upside down Horace!!

[Horace2]

I had the shock of my life this morning. I went into the room where Horace is kept and found him upside down at 6.am. I thought he was dead, I turned him over and he ran out of his hide. Thank God the lamp in the section of his hide which I had taken away was not on. I have now put back the section of the hide which was open. Its very dark in there but Horace is still up now at 2.pm
I have seen Horace walk up to the top section and jump into his hide. I think that is what he did this morning and fell on his back.
Horace is very active now, room temp is 27c.

[yuna1971]

These things happen Chris, dont beat yourself up. So long as he was not under the basking spot then he should be ok. He may have only just done that...I guess you will never really know.
I know the feeling though...I worry that whenever go to work, something like this could happen. But at the end of the day, I have to think that it wont. Or I probably would stay in Lilys room til the end of time and never ever move!
I tend to make sure that all I can do to safeguard the enclosure and the room - I do. I make sure there are stones around the basking area. I make sure things are not in the corners for him to be tempted to climb up on...(I have had Lily climb onto the roof of his hide and belly flop to the other side this year Chris....yep, from climbing on a plant!).
I make things high so that he cant see over the top - like those Hamster log bridges, the xtra large ones - stand it up vertically, rather than using for a bridge - makes an effective stockade-like wall.
I am surprised at the light element being took away but its great that he seems all buzzy now and active!! xx At least you can try it again, if he starts to be inactive again. xx But dont worry, torts dont have anyone to right them in the wild remember, and most roll (using the stones that you can place), to get back up. xx

[Horace2]

Originally Posted by yuna1971

These things happen Chris, dont beat yourself up. So long as he was not under the basking spot then he should be ok. He may have only just done that...I guess you will never really know.
I know the feeling though...I worry that whenever go to work, something like this could happen. But at the end of the day, I have to think that it wont. Or I probably would stay in Lilys room til the end of time and never ever move!
I tend to make sure that all I can do to safeguard the enclosure and the room - I do. I make sure there are stones around the basking area. I make sure things are not in the corners for him to be tempted to climb up on...(I have had Lily climb onto the roof of his hide and belly flop to the other side this year Chris....yep, from climbing on a plant!).
I make things high so that he cant see over the top - like those Hamster log bridges, the xtra large ones - stand it up vertically, rather than using for a bridge - makes an effective stockade-like wall.
I am surprised at the light element being took away but its great that he seems all buzzy now and active!! xx At least you can try it again, if he starts to be inactive again. xx But dont worry, torts dont have anyone to right them in the wild remember, and most roll (using the stones that you can place), to get back up. xx

Thanks Rach, When I saw Horace he was on his back, legs all up, very very still. I can tell you my heart missed a beat. I said to myself you bloody fool Chris.
Horace is now upstairs basking. He has eat 16 pellets and other stuff. Horace is very active now in the morning. I thing the CH as made him active, plus more light. I will only now open the top section of his hide when I am in the room. His four foot table is by my computer and TV.

[yuna1971]

You just got to safeguard as best you can. xx I know how you must have felt...I expect you will feel a bit nervy for a while Chris, I have been there... But in due time, you will feel better and less anxious. xxx Keep a watch, maybe if you observe his routine you can identify something naughty he keeps trying or trouble spots! xx Really really glad he is being nice and active! Told ya not to give up! xx

[Horace2]

Originally Posted by yuna1971

You just got to safeguard as best you can. xx I know how you must have felt...I expect you will feel a bit nervy for a while Chris, I have been there... But in due time, you will feel better and less anxious. xxx Keep a watch, maybe if you observe his routine you can identify something naughty he keeps trying or trouble spots! xx Really really glad he is being nice and active! Told ya not to give up! xx

Yes you did You have been fantastic Rach.
Thank You

[Alan1]

if there is anywhere at all that it can climb up and fall off then there is every chance of that happening. I have to put stones in mine because they stand vertically up against the wall and fall backwards. They can get up the right way again by reaching a stone

[Pussygalore]

does the room temp drop at night as 27c is very warm, to warm I think, the tort won't sleep if the temps don't go down they can go down to 15c. 27c is very warm even for the daytime (unless there's a problem) your tort should have a cool end of around 20c which is what most rooms are through the day, apologises if there's a reason why everything is so hot. Your tort could be so active because he's trying to get away from the heat

[Alan1]

yeah 27c is very warm for room temp, it would mean the basking spot would be mega probably

[EquestrianBabe]

Originally Posted by caledonia

if there is anywhere at all that it can climb up and fall off then there is every chance of that happening. I have to put stones in mine because they stand vertically up against the wall and fall backwards. They can get up the right way again by reaching a stone

You should cut a little door so they can see eachother

[yuna1971]

To be honest, I dont see anything wrong with that as a room temp. If they were outside during a hot summer (if it wasnt such rubbish Brit weather) - then would they not get the equivilent warmth?? Would they not get this sort of temperature on a summer med day?? Or in the natural habitat?? At the end of the day isnt this what an owner is trying to replicate... So long as a cool end or hide/retreat is provided, which surely wouldnt be blazing hot (if its covered and dark in there) - then I cant see anything wrong with it. You have provided both temperature gradients. If an owner doesnt want 'wind down' just yet then isnt encouraging activity by these means good? Also, this temperature range might be what an owner wants if he plans to overwinter, IMO. My room varies depending on the temps outside - it might be 24degrees for the room, another day it might struggle and reach 22/23. But...on the other hand, I could find one day that temps are 27/28. However, I do have a large, dark hide for Lily to nap in the afternoon - which he does. This provides the cool retreat which reads usually along the 20/21degree range.
xxx Just my opinion.