Seeing a change in your turtle on occasion is usually not something to be too concerned about but seeing the animal upside down for an extended period of time may make you think that there is something wrong with the animal
This article looks into why your turtle is upside down
Table of Contents
My turtle was upside down:
Discovering that your pet turtle has suddenly flipped upside down will likely cause you distress, this is the case for any turtle owner and is perfectly understandable. This behavior isn’t an example of the animal’s typical activities
Here is why this may be happening with your pet:
Incorrect environment:
One reason why your turtle may be upside down may be because its environment is incorrect or has changed.
If your pet started to climb a rock, tree or tried to climb out of the enclosure then it may have fallen on its back
What to do:
The animal falling on its back after climbing is normal, these little reptiles can be quite clumsy so don’t make too much of a fuss if you see this happening.
Just make sure that there are no high places that the animal can climb and fall off of and make sure that the water level in your pet’s tank is deeper than the width of the turtle
The animal is ill:
Another common reason why your turtle may have flipped over may be because the animal is sick, your turtle is likely sick with a respiratory illness.
Respiratory illnesses affect the animal’s lungs and this creates an imbalance in the turtle’s body which causes the reptile to tilt to the side and eventually flip over.
Other signs that may indicate that your pet has a respiratory illness include nasal, or mouth discharge, eyelid swelling and discharge, a loss of appetite, bubbling at the mouth, and ear swelling.
What to do:
These animals will try to hide signs of being ill as best they can but they will start to flip over once the illness is quite far along.
Because of this, it’s important that you take your pet to the vet as soon as you notice it flipping over.
If you can’t immediately take your pet to the vet then you can make it more comfortable at home.
Do this by laying some poster towels in a tub and putting your turtle at an angle over the paper towels. Once you’ve done this pump your pet’s arms and legs removing as much water as possible.
Don’t leave your reptile flat. Try to get your pet to the vet as soon as you can.
Turtles fighting:
Another reason why you may frequently find that your turtle is flipped upside down may be because the animals were fighting and got flipped over.
The male turtles are more prone to fighting than the females so if you have two males in an enclosure then fighting may be the reason behind one or both being upside down
Male turtles will fight over resources like food and hiding places, space in the enclosure, shelter, or females.
Males may also harass the female turtles as a way to get them to breed with him and this may cause her to flip over.
What to do:
Figuring out why your turtles are fighting and solving the problem will solve the issue of your pets flipping over.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Is My Turtle Lethargic?, Why Is My Turtle Bloated?, Red Worms In My Turtle Tank, My Turtles Eyes Are Sunken, My Turtle Keeps Wiping His Face, My Turtle Egg Has A Dent In It, My Turtle Keeps Rubbing His Eyes, My Turtle Eats A Lot, My Turtle Won’t Stop Splashing
