Beak growth?

[turtletania]

OK I have gone back a few pages and haven't found anything. Soooo.....
I have been keeping an eye on one of my Indian Star Torts... he seems to have an ever growing beak. I have given him cuttlebone before but he didn't touch it.
What can I do to help this beak issue. It isn't affecting his appetite yet... but I am worried that it might.

Any advise?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I have known some to trim a tortoise beak with a pair of nail clippers or a file. I have done this once to a hermans tortoise and it went well.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Feed on a slate tile. To eat the food, the tort rubs the beak on it. Best to not have to trim it, but yes sometimes they get out of hand so you have to trim or file it. In that case, I'd want to see a vet or other knowledgeable person do it first to ensure I had the technique down (or is there a video online?). Also, a hard veggie like carrot or zucchini can help. Those are things to limit in the diet, but a little bit is fine. Yes, beaks and nails do naturally grow, and in the wild they are kept trimmed easier since there is more natural stuff like rocks than in indoor captivity.

 

[moswen]

i don't know anything about star tortoises diet but to add to tortoisenerd's post, good ole fashioned roots can also help keep the beak trimmed, if you feed it something from your garden just dig it up a bit and knock the dirt off the roots.

and you can leave the cuttlebone in his enclosure so he can have it anytime he wants it.

 

[coastal]

You can use a pair of large nail clippers or an electric dremel with a file tool attached to it. Depending on the case if its not to bad yet the nail clippers work best. You will need to grab the head between two fingers and cut the overgrowth off. Once its been corrected the animal should be able to keep it maintained from that point on.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you can find a nice flat chunk of concrete, a stepping stone or some such, then feed the tortoise on that. She will be filing down her beak with every bite as her beak hits the concrete.

 

[jobeanator]

i use a piece of tile for my star when he eats off it. it also trims his nails when eating

 

[turtletania]

thanks everyone for the advice. I will be getting a slate tile ASAP for him to eat off.
If i get up the courage to try the nail clippers I will, but for now I hope the slate will wear it down and back to normal. Again thanks.

 

[Jerseynox]

this thread may help ya
http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-to-file-beaks