hey im looking for some advice, i have just been to check on my baby tortoise and have found him on his back for the second time this week, he is quite a climber he has a habba hut that i have taken out but this time he was next to the cuttle fish! surely he couldnt have fallen off that?

How long do they have to be on their backs before it is dangerous and is there anything different i can do.

Thanks
Katie xxx

Yes this can be a common problem and its a fine line between keeping a stimulating envioroment or having a boring flat one. I like to take the risk and provide plenty of climbing materal. As long as the animal does not tip on its back under the basking light is should be okay till it either rights itself or wait till you see it.

Woody

awwwwwwwww, poor little guy. i dont know about tortoises but when a horse gets "cast" (stuck on its side) i know they can die within a matter of hours if not found.

good lucxk with the little guy,
lee

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not here much, if you need me email me at: lee_39.0@hotmail.co.uk and i will get back to you a lot sooner

No they can't get "cast" that shell protects anything getting out of place! but they can die from overheating if they get stuck under a hot light so its important to make sure there are no obstacles by the light.

Woody

i think we finally have a new tortoise expert

We need one!

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No internet at home for a few weeks, may take a while to respond. Should be back to normal in Sept.

Its not so much overheating thats the worry, its dehydration. If you find a tort on its back its always a good idea to give it a quick bath.

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Thanks for the complement Andy b 1, but I am certainly no expert! We will leave that to Tams ! I have just made every cock up in the book and learnt from it !!

Woody

hehe yeah leave it to tams lol, you know your stuff mate!!

shes alright

andy i chuckled at that one, BUT sarcasim is ignorance, although im not having a pop i tend to think there is no such thing as experts, just experience like woodys says peeps and his self learn from mistakes, we all do
BUT Tamie does have experience with tortoise's

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