Baby Sulcata tortoises JAW FELL OFF PLEASE HELP

[Kyle Gedrose]

Hello my name is Kyle and about a month ago I got a baby sulcata tortoise. I have all of the right heating and light I know for a fact and I soak her every day in a baby carrot food bath for about 15 to 30 minutes. I’ve been going on this forum continually for constant information. I feet her tortoise pellets blended with grass and calcium and occasionally kale because she loves it. However recently she had stopped eating and I could not figure out why. After that she started not bieng able to close her mouth and I was starting to get very worried because she literally is unable to eat because of it. Soon her bottom jaw became extremely large and swollen and I could not figure out why but today I noticed that her bottom jaw was hanging off by a thread and she is bleeding out of her mouth. Almost her entire jaw has come off and I am so worried and do not know what to do. The large piece that came off looked hollow and there was some puss build up inside of it. I am worried that there is nothing I can do from here. PLEASE HELP.

 

[JoesMum]

Something is seriously wrong here. A jaw doesn’t just “fall off” It sounds like an injury rather than illness.

Without photos of tortoise, enclosure and lighting we can’t diagnose anything.

Even with photos, the recommendation is unlikely to change. Get this tortoise to a vet - fast. Herp qualifications may be irrelevant I am afraid as I think the prognosis is probably poor.

 

[Kyle Gedrose]

It wasn’t the entire jaw it seems like the whole front wall of it or something. I don’t think it’s an injury there’s now way she could have gotten herself hurt. I feel like she is in pain . It fell off as it were a piece of dead skin

 

[JoesMum]

It sounds like the beak has detached. Photos are necessary for us to diagnose.

And I am afraid your setup and care may not be as good as you had hoped.

These are the care sheets you must go by. They're written by species experts working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the internet and from pet stores and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too.

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

How to raise a healthy Sulcata
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

For those that have a young Sulcata
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

We will also need the four important temperatures: warm side, cool side, directly under the basking lamp and overnight minimum

 

[Yvonne G]

We need to see pictures of what you're talking about.

 

[Hutsie B]

I would get her to a vet. Let the experts look at your set up, but get her to a reptile vet.

 

[Yvonne G]

It may be nothing to worry about. Sometimes when people allow the beak to get too long - overgrown - the excess sometimes breaks off, just like breaking off a fingernail that's too long. But we really need to see what you're talking about.

 

[Kyle Gedrose]

Ok I’ll try to post a picture in the next hour. I gotta look up how to do it. I’m on mobile

 

[TechnoCheese]

the little camera icon

 

[TechnoCheese]

Do you have the app?

 

[Kyle Gedrose]

Also I forgot to add that she has been shedding really badly ever since I’ve gotten her and it almost looks like she has a fresh under beak where the old one came off. Before I came off it was unnaturaly sticking out super far and she was unable to eat. I couldn’t find much information about shedding besides that it helps to soak them. To tortoises shed the plate on their lower jaw like a snake sheds its eye cap?

 

[TechnoCheese]

Also I forgot to add that she has been shedding really badly ever since I’ve gotten her and it almost looks like she has a fresh under beak where the old one came off. Before I came off it was unnaturaly sticking out super far and she was unable to eat. I couldn’t find much information about shedding besides that it helps to soak them. To tortoises shed the plate on their lower jaw like a snake sheds its eye cap?

No. the beak probably fell off due to it being way too long. We really need pictures, temps, and humidity.

 

[Kyle Gedrose]

 

[TechnoCheese]

Ouch, that doesn't look great. I think I've seen something like this in another post, so let me see if I can pull it up. The shedding, unless your enclosure is super dry, is probably normal. Torts don't shed all in one piece, so they get kinda scruffy sometimes.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Ahhhhh!!!! (Broken beak)

https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Ahhhhh!!!!--(Broken-beak).149191/
Hopefully @Yvonne G can help.

 

[Kyle Gedrose]

I’m taking him to a vet. Last one open for Veterans Day.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Good luck to you Kyle and your tort. That beak looks awfully raw and sore.

 

[Kyle Gedrose]

I’m hoping it will grow back if I do everything I can to not let it get infected

 

[Kyle Gedrose]

Does anyone have any advice for keeping him warm during the visit. It’s getting cold here in Reno.

 

[Bambam1989]

Do you have one of those water bladders. Like this?

If not, use empty bottles. Fill them with warm water and put them in a box/ plastic tub, cover with a towel. Place your tort on the towel and then wrap the whole thing with another towel or a blanket.