# Dislocated Jaw-Hatchling



## Hollye P. (Feb 26, 2015)

Last October 2014, my 3 sons and I attended a reptile show and brought home a Sulcata hatchling that was approx. 8 weeks old. It was around the first of January I began to notice that the lower jaw was stuck open on our little cutie.
We have named him/her Sheldon/Shelly until we determine its sex in the years to come. Last week I took it to a local vet who specialized in reptiles. He said as for diet, lighting, husbandry areas we are doing everything by the book. He noted the displaced lower jaw and did a thorough exam. He then took Sheldon back for some xrays. Sheldon had a weight of 72 grams which the Dr. said was right on target. He asked if we had dropped little Sheldon or if it had fallen since we had adopted him. We have never dropped him or even had him accidentally turn himself over in the time we have owned it. He said he had never seen this before but has read where they try to pull food or grasses from their mouths with their front feet and get hung up and continue to pull and essentially, pull themselves loose. I am devastated. I have been taking his grasses, calcium and baby food and grinding it up into a pulp for weeks now and slowly dripping and gooping it into Sheldons' stuck open mouth while he soaks in his warm tub. He swallows the gruel and then slowly has had less and less movement in his environment. He sleeps most of the day and only squeeks occasionally now instead of every day like he used to. He still has BM's, but only every 3-4 days now instead of every day. This little tortoise is a member of the family and my 3 boys are heartbroken thinking he will die.
The vet is going to do a cat scan of his head and compare it to another Sulcata that is only a few months older to see if the ligaments that attach his jaw to his skull are merely stretched, or torn. If stretched, he will place it back and place a feeding tube for me to feed him while he recovers and hope that he will resume full range of motion in a couple months. Has anyone ever heard of this??? He said this was a very exciting case for him and he is going to be sharing this case with another reptile specialist buddy of his because hes only seen this in one book and it was with a lizard. I'm scared. You never want to hear that from a vet. Sounds expensive and rare. Two things that don't look good for little Sheldon. Any information would be helpful. Thanks. Texas Tortoise Family.


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## leigti (Feb 26, 2015)

It is a good thing that the vet is taking particular interest in this. And I'm sure if you talk to him he will work with you about the cost. And inexperienced vet or one that just didn't want to deal with it would probably suggest putting him down. So it sounds like you have a good vet. Is there a veterinary school nearby? A second opinion from there might be an option also. please keep us updated on your little tortoise. Wishing for the best.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 26, 2015)

Hi Hollye, and welcome to the forum!

This is sort of a good news/bad news situation. You're very lucky to have a reptile vet familiar with tortoises that you can go to, however, I'm afraid this is going to be a pretty costly thing for you and your family.

I don't have any experience with a dislocated jaw, and I surely hope the vet can fix it for you. It's not good that the baby is slowing down. It sort of sounds like he's losing his will to live. Do you soak him daily?


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## wellington (Feb 26, 2015)

Hello,and Welcome. Good luck with your tort. If all goes well, I would not continue housing him if it is actually by the "book". The "books" that are out there and that your vet may be talking about is not the way a sulcata should be raised. Below in my post are Toms threads with the proper way a sulcata should be housed. If that is not what you are doing, I would change it up. I don't know if it would help your tort with his jaw, but it would help him in other ways. Good luck


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