Tort walks like a turtle! Is it MBD?

[deserttort]

Hi there, can’t post a video but hope I can describe the situation.

I adopted 2 Greeks, 1 male and female. Male (little one) is perfectly healthy.

Female is healthy in every way edcept she walks less like a tortoise but more like a turtle, very close to the ground.

Her hind legs move, but they don’t lift
her off the ground much. And she uses her ‘soles’ but then rolls on to the ‘shoelace’ side of the foot. I also find the hind legs flaccid and skinny in comparison to other torts.

Previous owner only fed them lettuce and I suspect this is MBD. Not much pyramiding though.
Also, I live in an area with NO HERP VETS so this forum’s guidance will be much appreciated.

I’ve been supplementing with calcium powder and she now lives outdoor with plenty of sun and walking. Can I do anything else?

 

[wellington]

Couple things. Do not house them together. Tortoises should not be in pairs. The male will try to breed the female to illness or death.
Also if that's all they fed was lettuce then yes it could be mbd or that they also probably kept it in a tiny enclosure where there wasn't enough room to get excersice to build muscle.
Get them in their own large enclosure minimum of a 4x8 foot bigger is better and get them on a proper diet.

 

[jsheffield]

I live with four Russians one of which walks with a definite shuffling shimmy… I attribute it to poor diet before she came to live with me.

i just make sure gets a good and varied diet now… a year later and she still shimmies.

Jamie

 

[Redfoot954]

Couple things. Do not house them together. Tortoises should not be in pairs. The male will try to breed the female to illness or death.
Also if that's all they fed was lettuce then yes it could be mbd or that they also probably kept it in a tiny enclosure where there wasn't enough room to get excersice to build muscle.
Get them in their own large enclosure minimum of a 4x8 foot bigger is better and get them on a proper die

Couple things. Do not house them together. Tortoises should not be in pairs. The male will try to breed the female to illness or death.
Also if that's all they fed was lettuce then yes it could be mbd or that they also probably kept it in a tiny enclosure where there wasn't enough room to get excersice to build muscle.
Get them in their own large enclosure minimum of a 4x8 foot bigger is better and get them on a proper diet.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I live with four Russians one of which walks with a definite shuffling shimmy… I attribute it to poor diet before she came to live with me.

i just make sure gets a good and varied diet now… a year later and she still shimmies.

Jamie

MBD can be stopped.
But the damage can't be reversed.