Is my Russian Tortoise healthy?
- Thread starter Splak
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2017
- Messages
- 5,750
- Location (City and/or State)
- Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Hello, and welcome to TFO!
I'm not great at evaluating torts, but to me he looks mostly good. He does look a bit dry...have you been soaking him regularly? That really helps with hydration.
The one thing that really stands out is his beak needs trimming. As it gets longer, it gets more difficult to eat. And worse, sometimes the whole beak will break off or split from bottom to top, which is painful for the tort and can be difficult to heal.
You can take him to an exotics vet for a beak trim, or you can do it yourself. You need someone to hold him for you, and you use a nail clipper a tiny nip at a time.
If you feed him on a concrete paver, or a piece of floor tile with the rough surface up, or a terra cotta saucer without glaze, or a piece of slate...any of those will help keep it from growing out again.
I'm not great at evaluating torts, but to me he looks mostly good. He does look a bit dry...have you been soaking him regularly? That really helps with hydration.
The one thing that really stands out is his beak needs trimming. As it gets longer, it gets more difficult to eat. And worse, sometimes the whole beak will break off or split from bottom to top, which is painful for the tort and can be difficult to heal.
You can take him to an exotics vet for a beak trim, or you can do it yourself. You need someone to hold him for you, and you use a nail clipper a tiny nip at a time.
If you feed him on a concrete paver, or a piece of floor tile with the rough surface up, or a terra cotta saucer without glaze, or a piece of slate...any of those will help keep it from growing out again.
His beak and probably claws need a trim suggest a visit to a vet or discuss with a local reptile shop. He has new growth rings and shell looks smooth . Please read attached care sheet to see if there are any additional things you can do for welfare. Diet, enclosure, hydration, heat and light etc....
www.tortoiseforum.org
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...
www.tortoiseforum.org
Beak does need a trim. Can't see nails so I won't assume they are long
He does look dry. Get some humidity in his enclosure and give a soak in warm water a couple times a week.
He does look dry. Get some humidity in his enclosure and give a soak in warm water a couple times a week.
BUT...he has nice new growth rings, so that's great!
