Tortoises are born with houses on their backs. But what if their legs aren’t strong enough to move about with such a burden?
A veterinarian in Germany found a solution for one gimpy tortoise by raiding his son’s toy collection: Dr. Carsten Plischke used Lego bricks to make a kind of scooter for Blade, a shellback that has difficulties walking because of a growth disorder.
Pilschke glued Lego bricks and two sets of wheels to the belly of Blade after the creature was brought in by its owner, Iris Peste, of Enger, Germany.
“For people there are walkers … or prostheses but for animals there are no companies that produce something like that,” Pilschke told The Daily Mail. “The size variation of animals means they can’t establish uniform products. So you have to come up with creative solutions.”
Blade’s muscle weakness is temporary, so he will eventually return to Pilschke to have the wheels removed. In the meantime, the tortoise is enjoying a little Internet fame along with the added mobility. A YouTube video showing the fitting of Blade’s Lego wheels has been viewed more than 17,000 views.
