I am really worried about my 1 year old Hermann. my mum found him on his back thisafternoon. We are not sure how long he had been lying there unable to move. My friend told me that this is really dangerous as their lungs can collapse. Can you please advise me what to do? I think he was trying to escape and flipped over. He moved to the heat lamp when she turned him over, doesn't seem to have drunk or eaten and has buried himself in aspen substrate in the box he travelled in. The rest of his tortoise table contains soil/sand mix and we have adjusted the temperature in case he's too hot. Any advice appreciated.

Hi
I think he is probably just a bit stressed by his little incident. That was good that you found him and flipped him back, and that he was not under the lamp, or that would have been a problem. Just keep an eye on him and if your not happy then get him checked over by a tortoise vet, although I don't think it will come to that. Sounds like you have a good set-up going on there, what light/heat are using and what are your temps basking area and cool area?
Only one suggestion, you may want to put some large stones in the pen and sink them down so your tort has something to anchor onto if he flips over again. I wouldn't put any near his light, unless they are sunk right down so he can't fall off them.
Hope this helps
Jane, Keya & Molly

Hiya,

Hope things are ok with your tortoises. Jane's mentioning of the stones placed around the enclosure is good, also I try and make sure the substrate is quite compacted and deep. With something to push against, tortoises will mostly be able to right themselves.  Regarding the basking spot you could slope the area under the lamp so that if the tortoise gets upside down in that spot its efforts to right itself should push it away from the lamp.