Weird walk

[brookefenge]

Hello! Anyone able to shed some light on the way Steve walks? Steve is a 2yo Hermann's (a she but I will refer to him as he) who I've had for most of his life, and basically he walks really weird! Like, on the sides of his back feet instead of up on the soles of his feet. I've posted a video for reference. I've only just noticed this but he's always walked that way and it's only comparing it to videos of other torts that made me notice.
Bit of an essay below while I list what I've tried!
- he has a uva/uvb lamp and his enclosure is nice and warm (30 C ish)
- he gets as much time in the sun as I can give him in the summer but none in the winter as we live in the UK and it's blimmin freezin.
- He eats a mixture of weeds, flowers and grasses with regular repti vit supplement and acces to a cuttlefish bone which he likes.
- he gets soaks every couple of days for about 20mins
- he gets plenty of exercise (he wanders until he can wander no more)
- his shell is otherwise in good condition
- he is eating, drinking, pooping and putting on weight steadily.

Can't work it out. It doesn't seem to be causing him any discomfort and he gets about fine. Sometimes at breakneck speed! Well...for a tort anyway. Is he just...weird?

 

[brookefenge]

It wouldn't let me upload a video sadly, so I've attached some pics which show the position of his feet

 

[jsheffield]

One of the female Russian Tortoises that I live with moves at a decent speed but quite differently than her peers.

She sort of shimmies from side to side, like a speed-skater does.

My theory is that in her previous life she suffered some MBD and this is her workaround.

She's otherwise a vigorous and active member of the creep.

Jamie

 

[brookefenge]

That's the only thing I can think of. That he had a poor diet with his breeder, got mbd and then the damage was done by the time I picked him up. God hopefully he doesn't get arthritis in later life.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

That's the only thing I can think of. That he had a poor diet with his breeder, got mbd and then the damage was done by the time I picked him up. God hopefully he doesn't get arthritis in later life.

MBD is caused from lack of UVB. (Or lack of D3 because of lack of UVB)
If access to sunlight is limited, you should use a T5 HO linear florescent UVB tube light.