Overgrown beak

[Taylor Brynn]

I'm thinking about taking my Russian Tortoise, Simeon, to the vet to get a beak trim. Because I am only 14 and I can't have a job, I only want to take him if necessary due to the $97 price tag for a consultation and trim... can anyone tell me if I should take him or not?

Thanks!

 

[Bee62]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
To answer your question: You should take your tortoise to a VET for beek trimming. Otherwise your Simeon will soon get difficulties with eating.
Do you have some cuttlefish bones in the enclosure of your tort ?

 

[Taylor Brynn]

Bee62
Yes I do keep cuttlebones and large stone throughout his enclosure, I just never see him using them

 

[Taylor Brynn]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
To answer your question: You should take your tortoise to a VET for beek trimming. Otherwise your Simeon will soon get difficulties with eating.
Do you have some cuttlefish bones in the enclosure of your tort ?

Yes I do keep cuttlebones and large stones in his enclosure, I just never see him using them

 

[MPRC]

does he tolerate handling well? Maybe you could watch some videos, read instructions and do it yourself?

 

[Bee62]

Yes I do keep cuttlebones and large stones in his enclosure, I just never see him using them

That`s a pitty ! My torts use cuttlebones and I have seen them sometimes biting in wooden things in their enclosure. They all have short beeks.
Do you cut the food of your tort in small pieces ?

 

[Taylor Brynn]

That`s a pitty ! My torts use cuttlebones and I have seen them sometimes biting in wooden things in their enclosure. They all have short beeks.
Do you cut the food of your tort in small pieces ?

Nope, I mostly use kale and radicchio as a base for his meals and then add on mustard greens, collard greens, endive, dandelion, Day Lilly, creeping Jenny, clover, and mazouri mix and I just put the whole piece of green on a vigil flat stone for him....

 

[Taylor Brynn]

I mean large not vigil

 

[Taylor Brynn]

does he tolerate handling well? Maybe you could watch some videos, read instructions and do it yourself?

He does OK with handling but I've already tried filling his beak with a nail file and I got SO overly stressed out and I actually think I may have fractured part of his beak- no little piece broke off and he didn't act any different and still eats fine- but I heard a little crack noise and ever since then I haven't touched it. I would NEVER want to cause my animals and pain so I'm to scared to do it. I think I'll just try to either petsit for someone, walk dogs, or maybe babysit to earn the money...

 

[Bee62]

He does OK with handling but I've already tried filling his beak with a nail file and I got SO overly stressed out and I actually think I may have fractured part of his beak- no little piece broke off and he didn't act any different and still eats fine- but I heard a little crack noise and ever since then I haven't touched it. I would NEVER want to cause my animals and pain so I'm to scared to do it. I think I'll just try to either petsit for someone, walk dogs, or maybe babysit to earn the money...

Can you ask your parents for the money ?
With a nail file you cannot harm your tortoise if you are careful.

 

[Taylor T.]

When I acquired my Russian from an animal rescue, he had a severely overgrown beak. (much worse than yours) He could still to eat just fine, so I was not worried about rushing it. Every morning, when he was rather sleepy and didn't freak out as much as when he was fully awake, I would use an Emery board and just gently file away. After about a month, his beak was nice and short, and, feeding on a rough rock and offering a cuttlebone, (which I have never seen him use.) his beak has not become overgrown again.