[Spiloides]

I have a pair of Manouria emys emys. They are both great climbers. A couple of years ago, whilst climbing, the male must have slid forwards and not retracted his head. The result was that he gave himself a cut in the back of his neck from the nuchal scute. This projects forward about half a cm and is like a sharpened screwdriver head (not a star head obviously!). The cut healed. I made sure using antiseptic stuff. Two years later, he has done it again, only this time the cut ended up with a small abscess. His neck was quite swollen for a few days. Then the surface of the abscess cracked and out it popped like a small boiled egg. The damage is now healing well. But I have had enough. Does anyone have any knowledge of whether it is possible/desirable to file the end of the scute so it is no longer a blade. I can then be hopeful that he won't do it again! Cheers!