what I'm I

[TillyTortoise]

No this is not a contagious disease. If you tortoise has the right diet and husbandry this won't happen to your tortoise.

I'm not sure what food you are on about. Its best to get this tortoise to a exotic specialist vet and see what they can do.

[egyptiandan64]

It can be "made better" but I'm afraid it will always look like that.

Danny

[Taszia]

Oh dear this looks like a very unhealthy little chappy to me . I would take all the advice give from the good people on this site to help you as much as they can . I am sure it will get better

[cookiee]

hi, thank you for your help. will try and get some more details from my friend. can this tortoise be helped ? what is Metabolic bone disease ? can my tortoise catch it ?

[Easter Bunny]

Your tortoise can not catch Metabolic bone disease (mbd).

It is usually caused by poor diet and husbandry (way the tortoise has been living).

I found this little bit of information for you,

Metabolic bone disease (MBD) is a well recognized and all too common disease of reptiles. There is no single cause and the disease is not as simple a calcium deficiency. However, the primary problem is a disruption of calcium metabolism which causes a host of related problems. MBD is almost always a result of poor husbandry, but generally preventable by providing a proper environment and diet. This is not always easy or inexpensive, but is vital to the health of pet reptiles.

It really does need to see a reptile vet. x

[Xero]

Mbd is not contagious, however.. Your tortoise can get it if it isn't looked after properly, with correct temperatures, uv and diet your tortoise should be healthy. Yes this tortoise can be helped but MUST see an exotics vet sooner rather than later..

[Easter Bunny]

I noticed your own tortoise Cookie looks healthy. Does your friend keep that tortoise the same way as how you keep yours? Do they feed the same food etc as you feed Cookie?

[Bindi]

Metabolic bone disease is in brief and umbrella term where abnormalities of the bone ( and shell) have occcurred due to a range of disorders. It is not catching, in your torts case it could be due to a number of reasons, including lack of UV, and innappropriate diet and lack of heat. These are just possibilities.

Basically this tort hasn't grown right. It's bones could well be soft due to lack of calcium - which would account for it being unable to walk properly. It's shell is very flat and bumpy and has what is know as pretty severe pyarmidding( when the middle of the scutes or shields are abnormally raised)

You will not be able to alter the appearance of the tortoise, the best you can hope for really is to help it live a longish and active life - if, and I hate to say it it is not already too late.

Your first steps should be to provide a decent enclosure with a decent UV light and heat, as well as lots and lots of extra calcium. Zolcal D is a pretty good calcium suppliment to aid MBD.

It could be a very long progress to get this tort on the mend, but it has been done before and tortoises resillience can sometimes be quite amazing.

[Catwoman63]

Oh dear this picture upset me, that tortoise looks so pale and I hope its not too late, its looks in a terrible state x

[cookiee]

not had chance to talk to my friend yet, but is collecting the tortoise later. but think i remember that the breeder sold her the tortoises cheap and their shells were not right ? could they have had this from when they were young? or from poor breeding practice/conditions ?