General Care Discussion :: Has Anyone Ever Had This Happen to Them?

[lotsofpets]

I just came back from rescuing my turtle from a potentially serious problem! I went upstairs to check on Monet and he was upside down on his basking platform. Since he has an out of tank basking platform he would have had no way to upright himself on the dry platform. I have no idea how he even did this, but I am glad that I was here to rescue him quickly. I can't imagine if I had been gone all day with him in that position. He appears to be okay, but I will be checking on him periodically to make sure he remains okay.

[steve]

What do you mean there was no way to upright himself? A healthy RES could use his/her neck to upright themselves. It may be stressful but if there is room, Monet could do it.

[lotsofpets]

Well, in the seconds that it took me to take the lights off and the lid to the basking spot, he was trying to use his legs and head to upright himself. It just scared me more than anything. There is ample room for him to move around on the basking area.

[grey goose]

He was probably trying to climb the wall and fell over backwards.....

[Pizza]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. If you use the Zoo-Med Turtle Dock, they especially can grab ahold of the black bar and suction cups. Mine try it occasionally, but the fall and roll back into the water (they're too big to roll over onto the basking dock).

[industrial_girl_2000]

He was probably trying to climb the wall and fell over backwards.....

LOL! I can't count the number of times Sheba has done this in her life.

When I was living at my parents house, I would let Sheba out to walk around the living room. There was a step going up into the rest of the house & she would go to that step & strain & work & work & work to try to climb that step (both arms on top of the step & try to grab with one of her legs to push up). She was bound & determined! Then she would lose her balance & flip over backwards on her back. It was pretty difficult for her to right herself due to her size & weight so I used to feel sorry for her & would turn her over time and time again. We used to sit at the kitchen table eating or whatever, just above this step, and just watch her struggle to work get up that step! She always saw us sitting there & after a while, she came to *expect* that one of us would turn her over, she would turn her head up to look at us & NOT EVEN TRY to right herself.....! She knew if she turned on the "pity eyes" that we would come along & help her (which we always did)!