1.5 year old box turtle with a weak bite

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WallieTheTortoise

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Hi everyone. I have 2 box turtles that I purchased online from 2 different places and 6 months apart. The first one (Pepper) from lllreptile and the second (Pluckie) from Mynewturtle.com. I got Pepper when she was about 1 week old and Pluckie at app. 6 months, but are both 1.5 yrs old now.

In my old posts, when I first received Pluckie, he was only 11 grams (6 mo old already), pyramided, slight depression on his lower shell, and very dry with an overgrown beak. Now 6 months later he is doing much better and looks fantastic. The only thing I am worried about is his weak bite. Now, I'm comparing this to Pepper my first boxie. When I give them mealies to eat, Pepper breaks them apart in one chomp (ever since she was about 3 months old). Pluckie on the other hand, cannot....when he tries to eat them, it keeps sliding in and out of his mouth, he can never break them. I'm just wondering if this is normal or not because his beak/bite seems very weak. Any help would be appreciated.

Here are some pictures

Pluckie
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Pepper
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Yvonne G

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You may have to feed him food that is "bite-sized" to fit him.
 

lisa127

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Your boxies are beautiful. The second one looks a lot like my three toed boxie. My boxies does that with mealworms as well. Bites at it, drops it a few times, keeps picking it up. When he gets it situated the "long way" in his mouth is when he finally eats it. I don't think it's a problem.
 

WallieTheTortoise

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lisa127 said:
Your boxies are beautiful. The second one looks a lot like my three toed boxie. My boxies does that with mealworms as well. Bites at it, drops it a few times, keeps picking it up. When he gets it situated the "long way" in his mouth is when he finally eats it. I don't think it's a problem.

Ok thanks, I think Pepper just has a power jaw lol.
 
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