Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Yesterday I found my leopard dragging its back legs when it was walking. Today is the same thing but now the legs are losing color at the feet. I dont have any problems with the other four in the enclosure. They have calcium supplements with their food and plenty of heat. There is no reaction even when I pull on them. Has anyone everd of something that might cause this and how can I fix it? If it will help I can post a picture.

Paralysis in the legs of tortoises is a very perplexing problem. I have actually seen something similar to this before, and it was in two of my California desert tortoises. It happened right after I got them 2 years ago. They could still use their legs, but with much difficulty. They walked like their back legs were tied together, moving them very stiffly with tiny, unstable steps. I took one of them to the vet and he was mystified by the symptoms too, although a blood test did show a high level of white blood cells, which indicates an infection. He gave me some antibiotics to give to them, and it did eventually clear up a month or so later. I don't know if the drugs cured them or if it just ran it's course.

Wish I could be more help.

I have a new sulcata hatchling that seems to be having trouble with it's back legs too...

I think my hatchling was a "preemie". It's shell where the egg yolk is absorbed is real "different". Almost 1/4 of his bottom shell wrinkled in the area where the egg yolk was absorbed.

He was dehydrated when I got him. He seems weak. He's eats like a horse, but hasn't gained weight. He drinks MASSIVE amounts of water Every Day.... He wakes up just long enough to eat and drink...and then sleeps the rest of the day.

When he walks, he just kinda shuffles on his knees with his back legs. He moves his legs well when I pick him up....and his legs will extend all the way. I'm not sure if he's just too weak to stand on them, if there's something physically wrong with his legs, if it's some sorta "hatchling failure syndrome", or if it's a symptom of something else.

I'm giving calcium supplements with his food...don't know what else to do for him....
...I'd love suggestions....

Good luck with you hatchling..... I named mine Izzy...every time I go to check on him, I wonder... IZZY (Is he) ok?

Pamela

I have seen this kill torts before, cant stress it enough get it to the vet.

Usually this is associated with severe MBD or other nutritional disorder. A vet visit should be in order. If you do take it to a vet could you please post the outcome.
Ed

I called all the vets to find out who deals with tortoises. I knew more than the vet that I took my last tort to. There is one more vet for herps but I heard he was worse. I live in Fresno. Is there anything I can do in the mean time. All the food I gave it was sprinkled with calcium. He was outside all summer for sunlight.

Try this link: http://www.arav.org/Members/CA.htm. There should be at least a couple vets in your area.

I know you said you had your tortoise outside for the summer, but do you have UVB lighting for inside?

HTH.
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

They have UVB lighting for the winter. Everything in the enclosuer is right. Im wondering if it may be genetic. Al the others are fine. Even this one seems to be healthy with the exception of the legs. If this problem wasnt here I would say he was perfect.

And get him to one it is what you need to do.

Will MBD show up after just one day. One day he was fine, the next his back legs wouldnt move.

They sometimes reach a kind of threshold that they cross and the limbs just stop... it does happen. Another thought could be a poison. The bottom line is that I don't think you can do this on your own. Now, I know there is at least 1 chapter of the CTTS in Fresno. If you contact the CTTS, I'm sure they can set you up with a vet. I'm also pretty sure you probably can't fix that on your own if at all. Another option is to contact the Fresno Zoo they've always a good herp department. Maybe they can suggest a local vet.
Ed