Beak Length Question

[lyingcat8]

Hi all — any concerns regarding the length of our Peb’s beak?

We have never trimmed it, and feed them on stone slate, but my husband is worried it’s getting too long

 

[zovick]

Hi all — any concerns regarding the length of our Peb’s beak?

We have never trimmed it, and feed them on stone slate, but my husband is worried it’s getting too long

View attachment 378917

Not terrible, but it is a little longer than it needs to be.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

It is a little bit on the long side, some folks take a nail file to gently file it down, I don’t think it’s long enough to need a full on trim

 

[wellington]

How old is he?
I have had mine since 2011 and never trimmed and they are not at all needing any filing.
I do not feed on slate, and I do not cut up their food and they graze outside all summer.

 

[lyingcat8]

How old is he?
I have had mine since 2011 and never trimmed and they are not at all needing any filing.
I do not feed on slate, and I do not cut up their food and they graze outside all summer.

They are 7-8. They’re really a good eater typically, but we’ve had a few days of not eating recently, and we haven’t seen them open their mouth in a few days.

Now we are seeing urates… we were not soaking as often as we should. I really hope we can turn it around. Been soaking them 2x daily, re-upped the humidity in their enclosure and hide. Just not sure how to tell if there is something going on with their jaw / beak.

 

[wellington]

They are 7-8. They’re really a good eater typically, but we’ve had a few days of not eating recently, and we haven’t seen them open their mouth in a few days.

Now we are seeing urates… we were not soaking as often as we should. I really hope we can turn it around. Been soaking them 2x daily, re-upped the humidity in their enclosure and hide. Just not sure how to tell if there is something going on with their jaw / beak.

They? You have more than one and they are living as a pair? Tortoises should never live in pairs.
So there is more going on than just the question of the beak?
If you would give all details we can help much faster and better.
So now give us everything that has to do with their care? Lights, temps, heating, etc, etc. How many and what size enclosure?
Diet?
Leopards usually don't pass urates. Mine since 2011 have never passed urates.
We need ALL info

 

[lyingcat8]

They? You have more than one and they are living as a pair? Tortoises should never live in pairs.
So there is more going on than just the question of the beak?
If you would give all details we can help much faster and better.
So now give us everything that has to do with their care? Lights, temps, heating, etc, etc. How many and what size enclosure?
Diet?
Leopards usually don't pass urates. Mine since 2011 have never passed urates.
We need ALL info

No, we bought a ‘female’ and then were told it was a male, so we struggle with the pronoun still. They/them’d them. They are single, and live alone.

I just posted in the Health sub.

 

[wellington]

No, we bought a ‘female’ and then were told it was a male, so we struggle with the pronoun still. They/them’d them. They are single, and live alone.

I just posted in the Health sub.

It's confusing when people do that, cuz we think you have more than one. He or she and you won't get the lecture of pairs. They refers to more than one.

 

[lyingcat8]

It's confusing when people do that, cuz we think you have more than one. He or she and you won't get the lecture of pairs. They refers to more than one.

Noted. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Ink]

My leopard has passed urates once. How much calcium do you use?

 

[lyingcat8]

My leopard has passed urates once. How much calcium do you use?

We had a cuttlebone in there, and he hasn’t touched it. We haven’t given him any other supplement to the normal diet. That contributes to urates? He has recently had a bunch of new growth.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

We had a cuttlebone in there, and he hasn’t touched it. We haven’t given him any other supplement to the normal diet. That contributes to urates? He has recently had a bunch of new growth.

No, calcium intake is not related to urates. Urates are by-product of digesting protein and form when hydration/exercise are not sufficient and fiber/protein ratio in diet is off. If situation persists urates can get gritty and ultimately form bladder stones.

One time toothpaste-like urates, especially after consuming protein-rich foods (e.g. alfalfa, clover) are, perhaps, of no concern.

You didn't describe your tortoise diet, probably the reason for overgrown beak lies there.