Does my box turtle look normal?

[NicoleB26]

His legs splay out terribly. IDK if this is normal for box turtles? I'm used to my tortoises so I may be making something out of nothing but I would love opinions from experienced keepers

 

[Yvonne G]

No, if he always looks like this, then no - it is not normal.

I have a sneaking suspicion that when he was a baby and his bones and joints were forming and strengthening he was kept on a slippery surface where he couldn't get traction. So the joints grew like that. In birds it is called spraddle leg or splay leg. If you catch it young enough you can tie the back legs to each other and make them grow correctly, but I doubt there's anything you can to besides surgery, to fix a turtle's legs.

 

[lisa127]

That's my question as well....are they always like that? Are they like that when he's walking?

 

[NicoleB26]

Yes they are pretty much always like that. He reminds me if a frog when he walks lol

 

[lisa127]

Oh then yeah, I agree with what Yvonne said.

 

[NicoleB26]

Ok thanks