DUDLEY Zoo’s tortoise, Ernie, was left a little shell shocked after undergoing surgery to remove pebbles from his stomach.

The African spurred species is partial to eating stones when they need extra minerals, but the delicacy proved a bit more than he could chew for the two-year old, when the pebbles caused a blockage.

Ernie was taken to see the zoo vet after keepers noticed he had lost a significant amount of weight and the stones came to light following an X-Ray.

However to get to the blockage, vet Peter Stewart, had to cut through the shell after anaesthetising him, before removing the pebbles and resealing the shell with a super strong Araldite resin, normally used to repair boats.

Mr Stewart, who carried out the procedure at the Castle Hill site’s Animal Hospital, said: “Ernie is now doing well, and the glue will eventually dissolve, but it could take a year or two before he is completely resin free.”