# Tortoise underbite?



## APBT_Fanatic (May 20, 2010)

The person I got my two DT hatchlings from has a tortoise hatchling (not sure if its a DT or Sulcata) that has an underbite.

I am currently trying to get more information and pictures from the person, but she asked me if I knew why her tortoise had the underbite.

I read somewhere that this could be a sign of MBD. Is this true?
Once I get more info on the tortoise, I will post it!

Thanks.


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## Stephanie Logan (May 21, 2010)

I have seen this problem before on TFO, and there are people here (Stells? Yvonne? Maggie? GB?) who can advise you.

A trip to the vet may be the first step.


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## bikerchicspain (May 22, 2010)

I have a tort with an underbite, Its eating fine and living like a normal tort.It could be Mbd or it could just be nature, a generic thing,As long as the tort is eating okay and breathing well i shouldnt worry unduly. jmho.
Goodluck


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## Calaquendi (May 22, 2010)

My tortoise have underbite too:






I was told to not do anything about it unless he have problems, like eating and stuff.


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## Jacqui (May 22, 2010)

I too have one with an underbite, a young sulcata. With mine I do have to worry about what he eats or atleast carefully check out his mouth often. Because his beak doesn't meet, he can't tear off/bite his food into pieces. Sometimes that means he will try to swallow a big piece whole. Then part of it is swallowed, while the other end is still hanging out of his mouth. As he is aging, that is happening less and less it seems.

With Tilman, Yvonne (who had him come into her rescue and then nursed him back to health) believed it was from MBD because of what appeared to have been poor care he had gotten from his previous caretakers.


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## APBT_Fanatic (May 22, 2010)

Thank you for the info!!


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## flyinghome (May 24, 2010)

you may ask the help of a orthodontist.
^_^


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## GBtortoises (May 24, 2010)

I have a male Dalmatian Hermann's that came to me with a severe underbite, along with very accelerated growth. He was about a year and half old and 4" SCL when I got him. Much larger than he should have been at that age. Kept exclusively indoors on a completely dry substrate (pellets) at temperatures that were consistently too warm. Fed only romaine and occasionally some fruit. All the ingriedients required to make one messed up tortoise! Fortunately, he's young and some of it can be corrected. 

I immediately had to trim his lower "beak" because it was extremely overgrown and protruded out and up past the upper jaw. I have had to trim it once again in the past two years of having him. I have a feeling that I will always have to occasionally trim his lower jaw because there is no resistance from rubbing on the upper jaw as would normally happen. Because the upper jaw does all the biting and the lower jaw only holds food, it (the lower jaw) doesn't get much abrasive action to keep it worn down.

Despite having an overgrown lower jaw it has not slowed this tortoise down a bit! He is an excellent eater and simply seems to hold and tear his food moreso than just taking bites like most tortoises would. He has had no problems with the ladies either, he's one of the more aggressive males that I have!


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