cosy....as in sheltered and snug...# The point of the perspex will be to warm him up better and set him off for the day!...maybe a couple of slabs in there too under the perspex to bask on.. Hope this helps/makes sense!! __________________ I CARE FOR TORTS

10-09-2009, 10:17 PM	#5
BusyBee Member Egg Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 70	Thanks a lot for getting back to me. I will be moving his run to a different part of the garden where he has some soil as well as grass and I will also remove the wire from the bottom of the run. I'll get some perspex for him to keep him warm too. This has been very constructive advice and I will be making some changes soon. I'm hoping to built a permanent enclosure for Tony over the next few weeks...for next year...so I will probably be asking you all sorts of things about this project when it gets going! __________________ 0.0.1 Testudo Hermanni Boettgeri 0.3.0 Dogs (GSP, Cross, EBT) 0.1.0 Longhaired Moggy 1.1.0 Guinea Pigs 0.3.0 Chickens (2 Marans & 1 Cochin) 1.2.0 Ducks (Welsh Harlequin & Indian Runner) 1.1.0 Children

10-09-2009, 10:20 PM	#6
Star Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: With My Tortoises Posts: 1,495	That's what SW is for, to help when possible and for everyone to lend a helping hand with advice I can't wait to see the new enclosure and the changes to this one Good luck __________________ 1.1./. Amazing kids 0.1./. Gorgeous Malamute 0.1./. Beautiful Cat 0.5.0. Playful T.H.H / T.H.B 11 Tropical Fish 1 Bearded Lizard Lots of Aspirin Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. ~Zen Buddhist Proverb

10-09-2009, 10:44 AM	#3
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	they tend to try to climb the walls and fall backwards so you should position items, cobble stones are best, round the perimeter just leaving a shell's width from the side and in between. As said above wire is dangerous for them to be directly walking on. grass isn't ideal for them to be on either especially with the weather we've had this year as it's always damp and could lead to shell rot. Soil would be better or part soil and part grass. just dig up a section of the turf. Also as marie says it may be too cold but also they will go and hide after eating. Clover although okay is high in something or other so like everything else, only in moderation

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