Blade The Tortoise Struggled To Move Until A Vet Grabbed A Familiar Toy And Changed Everything!

Meet Blade. He’s a tiny tortoise with a big problem: he was struggling to walk. His concerned owner, Iris Peste, noticed her teeny tyke’s troubles and brought him to a veterinarian. The vet, Dr. Carsten Plischke, discovered that Blade not only had worms, but also had a growth disorder that rendered his little legs too weak to work.

“For people, there are walkers, rollators or prostheses, but for animals there are no companies that produce something like that,” Dr. Plischke says. “The size variation of animals means they can’t establish uniform products. You have to come up with creative solutions; every animal needs its own treatment.”

That’s when a light bulb went on over Dr. Plischke’s head. He borrowed some LEGO building blocks from his son and fitted them to underside of Blade’s shell. Two sets of wheels support the critter’s body, allowing him to zoom around while his legs heal—transforming Blade from a walker into a Blade Runner.

The mini-makeshift wheelchair is only temporary. It can easily be taken off and will be once Blade fully heals—but here’s hoping he gets in a race with a hare before that happens!

Step One: Attach some LEGOS.

My Modern Met

Step Two: Give Blade a fresh set of wheels.

My Modern Met