Long plastron imparing walking

[LizWales]

Hello.
I inherited two ten year old Horsfield (Russian) tortoises in June. They are gorgeous!
But one of them has a walking impairment and I want to know if the plastron should be filed.
They have previously not had the correct living conditions and we are now following all the correct advice.
They have pyramidalis. One of them walks on his knees rather than toes. The vet said it is probably a birth defect or due to the previous conditions not being right for calcium absorption.
I have since noticed the tortoise with a walking impairment has a longer w-shaped plastron. Should it be filed by a vet? The vet I previously took him to didn’t spot this as a potential cause.

 

[Yvonne G]

There's nothing wrong with that plastron, it's the legs. I don't know if they were broken and healed wrong or if he hatched that way, but the legs are deformed.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

The problem is not in the plastron, it could be MBD or something like @Yvonne G suggested.

Do you keep the tortoises togther?

 

[LizWales]

Thank you both - much appreciated. We’ll keep with the improved diet, lamp and accommodation and see if his walking improves. He can get up to a decent speed on a flat surface!

Yes we keep them together. I understand in the wild Horsfield tortoises share burrows. These two get along fine. We make sure the one with a walking impairment gets his share of food! But I noticed the thread about keeping tortoises separately. We have alternative accommodation and lamp in case of any problems.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Problems might occur sooner than you think. In the wild tortoises live alone or in groups with a high ratio on females to males. Pairs usually lead to chronic stress, sometimes clear bullying. But the problem is, we don't always reconize tortoise stress or bullying. For example, in the light of current research, sleeping together is seen as a sign of bullying.

Even if they are getting along fine now or have been for years, problems may still occur any moment. Here is one example: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/w...together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114/

I do recommend separating them.

 

[wellington]

Thank you both - much appreciated. We’ll keep with the improved diet, lamp and accommodation and see if his walking improves. He can get up to a decent speed on a flat surface!

Yes we keep them together. I understand in the wild Horsfield tortoises share burrows. These two get along fine. We make sure the one with a walking impairment gets his share of food! But I noticed the thread about keeping tortoises separately. We have alternative accommodation and lamp in case of any problems.

Problems have already started, you just don't know how to recognize them. Tortoises do not live in pairs. They are constantly stressed in pairs and this may have caused the leg problem. The last owners didn't know what they were doing so don't follow what they did or said.
Seperate them ASAP.
Also try some hydrotherapy on the one with leg problems. It may or may not help
Float him in warm water in the tub. Support him with a couple fingers if he sinks. Make him swim back and forth about three times, give him a break and do it again. Do this daily or a could times a day for at least a month. Hopefully it will help him get strength to walk properly. I rehabbed a leopard who couldn't walk but only scoot. He walks perfect now and fast.
Also get them outside when possible in their own enclosures and they each need a minimum of a 4x8 foot indoor enclosure