Beak Trimming

[Jellybean33]

Hi there, I have had my Russian tortoise for 10 years and his beak is quite overgrown but only at the front. He has a cuttlebone but refuses to touch it (I've tried everything from soaking it in cucumber to leaving food on it but he just ignores it), and I have switched to feeding him on a slate but his beak is so long at this point it needs to be trimmed. I took him to a vet who has experience with reptiles and he agreed that trimming was necessary, however Sheldon refused to come out of his shell during the visit. He is extremely strong and because of this the vet suggested the only way to safely trim his beak would be to put him under anaesthetic. I am just concerned about whether this is safe or necessary? It seems a bit much for a beak trim but the vet said if Sheldon were awake during it he would likely squirm and potentially hurt himself. I wouldn't feel confident trimming it myself, was just wondering if anyone else has had their tort's beak trimmed under anaesthetic?

 

[leigti]

Do you have a picture? It would give us an idea of how overgrown it is and maybe some options. don't feel bad, my Russian tortoise has never touch the cuttlebone either, I just scrape it onto the food now and don't even bother leaving it in the enclosure. I might put a new one in one of these days. You may be able to trim it with nail clippers your self. It may take two people though, one to hold him and one to trim. I would hesitate to let the vet use anesthesia, things can happen under anesthesia. It is always a risk. my vet is always hesitant to trim beaks also. for my box turtle I use a wooden nail file, when she puts her head out I try to hold it and file for just a few seconds . I do it three or four times and then I put her back in her enclosure and leave her alone.

 

[Yvonne G]

You can usually work around it. Try to sneak your hand up behind the tortoise over the top of the shell where he can't see you coming at him and grab him behind his jaws. If that doesn't work, sometimes laying him on his back will cause the head to come out enough for you to do a little clipping. Or hold him with his head point down towards the floor. Try pushing your fingers into his back legs and tail area. This sometimes gets the head out enough for you to do the clipping.

 

[smarch]

I personally wouldn't let the vet put my tortoise under, I'd sooner drive him somewhere to a more experienced member on here to do it if I couldn't get myself to do it.
Catching their head is difficult, but the tips given above should help. Also holding their heads out is kind of scary, because they are quite strong and you do have to use quite a lot of strength to keep it out.

For now I suggest taking him every day or every other day and just catching him and filing once or twice for as long as you can keep his head wrangled, and start the slow process of wearing it down to where it should be.

 

[Jellybean33]

Thank you all so much for your advice! I actually spoke to another vet who is going to try and do it without anaesthesia, otherwise I'll just have to attempt it myself. He is pretty comfortable with me touching him so I think I would be able to get a hold of his head and try to file it over time. Thanks again!

 

[tglazie]

Indeed, the tips on here are great. Try catching his head from behind and clipping a little bit, like Yvonne said. This doesn't have to be done all at once, and it is probably best not to hold him for any prolonged period of time. I remember when I first had to do this with a box turtle back in the late nineties. Boxies close up good and tight, so it took me twelve tries over nine days before I was finally able to get her trimmed down. Give it less than an hour with each attempt, clip, and try to get the rest in the next day or so. Repeat this until it is trimmed down. If his beak is very overgrown, like to the point that he can't eat, this slow trim is absolutely essential, so that you don't cause the beak to become too sensitive and raw. You want him to continue eating as you do this. I remember having to do this to an adopted sulcata once. She was around thirty pounds, so she was big enough to be an absolute pain when doing this. Ultimately, I had to have someone hold her body while I grabbed her head and clipped away. She was so angry after this and was wary of me for the rest of the afternoon, and I was so afraid that I would hurt her given how much force I needed to exert to get that big sulcata head out of her shell. If you think pulling on a Russian's noggin is trouble, try it with a sulcata. Just as bad, pulling a full grown sulcata forearm to administer antibiotics. That's a good way to break a few fingers right there.

T.G.