As the title says, can a tortoise survive on their backs for a couple of hours?

I ask as last week I went out for 3 hours to a birthday party, when I got back I got a shock when I found George upside down not moving his legs or arms. Luckly he was not under the heat light otherwise he would have got too hot. Would this have harmed him in anyway? he is eating, but im just so scared he will do it again. I have removed most of is bark that he likes to climb on as im just worried if he over turned again it could kill him.

Hi,

They can providing they are not in direct sunight or, as you say under a lamp, which is why we always recommend nothing is placed in the vicinity of any heat source that would enable a tortise to over-turn. Also it's best to place something under the lamp that will enable a tortoise to gain purcahse in order to right itself (eg broken slate etc)

HTH
Darren