Is my tortoises beak overgrown?

Catiandria

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I am a first time tortoise owner. Archibald is a few weeks over 3 years old. I have owned him since he was 1 month old. I bought the books and try to read anything to get more knowledge on tortoise husbandry and specifically care of Indian Stars [there is some serious lacking of published works on this.] He is developing his personality and the past year has been getting more and more outgoing and less fearful of me. I read a lot of when they are young you do not want to stress them out to much and not to over handle. So while I fed him and changed his water every day, gave him his weekly soaks I did not"play" with him. He now walks up to me if I am sitting in his outdoor enclosure with him and has even let me rub his neck for him. It is adorable. I noticed today when I was outside with him that it looks like his beak is getting a little long. I will attach pictures. Do I need to make an appointment with my exotic vet to have it filed or is it not that far gone where I can provide him with something for him to chew and wear it down with. Also any other notes or opinions you have about his shell or overall outwards appearance would be appreciated. I have never owned a tortoise before so I am always looking to find more info and to see if I am doing right by Archie :tort: :<3:

Also attached is my pet pterodactyl who likes to supervise Archibald's outdoor time
 

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Tom

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The beak is in great shape, and on the umbrella too. Feeding a good high fiber weedy leafy grassy diet will keep the beak in good shape long term. You can offer cuttlebone too.

The sand substrate should be removed ASAP. Sand is a tortoise killer. They ingest small amounts over time and it lodges in their intestinal tract causing an impaction. The surgery to save them is gruesome and awful.
 

Catiandria

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That is my natural soil :oops: What would you recommend for an Indian star? This is his outdoor enclosure that I just put together this week. I bought Bermuda grass seed to put in there for it to grow. It will be arriving tomorrow. I can keep him inside until it takes root.
 

Tom

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That is my natural soil :oops: What would you recommend for an Indian star? This is his outdoor enclosure that I just put together this week. I bought Bermuda grass seed to put in there for it to grow. It will be arriving tomorrow. I can keep him inside until it takes root.
Ugh. That makes it difficult. Can you relocate the enclosure to somewhere with less sand? Or cover the sand with a layer of dirt or orchid bark. Eventually it will bleed through and mix, but you'd be oaky for a while.
 

Catiandria

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Its a posted fenced in area. My property all has the black dirt that when it rains the silt leaves and just sand is on top. So it will be pretty much like that everywhere. Do you not think the grass would be sufficient if I just kept him inside until it grew in? I just put together the outdoor area and he has only been outside during the day 3 times. We had some cooler rainy weather 3 days in a row so I kept him inside.
 

Catiandria

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I just got the grass seeds in and I am about to plant them and hopefully the chickens don't scratch it all up.
 

Beasty_Artemis

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Toss dandelion seeds in there too! They just love those! I went online and ordered clover seeds last time I made an outdoor tortoise encloser. That is definitely Arty's favorite food.
 
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