Yes especially the beak. If you put his food on a rough surface, such as a slate, it will help to wear it down.Hello, My 6-7 yes old Maginate Tortoise and I have a question. Pls. Look at photo and see if beak and nails need trimming.
Just looking at the tortoise posture on the pic, his legs splayed not supporting and top of shell skutes are sunken, I think this tort has calcium deficiency metabolic bone disorder. Please research and check does his shell feel rubbery and bouncy?
Thank you, I will look for help professionally , reptile store.. calling for Vet cost just to exam 99.00 and I just need a affordable way at this time. Any suggestions?Yes especially the beak. If you put his food on a rough surface, such as a slate, it will help to wear it down.
Does he get to walk on a rough surface at all - that should help to smooth the points of his nails - maybe some flattish rocks dotted around his enclosure ?
Angie
Hi Angie, I was thinking King Arthur might need this, I will ad pottery in enclosure/ indoor table. Daily outside patio is cement.. but most else grass n dirt.. I'll try different things. But I'd like help with actual trim. I will lookYes especially the beak. If you put his food on a rough surface, such as a slate, it will help to wear it down.
Does he get to walk on a rough surface at all - that should help to smooth the points of his nails - maybe some flattish rocks dotted around his enclosure ?
Angie
Hi Angie, I was thinking King Arthur might need this, I will ad pottery in enclosure/ indoor table. Daily outside patio is cement.. but most else grass n dirt.. I'll try different things. But I'd like help with actual trim. I will look.. also I do have slate as food plate for food..seems to be not enough tho.
my opinion is ...... his beak and nails are overgrown ...... i would look into his diet , humidity and uvb situation .....i'm not sure what causes it , but i don't believe eating on rough surfaces , or walking more is the cause or cure ........ i'm pretty certain the cause is metabolic , not mechanical .......... does this guy live outside year round ?
Try to find a vet or a local reptile shop will probably have someone who can trim beak and nails. Ensure calcium power is provided on his food 2 or 3 times a week and a cuttle fish bone in the enclosure. Water is available 24 x7 in a plant pot base dish he can walk in and also provided food on a terracotta plant base again he can walk onto because as he eats his beak runs against the terracotta which will help manage going forward. Provide low stones in the enclosure to help claws. Ask questions as required.
Read this care sheet it may help......
The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...tortoiseforum.org
Yes, I do Give calcium on food.. Ix week.. need to up that to 3x from what I read.Can you take His Majesty out on the concrete patio regularly - maybe take some food he likes and scatter it on the ground so he will have to walk about to get it. As for trimming him yourself, you can get clippers for bird beaks from pet shops, and you could just snip the ends of his nails - holding each one up to the light first, to see where the dark bit ends -that is the blood vessel, so you must only cut in the clear area beyond that. A little chip off the end might make His Majesty walk more easily. I would be apprehensive about cutting his beak, because he might object very strongly - we get a vet to do Zola's beak, and even he finds it a bit of a struggle ! Does His Maj object to having his head held firmly? The vet uses a little Dremel tool for Zola,- if you have such a thing you could give it a go, very cautiously - just a tiny bit at a time.
Do you give His Maj a calcium supplement with his food?
Angie
his beak and nails are not horrible , they can and do get a whole lot worse, if you can stop it now ,i'd think he go for awhile as is ......... i've never had a turtle or tortoise with overgrown beaks or nails , the only reason i can think of is because they are outside ? why , would be a guess ........ i seldom if ever use any supplement , the only thing i've ever used was vionate on occassion , mostly for the ones that come in in the winter ....... i only have box turtle ,which are as prone to overgrown beaks and nails as any tortoise ...... some have been captive for well over 20yrs , some have been captive their entire lives , they don't walk on rocks , they don't eat off rocks , in fact they eat off smooth plastic lids ..........Hi Mark, King Arthur does not live outdoors.. He lives in tort table , but has slate plate.. not enough ..he does go outside everyday.. but I notice he prefers shade.. I will change and put more terracotta, rocks ect. But I think at this point need trimming..where should I go for that.. a Vet is out my price range.
As Yvonne G indicated, your tort's nails aren't too bad. The beak is a little overgrown and could use a little trim. You can do both nails and beak yourself, but for the first time, a little assistance (and moral support!) are a good idea. Yes, it should be done, but this is not an emergency. See if you can find a fellow experienced tort owner in the area to help you--tort or reptile groups, tort rescues, etc. Make sure if you use anyone else's equipment that it is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized (it's better to use your own dedicated trimmer and clipper). Be cautious, only cut a small amount.Hello, My 6-7 yes old Maginate Tortoise and I have a question. Pls. Look at photo and see if beak and nails need trimming.