Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is another stupid question, but it was always my understanding that tortoises just kind of *knew* how to flip themselves over if they got turned on their carapace. I know I've seen my dad's do it dozens of times, stretching their head out to flip themselves right side up. Is that something they learn with age? Yesterday my little Redfoot baby tried to climb the wood hut in his cage and fell off backwards (we're talking millimeters here onto mulch/Bed-a-Beast so no danger of injury), but he just kind of flailed around for a minute (not even trying to use his head or legs) before I flipped him right side up. Now I'm paranoid that he'll do it again and I won't be there. Would he be okay if that happened when I was at work and didn't find him for eight hours? Should I have left him a little longer to see if he'd work it out on his own?

Also, just wanted to let everyone know he's doing great! Thanks for all the fantastic advice. He's active and eats a lot and poops perfectly and seems to be doing a good job regulating his temps (during night I'll find him buried in the mulch under the heatlamp, during the day he's in the hut on the cooler side) and water level (he gets daily soaks and cage mists several times a day, but if it gets too dry he'll chill in his water bowl).

Typically, yes, they can figure out how to flip themselves back over. I've seen one of my more adventurous russians do it a few times, and he usually uses his head and legs to right himself. I have noticed however, that he is much better at it when on the appropriate terrain. For example, if he's on a hard, packed down, rough dirt spot in his enclosure, he can figure it out pretty well, but when he's flipped himself in a sandier area of the cage, he seems to have trouble simply because he cannot get a grip on anything.

It depends. I bet if you had left him there a little bit longer he would have been able to right himself, but it's good to give him a helping hand. But, for all you know, it might happen on a fairly regular basis when you're not watching him.

Hopefully someone with redfoots might have some insight specifically on this situation with that species. I'm basically lending general tortoise insights.