- Joined
- Mar 8, 2013
- Messages
- 677
Hello Forum,
It’s been quite a while since I have been on.
Until recently Benny, my six year old leopard tortoise has been doing very well.
Last summer we built him a 24’x18’ outdoor summer enclosure which he has enjoyed for two entire summers. This year however I noticed some odd behaviour, and that after a day outside Benny was hiding his head. The next day I noticed his mouth looked funny. It took a couple days of negotiations to get him to stop hiding and let me see his face. He’s missing the bottom hook of his beak! There’s a tiny hole into his mouth and the entire front hook of his beak is gone!
Has anyone seen this in their tortoise before? Is he going to be ok? He’s drinking and eating, I have been cutting up food very tiny and giving him mush on his slate since seeing the issue. Will a beak damaged like this grow back?
I will try and get pictures, but my sweet boy is still a bit skittish since this happened and although he comes out for scratches with gentle encouragement, he immediately hides if I bring up my camera.
It’s been quite a while since I have been on.
Until recently Benny, my six year old leopard tortoise has been doing very well.
Last summer we built him a 24’x18’ outdoor summer enclosure which he has enjoyed for two entire summers. This year however I noticed some odd behaviour, and that after a day outside Benny was hiding his head. The next day I noticed his mouth looked funny. It took a couple days of negotiations to get him to stop hiding and let me see his face. He’s missing the bottom hook of his beak! There’s a tiny hole into his mouth and the entire front hook of his beak is gone!
Has anyone seen this in their tortoise before? Is he going to be ok? He’s drinking and eating, I have been cutting up food very tiny and giving him mush on his slate since seeing the issue. Will a beak damaged like this grow back?
I will try and get pictures, but my sweet boy is still a bit skittish since this happened and although he comes out for scratches with gentle encouragement, he immediately hides if I bring up my camera.