Grinding noises

[vicki80]

Hi
I was sitting last night and my horsefield tortoise started making a grinding noise from her beak.i have checked her eyes nose and mouth and all looks good there.please help as she has never done this before xx

 

[Laurie]

I can hear my young tortoises do this from time to time. I was told the noise was just normal friction noise as the beak grows and rubs together. As long as you're sure its from the beak and not a respiratory "clicking" noise, no need to worry.

 

[Jenncure]

My Russian Henry seems to do this when he is happy and contented. I've watched him do it, he just makes this movement where he rubs his beak together. He usually does it when I am talking to him or when sitting under his lamp after a meal. So, I think the occasional grinding noise is actually a good thing! (In my novice opinion)

 

[arotester]

I hear that noise everyday from my torts when i am about to place them in their outdoor pen and start feeding them.It's normal friction of a beak as mentioned above(same as we humans chewing our own teeth)

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

All box turtles and tortoises can makes a croaking sound by rubbing their upper and lower beak together. This is called stridulation, and it's intentional, although it's not really clear why they do it. It might be a form of communication, or it might just be a sign of contentment. My box turtles and red foot tortoise used to do it when they were hunkered down in their pallet, perhaps because they felt comfortable. I've heard my Russian tortoises makes this sound under similar circumstances. At any rate, it's quite normal, and might even be a sign that they feel good.