Suggestions, please...

[Terry Allan Hall]

We adopted another female Ornate box turtle today...she was attacked by dogs a few years ago but her shell has healed nicely, and the previous owners did fairly well by her, other than feeding her primarily soft foods, so her bill is VERY over-grown, much like the box turtle in the pic (no pics of her, herself, just yet):

I've trimmed overgrown beaks on other tortoises, but the problem is that box turtles can "box" themselves up too tightly to get to their beaks...could use some ideas of how best to get/rforce her to hold her head out long enough to trim it down.

She's got good body weight, so apparently she's able to still eat, but I'd like to get this corrected and my favorite vet has no suggestions.

Thanks in advance for any help y'all can offer.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you ever learn the trick, be sure to let us know!

I just have to wait it out. Sometimes if you hold them upside down barely off the ground, they'll put their heads way out trying to reach the ground...then you have to be quick and grab behind the jaws. Did I mention you have to be quick?

Oh...and...once you have a good hold on the head, it helps to also bring out a front leg. This keeps them from being able to close up.

 

[dmmj]

you should be able to wedge both of your fingers on both sides of her neck, prevention her from withdrawing.

 

[jackrat]

You beat me to it Yvonne. This is how I do it when brother in law treats his . Tilt him a little backward. This usually makes them stick their head out. My BIL usually grabs the leg and I grab the head at the same time. Once I get situated with the head,I take the leg from him and he administers treatment.It was just trial and error,learning it,but it works pretty good.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Thanks, Yvonne...your idea worked great! Got about 2/3s of the over-growth and gave her a couple of bones, w/ a little meat on them, to work her beak down a bit more in the Quarantine Enclosure.

Appreciate your wisdom!