LOWER BEAKWORK ON MONSTRO!

DeanS

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So, for those of you following the MONSTRO thread...you may have noticed a protrusion from the lower beak where the mandibles meet. I've noticed it for some time now...but it wasn't until he was constantly rubbing his head against his forelegs that I noticed it was growing a little fast for my taste. As I've done hoofwork on horses and footwork on elephants, I thought...how hard could this be? It went quite smooth, surprisingly. Except for the confinement of the area being worked on, Monstro seemed quite agreeable to the situation! So, I grabbed my nippers and went at it. At about the halfway point, I realized how loose it was, so I thought this is more like a fingernail than a tooth...so I attempted to trim a little more. With that...a little more success. Then on the last attempt...it came off...not a clip but rather an extraction! And Monstro could be none the happier! He's back to his jubilant self!

Here are a few pictures...from when we first noticed the growth...to last week when he was in the pool and his profile shows how far the growth protrudes...to today (post op)

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rearlpettway

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So, for those of you following the MONSTRO thread...you may have noticed a protrusion from the lower beak where the mandibles meet. I've noticed it for some time now...but it wasn't until he was constantly rubbing his head against his forelegs that I noticed it was growing a little fast for my taste. As I've done hoofwork on horses and footwork on elephants, I thought...how hard could this be? It went quite smooth, surprisingly. Except for the confinement of the area being worked on, Monstro seemed quite agreeable to the situation! So, I grabbed my nippers and went at it. At about the halfway point, I realized how loose it was, so I thought this is more like a fingernail than a tooth...so I attempted to trim a little more. With that...a little more success. Then on the last attempt...it came off...not a clip but rather an extraction! And Monstro could be none the happier! He's back to his jubilant self!

Here are a few pictures...from when we first noticed the growth...to last week when he was in the pool and his profile shows how far the growth protrudes...to today (post op)

View attachment 96789 View attachment 96790 View attachment 96791 View attachment 96792
So you are says that it was like pulling a tooth rather than filing a hoof?


Sent from Rodney Earl Pettway's iPad using TortForum
 

wellington

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Nice job. Is this something that you have had to trim before or something new? I wonder if it will grow back. Keep us posted on this, please.
 

Yvonne G

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A couple of years ago I took in a large sulcata with that extension from the lower beak. It was flimsy and pliable, and stuck out about an inch. It was very easy to clip off, and it made me wonder why the previous owner never clipped it. Well, guess what? The fellow I adopted the animal to called me back in a couple months to tell me the beak had regrown. This tortoise was grazing and biting and using his beak all the time, but the extension of keratin??? just regrew. So it won't surprise me to see it growing back on Monstro.
 

DeanS

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A couple of years ago I took in a large sulcata with that extension from the lower beak. It was flimsy and pliable, and stuck out about an inch. It was very easy to clip off, and it made me wonder why the previous owner never clipped it. Well, guess what? The fellow I adopted the animal to called me back in a couple months to tell me the beak had regrown. This tortoise was grazing and biting and using his beak all the time, but the extension of keratin??? just regrew. So it won't surprise me to see it growing back on Monstro.
Here's the thing...and the reason I don't think it will grow back! First of all, YES, it was pliable...I wouldn't say soft. The density was that of , say, a beagle nail. It snapped loud when clipped. Again, I nipped at it little by little anticipating a blood line at any point! When I maneuvered the nippers into the next position, I squeezed at what I would consider medium strength. At this point the growth dislodged as a child's primary tooth would once the root was completed withdrawn.
 

DeanS

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Nice job. Is this something that you have had to trim before or something new? I wonder if it will grow back. Keep us posted on this, please.

No! I've never had an issue with a reptile...EVER...except, of course, for the Sudans hatchlings that died.

Here's the thing...and the reason I don't think it will grow back! First of all, YES, it was pliable...I wouldn't say soft. The density was that of , say, a beagle nail. It snapped loud when clipped. Again, I nipped at it little by little anticipating a blood line at any point! When I maneuvered the nippers into the next position, I squeezed at what I would consider medium strength. At this point the growth dislodged as a child's primary tooth would once the root was completed withdrawn.

Should it reappear...you will know about it!
 

