Torty toe nails

[Angi]

I got an e-mail from a friend asking what to do about her Russians over grown toe nails. I have not seen them so I don't know how bad they are. My advice was to feed him on slate but maybe that just helps the beak and to give him rocks to climb on. What else should I tell her?

Also is it okay to wash my slate feeding tiles in the dish washer?

 

[Yvonne G]

The tiles usually are dishwasher safe.

A tortoise's toe nails can be clipped just like those of dogs and cats. If your friend can see the quick, they can be clipped to just before the quick. If that can't be seen, then just take off a little bit at a time. If they should happen to clip one too short and make it bleed, the toe can be dipped in a styptic powder. You can buy this in pet shops or feed stores. (Kwik-stop, Nik-stop,Nail safe, Gold medal - just do a GOOGLE search for Styptic powder for animal use)

 

[Angi]

Thanks Yvomme,

Is there a way to forward your reply to her?

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

These work pretty well...a friend adopted a red-foot with terribly over-grown nails, so I used it (I'd originally bought it for our dogs, but, really, nails are nails).

Don't recall exactly what we paid for it, from Big Lots, but surely under $20. Think I've seen 'em at Walmart and CVS pharmacies, too.

 

[Laura]

Angi, Cut and Paste to an email to your friend.
and those pedi paws, terrify a lot of animals! so be careful. ..

also.. cornstarch or even flour can work in an emergency for toenails cut too short.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I have never seen a tortoise nail that needed to be cut.

 

[Angi]

I just kept clicking on different tabs and I think I emailed it to her. I have a hard time with the Cut and paste thing

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Angi, Cut and Paste to an email to your friend.
and those pedi paws, terrify a lot of animals! so be careful. ..

also.. cornstarch or even flour can work in an emergency for toenails cut too short.

Yeah, it took a few times for most of our dogs to accept the Pedi paw, although one was fine from Day 1.

The red-foot was cool with it, as well...didn't struggle or anything.

My wife's cat, otoh, hides in our closet when she hears it start up.

 

[LRBailey]

Back when I was in Alaska, I took in a three toed tort that had horrible long nails and an over grown beak. I clipped the nails back myself, and had the vet take care of the beak...she used a mini dremel on the beak. You do need to be careful not to clip into the quick, but as others have said styptic powder or cornstarch will stop the bleeding if it does get knicked.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Keep in mind that a length that may look overgrown may in fact be an appropriate length...but of course, hard to know. I find the slate tile and rocks have kept my tort's nails a length I think is good.

I keep any tort dishes like slate tiles and water bowls away from our food stuff by hand washing with a separate dish brush and cleaning the sink out with soap and hot water afterward...but I guess I'm a bit freakish on that stuff (on the off chance a parasite or whatever that is transferable to humans would get on our stuff...same reason I won't let my tort come into contact with my mouth (kiss him) and I wash my hands after normal handling...but I guess the modern dishwasher would work since it sanitizes everything). I wouldn't see why you couldn't put a slate tile in the dishwasher (they can withstand the heat & water).