Tortoise’s think 3D Printing is Cool Too!
We know that pyramiding is an indicator of a diet with far too much protein, insufficient UVB, and overall poor husbandry over a long period of time. But what about how it affects a tortoise’s ability to maintain itself physically, ability to right itself if turned over, or to encounter another animal/structure/tortoise without harm to its shell? Well, Cleopatra the leopard tortoise has shown us what can happen in these scenarios.
After being rescued from a neglectful home, with severe pyramiding, her new home exposed the problems that can occur despite being provided with the proper diet and lighting.Interacting with other tortoises left her with a shell rubbed through, like open wounds in places.
With the help of some smart, caring, people and the magic of the 3D printer, Cleopatra was given a prosthetic shell! Designed by a student at Colorado Technical University, the shell will allow her to heal from these wounds, and recover from over time. it will hopefully allow her the ability to grow a strong shell like her new friends.
Sources and further reading: