Russian Tortoise puffiness under front leg

by Mark
(Saugus CA)

My 5 yr old russian tortoise seems to have puffiness protruding out of shell under his front leg. What can we do for him?

Comments for Russian Tortoise puffiness under front leg

Click here to add your own comments

Mar 21, 2011

Thanks!
by: Anonymous

Thanks for the reply and suggestions. We'll keep an eye on him and take him to the vet if necessary.

Mar 12, 2011

air intake
by: Anonymous

I had about the same problem with my russian but the puffiness was mostly between his legs and his head. If your russian's eyes are cloudy or if there is any discharge from the eyes and it is not eating or active, then I would take it to a vet. I had none of these problems and with a quite a bit of research, I learned that tortoises take in more air to pass over their olfactory bulb to help them smell better.If you are still worried, or if it doesn't go away i about a week, then a vet would be the best choice. If you look closely, you can see the area inflating and deflating while they breath. Most vets can answer your questions or concerns over the phone or with a simple email and picture. Hope everything goes well.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Ask Your Turtle or Tortoise Question.