Mrs. T, a 90-year-old tortoise has a new lease on her long life after a rat chewed her front legs off. She was unable to walk and the veterinarian who
Mrs. T, a 90-year-old tortoise has a new lease on her long life after a rat chewed her front legs off. She was unable to walk and the veterinarian who initially treated her was not optimistic, saying that she would probably perish without being mobile. So Jude Ryder, the owner of the tortoise turned to her son, a mechanical engineer who went to work on a set of wheels to get Mrs. T up and running again.
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According to The Telegraph, Ryder’s son devised a contraption comprised of bars that connect to the shell of the tortoise and a pair of rubber wheels. Mrs. T took to the device fairly quickly and is mobile again, Ryder said.
“She took to them straight away, but she has had to learn how to turn and stop,” Ryder said. “She can get a good speed up, much faster than before. Mrs T is still quite young for a tortoise. She could go on for another 50 years – all she needs is a new set of tyres every now and again.”
Ryder acquired Mrs. T when the tortoise was in her 60s, as a pet when her mechanical engineer son was 8 years old. He is now 37.
John B. Virata keeps a western hognose snake, a ball python, two corn snakes, a kingsnake, and two leopard geckos. His first snake, a California kingsnake, was purchased at the Pet Place in Westminster, CA for $5. His first pet reptile was a green anole that arrived in a small box via mail order. Follow him on Twitter @johnvirata
