Baby Red Foot Chipped Beak

Kcookson

New Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
England
My red foot is acting very strange, changed his soil/cleaned his enclosure the day before yesterday and he got a burst of energy trying to climb everything, since then he’s been asleep, not eaten or even come out for a drink, gave him a bath today and noticed his beak has chipped, we’ve put him back into his enclosure near his food and he’s just gone back to sleep. Just wondering if anyone has any advice or know how long his beak may take to heal. Ive posted some before and after pictures of his beak

DF32CE2D-AB64-485E-8834-65BC9109300A.png89228A87-8447-4E73-9535-3148F5461163.jpegB628F824-3864-4663-929B-9503F04DD31B.jpeg
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,386
My red foot is acting very strange, changed his soil/cleaned his enclosure the day before yesterday and he got a burst of energy trying to climb everything, since then he’s been asleep, not eaten or even come out for a drink, gave him a bath today and noticed his beak has chipped, we’ve put him back into his enclosure near his food and he’s just gone back to sleep. Just wondering if anyone has any advice or know how long his beak may take to heal. Ive posted some before and after pictures of his beak
The tortoise doesn't look overly healthy in those last two pictures. Has it been eating? How long have you had it?

The beak getting chipped like that in a baby is quite strange. Do you know how it happened? It would take at least a couple of months for that to heal completely in a tortoise which is in the best of health.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Of course, I can only guess. . . it might be that the chip, going up into a flesh area, is painful. If that's the case, it will take a few days to harden off and stop hurting. in the meantime, soak him daily in warm water and cut his food into bite sized pieces so he doesn't have to put pressure on the beak.
 

Kcookson

New Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
England
The tortoise doesn't look overly healthy in those last two pictures. Has it been eating? How long have you had it?

The beak getting chipped like that in a baby is quite strange. Do you know how it happened? It would take at least a couple of months for that to heal completely in a tortoise which is in the best of health.
I know he really isn’t acting himself at all he’s not even eating his favourite foods, he has been eating really well everyday except the last two days he’s not touched his food at all. Had him since 29/10. No idea how it happened can only guess he has caught it on a rock ??‍♀️
 
Last edited:

Kcookson

New Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
England
Of course, I can only guess. . . it might be that the chip, going up into a flesh area, is painful. If that's the case, it will take a few days to harden off and stop hurting. in the meantime, soak him daily in warm water and cut his food into bite sized pieces so he doesn't have to put pressure on the beak.
Good idea will make sure I do, my concern is also that he isn’t even taking an interest he usually sniffs his food and looks at it curiously but he has just fallen asleep at the side of it. Hopefully it is just a case that his beak is sore
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
It looks like his eyes are closed in the last 2 pictures...have his eyes looked sore lately?

What kind of UVB light are you using? Does it screw in or is it a fluorescent tube type?
 

Kcookson

New Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
England
It looks like his eyes are closed in the last 2 pictures...have his eyes looked sore lately?

What kind of UVB light are you using? Does it screw in or is it a fluorescent tube type?
Yeah he is going back to sleep all time, no they’ve been fine as far as I can tell, always looked black, shiny and alert. We have these bulbs as shown in the picture. Booked him into the earliest possible vet appointment for Wednesday but if anyone still has any advice or any knowledge in the meantime will still be helpful!
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 11

New Posts

Top