Amanda81

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So, for those of you following the MONSTRO thread...you may have noticed a protrusion from the lower beak where the mandibles meet. I've noticed it for some time now...but it wasn't until he was constantly rubbing his head against his forelegs that I noticed it was growing a little fast for my taste. As I've done hoofwork on horses and footwork on elephants, I thought...how hard could this be? It went quite smooth, surprisingly. Except for the confinement of the area being worked on, Monstro seemed quite agreeable to the situation! So, I grabbed my nippers and went at it. At about the halfway point, I realized how loose it was, so I thought this is more like a fingernail than a tooth...so I attempted to trim a little more. With that...a little more success. Then on the last attempt...it came off...not a clip but rather an extraction! And Monstro could be none the happier! He's back to his jubilant self!

Here are a few pictures...from when we first noticed the growth...to last week when he was in the pool and his profile shows how far the growth protrudes...to today (post op)

View attachment 96789 View attachment 96790 View attachment 96791 View attachment 96792
Since we are on this subject, Marv has something that sticks out on his bottom lip. His top lip looks just as Monstro does and then he has a thing that sticks out between the two on the top. Is this normal? Do I need to be clipping that off as well? I have noticed he getting items stuck on this thing at times.
 

Amanda81

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image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg I took a couple pics of it cause I'm not sure if that's ok or not. He is eating fine, besides things getting stuck on it, but he always gets the stuff off.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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I had noticed it in another picture you posted of him. It looks great now, good job!
 

littleginsu

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Do you think the tooth is something they grow to use for something in the wild that they don't necessarily have to do in our care?
 

Moozillion

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Since we are on this subject, Marv has something that sticks out on his bottom lip. His top lip looks just as Monstro does and then he has a thing that sticks out between the two on the top. Is this normal? Do I need to be clipping that off as well? I have noticed he getting items stuck on this thing at times.

That picture looks just like the thing Monstro had!!!! :O
 

DeanS

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I took a couple pics of it cause I'm not sure if that's ok or not. He is eating fine, besides things getting stuck on it, but he always gets the stuff off.
Did he have that when he arrived or did it just show up...because Monstro's grew in fast! Monstro is not of the same lineage...and I don't know if there's any Sudan or not! His mom looks exactly like the big specimens that Tomas Diagne keeps at the African Chelonian Institute's Tortoise Village...which is in Senegal! Apparently, they grow huge, as well. If I were you I'd nip that thing down. He's way too young to have that kind of growth...and it will only grow with him as he goes through growth spurts. It was simple...if you have a steady hand, you can do it yourself. Keep us posted.
 

Amanda81

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Did he have that when he arrived or did it just show up...because Monstro's grew in fast! Monstro is not of the same lineage...and I don't know if there's any Sudan or not! His mom looks exactly like the big specimens that Tomas Diagne keeps at the African Chelonian Institute's Tortoise Village...which is in Senegal! Apparently, they grow huge, as well. If I were you I'd nip that thing down. He's way too young to have that kind of growth...and it will only grow with him as he goes through growth spurts. It was simple...if you have a steady hand, you can do it yourself. Keep us posted.
Ya he had it when he got to me. I have been keeping eye in it just cause I noticed his food getting stuck on it. I might try and nip it back little by little.
 

DeanS

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Do you think the tooth is something they grow to use for something in the wild that they don't necessarily have to do in our care?
I don't think this happens in the wild. For one thing, the elements are so harsh, I think anytime they find food, they have to eat against hard terrain. I've been careless in that I've offered food on the lawn a little too frequently this past year or so. From now on I feed only on concrete...that will serve as a 'natural' trimmer @Amanda81 ...that could explain Marv's situation, as well!
 

Amanda81

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I don't think this happens in the wild. For one thing, the elements are so harsh, I think anytime they find food, they have to eat against hard terrain. I've been careless in that I've offered food on the lawn a little too frequently this past year or so. From now on I feed only on concrete...that will serve as a 'natural' trimmer @Amanda81 ...that could explain Marv's situation, as well!
I'm guilty as well. I have 2 huge concrete slabs for them, 1 was meant for sunning and the other was meant for the "extras" I might give, but really besides the twice a week mazuri/calcuim/vitamin mixture, if I give them something, I just throw it about the yard so they find it as they browse. I will trim his down a little at a time, keep an eye for anything like it to pop up on the other 2, and like you said, I will start using their concrete slabs for their extra stuff. I will keep ya posted on how the trim goes.
 
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