My Baby Spur Thighed Beak, Is it abnormal?

[Marbels and Pebbles]

Hey, I am new to Tortoises, I have had my two baby Spur Thighed for about three months now. I have been thinking for a while now that Pebbles the smallest has been looking different compared to when i first had her, She seems to occasionally sit with her mouth open? Marbels never has her mouth open. Today I noticed that Pebble's beak is very rounded? im not sure if this is normal? I looked back at photos a took when i first had her and her beak was pointy and when her mouth was closed would hang over bottom lip.
Im not very good at explaining things like this so im going to put up three pictures. One of before in the garden and two of her today, although she did not want her Picture taken today, so they are not the best photos in the wolrd.

She is one year old
Lives in a Tortoise table
Has a UVB bulb at 37 degrees
She eats mainly weeds but sometimes i cant resist giving her lettuce.
I have weighed her she is over weight by 20gramms
Very lively
Gets loads of exercise inside and goes outside when its hot enough.
I give them Cuttle fish for calcium

Thanks for reading, and will appreciate all comments

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Marbels and Pebbles:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

The tortoise beak is supposed to have a nice, sharp edge to it similar to a bird's beak, so that he can bite off bits of plants and weeds.

Make sure your babies are getting enough calcium along with the vitamin D from either the sun or an expensive UVB light. The calcium needs to have the vitamin D or it doesn't do the tortoise much good. It might help if you were to feed foods that are high in calcium, as some tortoises refuse to eat the cuttlebone. Cactus is good.

 

[Marbels and Pebbles]

Hi thanks for your message, Its strange as Marbels my other Tortoise who lives and eats with Pebbles, has a sharp beak? The UVB bulb cost £50 I think its called a Power sun bulb. They both also eat the Cuttle bone I see them every few days eatting it. I also put Nutrobal on their food every couple of days. My name is Jemma From Sussex

 

[Missy]

Do you have a soaking dish for them? They have some pyramiding, could be from not enough calcium or being kept to dry. I agree with Yvonne, good UVB bulb and Phosphorus-free calcium with vit-D.

 

[Marbels and Pebbles]

Hi Missy, Yes i Have a Bath for them i Put them in it every morning and let them choose how long they are in for, sometimes they will bathe for ten twenty min's other times they are straight out of the water.
I know they have some pyramiding as they were like that when i got them, im trying my best to stop them from pyraminding anymore like bathing them, spraying water into the table at night to make the soil moist and feed them weeds and foods that are good for them.. im a 100% sure they get enough sun and light and heat from the UVB bulb, its just hard knowing that they are getting enough calicum? What a good way of knowing? They eat cuttle fish bones and i put calcium on their food, I try and only feed them weeds too?

 

[Missy]

It sounds like you are doing everything you can. Does the calcium you put on their food have Vit. D added? I try to feed cactus a couple times a week. It is a great natural source of calcium. I don't know why the beak rounded like it has. Is there a rock or tile in there that he bites at a lot? Just trying to find a reason.

 

[Marbels and Pebbles]

No it doesnt have vit. D, maybe its that? what could i give them to boost their vit. D? I did buy cactus for them once but it just went rotten, what sort of cactus is best? Their are a few rocks in their enclosure, i do find when they are in the garden she likes to find small stones and try and eat them, where as marbels isnt bothered so you might be right there as well thanks

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum..

 

[stells]

If you are giving Nutrabol they are getting Vit D

Looks to me like this one may be developing a slightly overshot bottom jaw... regular filing may help... but a good exotics vet would need to clarify this...

I would also drop your basking spot down to around 34 degrees...

Greeks don't have to be raised the humid way... i have successfully raised smooth greeks dry just with bathing every other day... for around 20 mins... could you possibly list the weeds you are feeding please

Kelly... (fellow UK'er)

No it doesnt have vit. D, maybe its that? what could i give them to boost their vit. D? I did buy cactus for them once but it just went rotten, what sort of cactus is best? Their are a few rocks in their enclosure, i do find when they are in the garden she likes to find small stones and try and eat them, where as marbels isnt bothered so you might be right there as well thanks

 

[Marbels and Pebbles]

Hi Kelly, Thanks for your reply the overshot bottom jaw sounds interesting as her jaw looks so different to my other baby, it also looks as if its too big for her head, if you know what i mean. I think I am going to get her booked in with a reptile vet as the more i look at her and compare her with my other baby the more i wonder if it is her jaw when she eats its almost as if it moves forward. I think if it was thier diet my other baby would be the same, but her beak looks normal and is sharp.
My Babies had pyramiding when i got them, will their shells smooth out as they grow if i keep them on a good diet.

I feed them on
Sow thistle
Clover
Dandelion
Plantain
Dasiy
Sedum
Honey Suckle
Cress
and some lettuce as a treat

---

I will also drop the temp too thanks

 

[Missy]

The pyramiding will always be there but will become less and less noticeable as they grow with the good care you are giving. I grow Prickly Pear cactus and thats what I feed. There are several cactus that are good choices. If you take him to the vet please let us know what they think. This is very interesting and I would like to know what the cause might be.

 

[Marbels and Pebbles]

Okay brilliant, I will have to buy some cactus and grow my own then, And yes I will post on here to say what the Vet says I will try and get them both booked in the beginin of next week Thanks every one

 

[stells]

Try and find abit more variety with the weeds... is it salad cress you are feeding... as this is rape shoots and should only be fed on rare occassion... also the Daisy's are classed as a do not feed as they are high in Tannins... although some do feed them... although not regularly... i don't...
Clover should be fed in moderation too... Dandelion 1-2 times per week...

Getting a weed only diet right... can be tricky... but the more variety the better...

 

[Marbels and Pebbles]

Ah right okay im always looking for different weeds to feed them, Its difficult to find a list of the correct weeds to feed them, what do you feed yours?

 

[Yvonne G]

It didn't even occur to me until I read Stells' post #9. Of course that could very well be what's happening. When the lower jaw grows forward, that means there is no opposing force being placed on the upper jaw. This means instead of growing like it should, it might tend to grow inward, giving that rounded appearance.

Good job, Kelly!! (stells) I'll bet that's what's wrong.

 

[Marbels and Pebbles]

So can it be serious? is it her diet? Im going to get her to the vet next week, get her fully checked out

 

[Yvonne G]

Probably not diet related, more than likely genetic. I have a couple tortoises with lower jaws that jut out in front of the upper jaw. I also have a tortoise with "scissors beak." You just have to keep the beak filed. In your case, it would be the lower beak. Your vet can show you how. (of course I mean, if that's what's wrong)

 

[Fernando]

Hello! Looks like you are getting all the help you need

 

[Marbels and Pebbles]

Okay thanks Yvonne G! I will see what the vet says.
Yes Fernando! I LOVE THIS WEBSITE