Tortoises are quite slow but that doesn’t seem to bother them all that much, the animal will simply walk as fast, or as slow, as their legs allow them.
If your tortoise only uses one leg, then the reptile will be even slower. You’d understandably be worried if your tortoise suddenly starts using only one leg.
This article looks into why this happens.
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Tortoise not using one leg:
Your pet tortoise not using any part of its body will be quite concerning to you and for good reason.
Here is why your tortoise may not be using one leg:
Strained leg:
One of the reasons why your tortoise may have issues with its leg, and may not be using its leg, may be because the reptile recently strained its leg.
These animals may strain their legs doing normal tortoise activities like walking around.
If your pet’s behavior suddenly changes, but you don’t notice any sign of injury on the reptile’s leg, then the leg may be strained.
The strain may not necessarily be painful but it may be a bit uncomfortable and instincts may make the reptile stay off the leg so the leg can heal.
What to do:
If you think that your pet’s leg is strained then lift the animal and check to see if there is any swelling or injury to the leg, if not then the leg may be strained.
Monitor your pet over 24 hours to see if it starts using its leg over the 24 hours or if this issue persists.
If your pet stops using its leg completely then have your pet evaluated by a vet.
The leg is injured:
Tortoises can get injured just as any other pet can and this may be why your tortoise isn’t using its leg.
Your pet may have become injured if its leg got stuck in the filter intake, or something else, while you weren’t watching.
A tortoise who just injured its leg may be loose when you pick it up and may not move around as much.
What to do:
Pick your tortoise up and search for signs of injury.
If your tortoise loses the use of its leg completely then the vet may have to amputate the leg and fit the tortoise with wheels so it can move around.
Impaction:
Another reason why your tortoise isn’t using one of its legs is that the animal is impacted.
Impaction in tortoises is caused by hardened feces that cause a blockage in the animal’s digestive system.
The poop becomes stuck to the bowels and can cause the animal to strain when trying to pass it.
Impaction can cause issues with the back legs.
What to do:
Impaction is quite a serious condition and requires immediate veterinary attention.
The vet will do an x-ray on your pet to determine if it is impacted.
You can test whether the reptile is impacted or constipated by soaking your pet for 20-30 minutes and then giving it laxatives
If this doesn’t work then the reptile is likely impacted and needs to be seen by the vet.
Home remedies won’t work on an impacted tortoise.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other tortoise/turtle related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Sulcata Tortoise Leg Problems, Why Is My Tortoise Limping?, Tortoise Back Legs Stretched Out, Can Tortoises Break Their Legs?, Tortoise Having Trouble Walking, Why Does My Tortoise Bite His Leg?, Why Do Turtles Bite Their Feet?, Why Is My Turtle’s Back Leg Swollen?, Why Does My Turtle Sleep Standing Up?