HELP PLEASE-!! Cracked beak, advice needed.

Average-Joe_15

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For the first time ever, my tortoise has what seems to be 2 cracks running down her lower beak.

IMG_4838.JPG IMG_4839.JPG

She has been cared for by my mum for about a week because I'm currently bedridden with an injury of my own...
I don't believe my mum has fed her something so hard that it caused the crack, instead I assume that my tort had an accident where she misaligned her beak in an over-bite, thus pushing her upper beak through the lower beak.

While I'm quite worried, I have read that this can occur naturally and doesn't cause discomfort or pain at such a superficial level as this...

Will she be OK??
Should I avoid feeding her hard foods like cuttle bone for awhile??
What caused this?? ...Insufficient calcium intake??

Any advice or reassuring words would be greatly appreciated in this time of real worry-!!
 

Tidgy's Dad

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A little extra calcium on her food wouldn't hurt.
If you type 'cracked lower beak' into the search function top right of the screen it will bring up some examples of people who have experienced similar problems.
Can't help more than that, I'm afraid as i have no personal experience of this.
 

Yvonne G

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It's probably just superficial. It looks like it doesn't get down into the 'quick' area, so is probably not causing any pain. A little extra calcium, if she'll tolerate it. And always keep a cuttlebone in the habitat, even if it seems to be ignored.
 

Average-Joe_15

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Sorry, y'all, I can't manage to get a photo with her mouth open...

But I can confirm that the beak is staying together in one piece, and that the cracks go as deep down as almost the floor of her mouth with only slight jaggedness above the crack points.

I'm very upset about this---
 

Average-Joe_15

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I would also really appreciate a simple evaluation of the condition of her shell, a community check up if you will.

image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

I'm upset that she's showing signs of pyramidding, but it's always so tough to understand...
She is provided a fair variety of foods, proper temperatures, a controlled basking spot, admittedly inconsistent moisture levels, calcium via cuttlebone, access to my yard with organic lawn grass and garden vegetables.
Fortunately she does not show any signs of soft-shell.

That last photo is of her sides, are these pieces (scutes?) misaligned??
Should this concern me??


I appreciate the help of this community so much~!!
 

GingerLove

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Well... she's a little past "showing signs" of pyramiding. She's actually very pyramided. Looks kind of cool, actually, but it does need to be corrected. My first advice to you is to change your light bulb. Red light often causes a tortoise to eat things it shouldn't eat because it thinks there is food... not to mention a lot of red light brands aren't very good. You can get a UV and heat light combined at every pet store, it should also help with the pyramiding.
And the beak should be okay, so please don't worry too much. Keep an eye out to see if it keeps cracking. :) What's her name?
 

Average-Joe_15

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Her name is Shelly~
...though my girlfriend has nicknamed her "Slurp."

To clarify:
She has 1 "ReptiSun 5.0 26W UVB bulb" (white light, no special fixture)
and 1 "ExoTerra 100W infrared basking spot bulb" (red light, heat capable fixture with glow in the dark metal shade)

Is this not a good set??
 

Yvonne G

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Pyramiding happens during the first couple years out of the egg. If baby tortoises are kept too dry, it sets the tone for the angle of the pyramid and even though you may correct the humidity and moisture, it continues to grow along that angle. Nothing you can do about it now. Has very little to do with diet.
 
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Average-Joe_15

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Thanks for all the advice y'all~

In conclusion:
she's gunna be OK, right-??


Cheers to happy, healthy torts~
 

GingerLove

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Yes, she should be just fine! :) Cute nickname, by the way. Your lights actually sound really good, though I would still switch from red to a white heat light. I always figure, better safe than sorry. :)
 

Kasia

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Her name is Shelly~
...though my girlfriend has nicknamed her "Slurp."

To clarify:
She has 1 "ReptiSun 5.0 26W UVB bulb" (white light, no special fixture)
and 1 "ExoTerra 100W infrared basking spot bulb" (red light, heat capable fixture with glow in the dark metal shade)

Is this not a good set??
Love the name Slurp, check the care sheet available on this forum for her:) good luck:)
 

Average-Joe_15

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Have a gander at my current care sheet if ya like:

Tortoise Care 001.jpg
Feel free to spread it around if you approve of my design.
I hope some up and coming Red Foot Tortoise fans can learn from this~
 

SarahChelonoidis

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Have a gander at my current care sheet if ya like:

View attachment 186200
Feel free to spread it around if you approve of my design.
I hope some up and coming Red Foot Tortoise fans can learn from this~

Your night temperatures are very cold. Most red foot keepers advise not letting temperatures dip much below 80F. Your humidity is low too, but given your cold temperatures, that is safer.
 

Average-Joe_15

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My night temperatures can fortunately be raised easily because of my ExoTerra infrared heat bulb which doesn't disturb my tort's sleep with its subtle red lighting~

Also, the ReptiSun coiled florescent UVB bulb is a relatively new replacement for what I used to use: an ExoTerra brand equivalent.
I have heard discouraging words about that product, so I switched to ReptiSun last summer and plan to continue to use it, replacing it annually.
 

Average-Joe_15

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Well, it's been exactly one month since her accident and I'm not satisfied with her condition, I think it's getting worse.

Her beak has since grown out a little bit so the tip of both her upper and lower beak fronts are obviously misaligning just enough to cause an under-bite when she eats, thus splitting the cracks even further.
I would like to make a visit to my local exotic pet veterinarian but am afraid to be charged a fee that I'm incapable of affording.
Does anybody have a ballpark figure in mind for what such a visit and possible treatment would cost-??

I've also decided to put my dear tortoise up for adoption, where, I do not know as of today...
I feel obsessed and overwhelmed after 7 years of living with her.
I will never come to terms with the regret, shame, and crushing discouragement of this experience as a parent.
I just can't do it.
 

Average-Joe_15

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I've done some more reading on beak troubles and was relieved to hear how easily a beak tip can be trimmed.
Hopefully a painless filing down with a small, rounded emery board will correct her under-bite and get her on the road to recovery.

If the lower beak continues to pose a problem, can anyone recommend any tricks to trimming that-??
Perhaps that procedure is best left for a veterinarian.
 

Average-Joe_15

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Aha, I've now seen some people use a simple wooden BBQ skewer as a wedge to keep a tort's mouth open wide when trimming the lower beak, similar to how "bits" are used on a horse's mouth.

I'll try this if I think it's necessary.
 

Gillian M

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Please give your tort daily soaks in warm water.

Make sure he's WARM enough.

And keep us updated.
 

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