Custom Prosthetic Shell

Turtlepete

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 12, 2014
Messages
972
Location (City and/or State)
South Florida

John Franzwa

Active Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
254
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-covering-replace-armour-burnt-bush-fire.html

Not sure if this has been posted here on not, but I reckon many will enjoy it.

A tortoise (redfoot?) badly burned by a fire received a custom 3D prosthetic shell. Quite interesting. I do wonder how it will function in comparison to a natural shell as a lot more is going on then just "armor".

Very cool thanks for sharing this it's awesome, also do you think it will hinder uvb intake. Anyways it's cool what they did for the tortoise, saving it and all.
 

Turtlepete

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 12, 2014
Messages
972
Location (City and/or State)
South Florida
Very cool thanks for sharing this it's awesome, also do you think it will hinder uvb intake. Anyways it's cool what they did for the tortoise, saving it and all.

From my understanding most UV absorption occurs in the skin of reptiles. I would be more concerned with how the prosthetic shell would affect temperature regulation.
 

John Franzwa

Active Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
254
From my understanding most UV absorption occurs in the skin of reptiles. I would be more concerned with how the prosthetic shell would affect temperature regulation.

Your right, maybe they have a coolent or a cooling system in there to keep it from overheating?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
We've seen one like this before, but it was a leopard tortoise, and they didn't paint it like a tortoise, but left it red. The idea seems like a good one, but, like you, I wonder about thermoregulation, etc. I would love to be able to follow along with this tortoise's life as the shell naturally repairs itself.
 
Top