"The 12-year-old tortoise meanwhile has been chilling out, eating well and adjusting to his new mode of locomotion. Surgeons at WSU’s veterinary hospital amputated Gamera’s left front leg because it had become infected and glued on a swiveling caster-wheel prosthesis bought at the Ace Hardware in Pullman, Wash., for $7.
The 23-pound tortoise, named Gamera after the giant flying turtle of the old Japanese monster movie, is gaining weight and generally thriving with his new appendage, and that means he’s on track for a lifespan of possibly 60 years and a weight gain of some 200 pounds.
'He could get as big as the hood of a Volkswagon,' Powell said.
Gamera will live at WSU for at least a couple of years to make sure the prosthesis continues to work. The tortoise might also become a permanent resident, Powell said."
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