Beak Broken Off - Advice Please!

[Tommy03]

Hello,

I've just checked on my adult Russian to see him sitting with his cuttlefish, powder all around his face & a piece of his broken beak next to him. I was looking into trimming his beak but was a little apprehensive about doing it myself, as well as taking him to the vet because of the pandemic. Straightaway he went to eat & is seemingly having no problems (if anything he ate more than usual) so I don't think he is in pain but I'm still a little concerned, especially since I'm not sure if it's now too short & one side of his beak is longer than the other.

Should I try trimming the other side with a nail clipper & file, or does he need to be taken to the vet? Is there anything else I can do to make it more comfortable for him?

I'd really appreciate any advice!

 

[zolasmum]

Hello,

I've just checked on my adult Russian to see him sitting with his cuttlefish, powder all around his face & a piece of his broken beak next to him. I was looking into trimming his beak but was a little apprehensive about doing it myself, as well as taking him to the vet because of the pandemic. Straightaway he went to eat & is seemingly having no problems (if anything he ate more than usual) so I don't think he is in pain but I'm still a little concerned, especially since I'm not sure if it's now too short & one side of his beak is longer than the other.

Should I try trimming the other side with a nail clipper & file, or does he need to be taken to the vet? Is there anything else I can do to make it more comfortable for him?

I'd really appreciate any advice!

Hello from Devon.I would take him to a vet, myself, as it is very uneven, with some sharp-looking bits, and it would be really difficult for you to get it even - also some of the edge looks as though it might break off more. Do you have a local vet you trust.?
We take our adult Hermann to the vet twice a year, to have his beak trimmed, and he charges £35 to do it - over time his beak has become a better shape, and maybe I could do it myself now, but I would prefer not to try. I believe a lot of Pets At Home branches have a vet now, if you don't have someone you already go to - I don't know how much experience they have with tortoises.
Anyway, Tommy doesn't seem to be in pain,you say, so I would just suggest you give him soft food for now, and no more cuttlefish until his beak is sorted out.
Good luck
Angie

 

[method89]

He looks a bit rough but if there is no blood then there is no foul. I would trim the other side by yourself if you are comfortable doing it. over time it will grow back normal.

 

[Yvonne G]

You can just grind it down a bit with a Dremmel tool.

 

[Tommy03]

Thanks so much for all your replies.

He has been to the vet to get his beak trimmed before but still looking to find someone trusted though. There was definitely no blood & he wasn't acting any different.

I just trimmed & filed it a little with nail clippers & a file as I don't have a dremel. He was obviously quite scared though so left him for now & might file it a little more tomorrow

 

[zolasmum]

Thanks so much for all your replies.

He has been to the vet to get his beak trimmed before but still looking to find someone trusted though. There was definitely no blood & he wasn't acting any different.

I just trimmed & filed it a little with nail clippers & a file as I don't have a dremel. He was obviously quite scared though so left him for now & might file it a little more tomorrow

You have certainly made a big improvement in his looks- congratulations !
Angie

 

[Tommy03]

You have certainly made a big improvement in his looks- congratulations !
Angie

Thank you

 

[ColumbiaJane]

I have a little Russian. She was chewed on by a dog once for just a bit. She acted scared for about 5 minutes after she was rescued. They are tough, and pretty fearless.

 

[Lilliana21]

You can just grind it down a bit with a Dremmel tool.

Thats what I was thinking also! Fast an done

 

[Lilliana21]

What Yvonne said

 

[Moonfleur54]

Thanks so much for all your replies.

He has been to the vet to get his beak trimmed before but still looking to find someone trusted though. There was definitely no blood & he wasn't acting any different.

I just trimmed & filed it a little with nail clippers & a file as I don't have a dremel. He was obviously quite scared though so left him for now & might file it a little more tomorrow

Great job! He looks GORGEOUS!

 

[lbailey4487]

I am having a similar problem with my Russian, Ziggy. I filed his beak with an emory board a little while back and when giving him a soak today, noticed it looked a little long again. But when I started filing it gently this time, a small piece came off entirely. Looking at his beak from the front, something just seems different to me. He seems fine, seemed more mad than scared. Went straight to his lunch when I put him back in his house, eating fine. He has a terra cotta saucer that I feed him on and cuttlebone. I’ve never seen his beak really touch the saucer much when eating and he never uses the cuttlebone that I’ve noticed. I did initially break his food up but stopped after his first beak trim after doing more reading here. He has become a pretty good eater, with a main diet of raddichio, mixed greens, cucumber, prickly pear leaves, bok Choi, and small bits of Mazuri and Arcana blends and dried leaves and flowers from the yard sprinkled on top (he still doesn’t love these). Thoughts?