Injured turtle gets around on Lego wheelchair while…

Maryland zoo builds a wheelchair out of LEGOS for a turtle with a broken shell

  • A wild eastern box turtle is recovering at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
  • Veterinarians performed surgery on the grapefruit-sized animal which was found in July with fractures to the underside of his shell
  • Keeping the shell bottom off the ground is important so it can heal
  • The turtle will likely use the wheelchair into the spring 

A wild turtle with a broken shell is rolling around on a wheelchair made of Legos while he’s on the mend at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.

News outlets report that veterinarians had performed surgery on the grapefruit-sized eastern box turtle found in July with fractures to the underside of his shell.

Veterinary extern Garrett Fraess says keeping the shell bottom off the ground is important so it can heal. 

A wild turtle with a broken shell now gets around on a wheelchair made of Legos while on the mend at the zoo in Baltimore

Fraess says no one makes turtle-sized wheelchairs, so he sent sketches to a friend who’s a Lego enthusiast.

A few weeks after the surgery, the turtle had the wheelchair, which gets the shell off the ground and allows his legs to move.

Zoo Dr. Ellen Bronson says the turtle will likely use the wheelchair into the spring.

The unique design allows him to exhibit natural behaviors, such as fully closing his shell if he feels threatened.

This particular animal was tagged in the wild in 2018, so he’s at least 18 years old.

Once he heals he will likely be released back into the wild 

Keeping the shell bottom off the ground is important so it can heal and will likely be in use til spring

Keeping the shell bottom off the ground is important so it can heal and will likely be in use til spring

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk