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Why is my turtle on its back and not moving after tank cleaning?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

After I cleaned my turtle's tank I went to take care of my other pets but when I came back he was laying on his back looking dead and I turned him back up and now he won't move

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM

Veterinarian

Published on June 26th, 2018

I didn't see that you mentioned what kind of turtle Mr. Giggle Bottom is - if there was water involved, he may have inhaled some water. If that is the case, he needs to go to the veterinarian immediately. If there was not water involved, I would recommend monitoring him for a few hours to see if he improves. When a turtle ends up on his back, all of the organs in the body will put pressure on the lungs which makes it hard for them to breathe. Depending on how long he was stuck, it may have been quite stressful for him and he is recovering. The longer the time, the more stress he was put under. I see that your question was posted a couple of hours ago. If he has not improved at all in that time, I would consider taking him to the veterinarian. They can perform an examination on him, and can help to make husbandry changes to try to prevent this from occurring in the future.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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