I am responsible for a very unfortunate accident with a baby leopard tortoise I have. I keep two of them in a small pen outside. To the bottom of the pen I attached wire screen to prevent escapes but at the same time it allows grass and weeds to grow through for them to eat.
One day I picked up the pen and moved it, not realizing when I put it down one of the tortoises legs had gotten caught between the wire and the ground. I didn't see this because the tortoise was in a hide box at the time. The next day when I went to feed it I found the tortoise stuck. The circulation had been cut off and the leg looked like it had dried up. I felt terrible.
Later the leg swelled up and I thought it would be OK. Over the next day it started to turn a dark color so I took it to the vet. He gave me antibiotics and told me to soak it daily for a few days. The leg became darker and also hard and I knew it was a dead leg.
The vet agreed and said it would have to be amputated. He was nice enough to do it for free and charged me only for supplies. I was surprised that all the women working there made such a fuss over this little tortoise.
The same day surgery was a complete success and it was eating as soon as I brought it home. It gets around pretty good on 3 legs right now and is very active. Below are some pictures.
Leopard Tortoises Dead Leg/foot
After amputation
3 Footed Tortoise today, healthy and active.
One day I picked up the pen and moved it, not realizing when I put it down one of the tortoises legs had gotten caught between the wire and the ground. I didn't see this because the tortoise was in a hide box at the time. The next day when I went to feed it I found the tortoise stuck. The circulation had been cut off and the leg looked like it had dried up. I felt terrible.
Later the leg swelled up and I thought it would be OK. Over the next day it started to turn a dark color so I took it to the vet. He gave me antibiotics and told me to soak it daily for a few days. The leg became darker and also hard and I knew it was a dead leg.
The vet agreed and said it would have to be amputated. He was nice enough to do it for free and charged me only for supplies. I was surprised that all the women working there made such a fuss over this little tortoise.
The same day surgery was a complete success and it was eating as soon as I brought it home. It gets around pretty good on 3 legs right now and is very active. Below are some pictures.
Leopard Tortoises Dead Leg/foot
After amputation
3 Footed Tortoise today, healthy and active.