90-Year-Old Tortoise Given New Set Of Wheels After Losing Front Legs In Rat Attack [Video]

A tortoise is getting a new lease on life after a rat attacked her during hibernation, gnawing off the sleeping turtle’s two front legs. The tortoise, simply called Mrs. T by the family in Wales caring for her, was unable to move on her own after the attack. However, the family devised a plan to give Mrs. T mobility again in the form of model airplane wheels. Now Mrs. T the tenacious tortoise is an internet sensation.

The video, which was uploaded by the Telegraph, shows Mrs. T rolling around on her new set of wheels. The tortoise, which is believed to be 90-years-old, can be seen moving her tiny nubs in the front as her back legs push her wheels along the ground. The family originally had hoped that there would be enough of the tortoise’s front legs to create some useful prosthetic limbs. However, it was discovered immediately that there was not enough of the legs left to fashion a sufficient support. Therefore, the idea of wheels was born.

BBC News notes that owner Jude Ryder turned to her engineer son, Dale, to come up with a solution to Mrs. T’s problem. The result was wheels fashioned out of model airplane wheels and a custom harness. Jude notes that Mrs. T is now faster than ever and doing just fine.

“We were afraid she may have to be put down but her new set of wheels have saved her life. She took to her new wheels straight away but she has had to learn how to turn and stop. She can get a good speed up, much faster than before.”