25-05-2019, 01:29 PM | #1 |
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Egg
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Uneven beak growth?
Our 5 year old spur thigh seems to be developing some sort of uneven beak growth. Not quite sure what to do about it. Vet has no suggestions either!
Sorry of the links but unable to figure out how to embed the images! I've included both sides of his beak for comparison. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-G...2gIVBvQO8hZks6 https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-0...DyfCimnQRKpKIo |
25-05-2019, 03:25 PM | #2 |
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He is big for a 5 year spur, unless photos are large, lovely tortoise. Maybe sack your vet or look at their credentials. Mr Spur has a naturally over grown beak which would be kept back in the wild as they will eat foods, calcium which would keep in check but us TK's feed nice and soft weeds. It should be clipped, which a vet or someone with a bit of confidence can do easily enough. The sides look like they have grown down excessively also but can't see too well on the images.
If you have normal human nail clippers you can just clip it back to the edges of the beak to the jaw line - leave a little overhang if not too sure. The sides can also be clipped back with nail clippers...if a little nervous then perhaps you local society can help out. it'll take a few clips at different angles, go slow and they will hide. Best way to counter that is stand tortoise upright and he may put his head out. He will start to struggle to eat if not done and also it'll become a habit to eat hesitantly or could cause a rub on the jaw line and abscess form. Don't panic but try get it done soon, for the big guy, CB
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25-05-2019, 03:54 PM | #3 |
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You definitely need a new vet, as has been said, your tortoise has an over grown beak. Just needs a trim.
Tortoises need to graze and tug at food, to help keep the beak in trim. Thick stalked plants like sowthistle do help them keep their beaks short. Cuttlebone can also be left around to chew on. If fed on soft foods such as lettuce beaks will grow:0)
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25-05-2019, 08:49 PM | #4 |
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Agree with what Clare and Sandy have said. I use clippers and an enamel emery board to smooth any rough corners left. I’ve had two i rehomed who came with long beaks and it’s a simple but necessary process for the tort.
Eating off rough surfaces like slate or the underside of tiles helps to keep the beak down too, plus as mentioned, cuttlefish is a huge favourite of my creep, more so the females than the males. Yup, sack the vet! If it makes you feel better I had a conversation with a vet last year who said she had a tortoise and I asked what species. She looked utterly bewildered! I wasn’t best impressed!
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25-05-2019, 09:46 PM | #5 |
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They sell glass nail files in my local pound shop & they work great. I even filed down a sharp point on one of my torts shell. (did it much better than a metal file)
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26-05-2019, 09:27 AM | #6 |
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Well I'm not sure nail clippers and nail files would do for my Burmese browns more like a hoof rasp and hoof cutting pliers and an angle grinder.
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26-05-2019, 09:30 AM | #7 |
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I know torts shouldn't have much fruit in their diet but when peaches come in season I will give mine the stones if big enough and they will all chew on them for hours which does a good job.
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26-05-2019, 11:02 AM | #8 |
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Egg
Join Date: Mar 2011
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ok. thanks all. The vet does admit he knows very little about them and said he would ask around and get back to me but has not. Feeling better that its relatively straightforward to resolve. He spends the summer in the garden and eats whatever he likes but winter he's inside on soft foods. Thanks again
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