Hi I just noticed my radiata has this shell rot like wound on her beak , I clean it up and now looks like this .
Will this part grow back ?
Will this part grow back ?
Beak broken
- Thread starter enchilada
- Start date
This is what the upper jaw looks like now 
Hello!
I'm not an expert in such cases. @Yvonne G or @zovick can tell better, for sure.
As bone is not damaged, keratin will slowly grow back. But leaving this chipping part like this is not good - biting foods will make crack grow. This can be painful and can be a bacteria harbor.
I think a skilled vet can file and clean damaged area and apply some reinforcement (photopolymer or similar medical glue/cement).
I'm not an expert in such cases. @Yvonne G or @zovick can tell better, for sure.
As bone is not damaged, keratin will slowly grow back. But leaving this chipping part like this is not good - biting foods will make crack grow. This can be painful and can be a bacteria harbor.
I think a skilled vet can file and clean damaged area and apply some reinforcement (photopolymer or similar medical glue/cement).
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2013
- Messages
- 5,059
I think your tortoise needs attention from a good exotics vet to clean up and trim the area to make sure whatever caused the problem is eliminated. IE, infection, poor bite causing overgrowth of beak, or some other cause.
As Alex said, it may possibly be repaired (after proper trimming and clean-up) via bonding a plastic material to the beak to keep the crack from enlarging while the beak gradually grows back to its normal shape. More than one vet visit will most likely be needed to achieve a good result.
That hook-like part needs to be taken off before it catches on something and causes a bigger problem. If you don't think YOU are able to file it off, then take the tortoise to a qualified exotic tortoise vet. The actual missing part isn't a problem. He probably doesn't feel anything.
I did more cleaning and applied some medicine . This is the final look .
I suspect it was bitten by a rat , because i kept them outdoors in the summer and I’ve killed couple rats already .
