Shelled Warriors Forums
 

Go Back   Shelled Warriors Forums > Tortoise Information > Tortoise Health and Vets

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 25-05-2019, 02:29 PM   #1
Mimbulus
Junior Member
Egg
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 15
Default 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
Mimbulus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2019, 04:25 PM   #2
CherryBrandy
Senior Member
Adult
 
CherryBrandy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SE England
Posts: 4,259
Default

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
__________________
Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata
CherryBrandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2019, 04:54 PM   #3
sandy
Senior Member
Adult
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Kent UK
Posts: 12,144
Default

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)
__________________
< > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles
\0/
/_\

http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends
sandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2019, 09:49 PM   #4
emma_mcraf
Senior Member
Adult
 
emma_mcraf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Devon
Posts: 11,364
Default

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!
__________________
Emma

Testudo Hermanni 5.12.2:Theo, Tamara, Tabitha, Harriet, Isabelle, Clara, Oscar, Hugo, Oliver, Florence, Arabella, Esmé, Aurelia, Felicia, Claudia, Atticus, Celestia, Amaris, Tristan and Clementine
Budgies: Jasper, Ivo, Otis, Henry, Louie and Luca
Doggies: 1.1.0 Chester and Lottie

emma_mcraf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2019, 10:46 PM   #5
burnt toast
Senior Member
Adult
 
burnt toast's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 5,243
Default

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)
burnt toast is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-05-2019, 10:27 AM   #6
Gordon
Senior Member
Adult
 
Gordon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 5,672
Default

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.
Gordon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-05-2019, 10:30 AM   #7
Gordon
Senior Member
Adult
 
Gordon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 5,672
Default

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.
Gordon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-05-2019, 12:02 PM   #8
Mimbulus
Junior Member
Egg
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 15
Default

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
Mimbulus is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:09 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.