cracked beak

[Sydney Dethloff]

Hello!

So we have had our Ajith, our male star tort for a few days now and he has been eating great, moving around great, but this morning I noticed back on his right side of his upper beak a chip and a crack going upward from the chip. What do I do?!

 

[G-stars]

Pics will be very helpful

 

[Sydney Dethloff]

Sorry right, okay here they are! Also, he bobs his head a lot...?

 

[G-stars]

Looks like an old scar to me. Unless you know it's new?? Is he eating? If so I wouldn't worry.

 

[Sydney Dethloff]

Yea he has eaten everything I have given him but I did notice it has taken him longer today to eat his stable food, he ate the dark greens and treats first. I do not know if it is knew the first day or two I had him he refused to come out to say hello so I let him have his space, now he is adjusting to me and I saw it.

 

[Sydney Dethloff]

The previous owner says he never noticed it but agrees it looks like an old scar and will ask the owner before him. He had the tort for 7 years, would a beak not have healed by then? Will he have this for ever?

 

[G-stars]

I'm guessing it will stay like that

 

[Sydney Dethloff]

Can it be harmful? And why does he bob his head?

 

[crimson_lotus]

My guess is he's probably just breathing. Their legs also move when they breathe, because they don't have a diaphragm.

 

[Sydney Dethloff]

Phew, I thought (like chameleons) he was bobbing for a female. So far he has been awesome though, thank you everyone for always being so timely on responses and all the help!

 

[G-stars]

Agreed probably just breathing.

 

[Sydney Dethloff]

Also, when you say old scar, it is a legitimate crack in his beak. I am just a tad concerned because he did not eat all of his food yesterday. We are going on day 4 of having him, I have a 7 day guarantee. I would hate to send him back, can I put neosporin on it?

 

[G-stars]

To be honest I think that's going to stay the way it is. Because it looks old and healed. I wouldn't put anything on it. As far as the eating part goes, some days they just eat less than others. I weight all of mine once a week after a soaking to see if they are gaining, losing or maintaining. You can catch things early if they start losing weight.

 

[Sydney Dethloff]

Okay, also I am worried it might not be old only because he was shipped in a 6x6x4 box with only hay as an insulator.. He is 5.5 inches and he probably felt every bump along the way. I am just being an over protective mother hen!

 

[G-stars]

If he's eating that's a very good sign to me. One of mine didn't eat for almost a week took him a while to get adjusted. Even now I rarely see him eating but he must be since he's gaining weight.

 

[AmRoKo]

Maybe it's just me but that beak looks very overgrown and that doesn't look like a scar it looks like a tear in his beak from it being overgrown.

 

[G-stars]

I wouldn't say it's really overgrown. A little bit maybe but not much to my eye.

 

[Sydney Dethloff]

Hm, well I have only had him 3 days, today would be day 4. And it does look like a crack. So what do you suggest?

 

[ascott]

beak looks very overgrown and that doesn't look like a scar it looks like a tear in his beak from it being overgrown.

I agree....although I have seen worse....it is not terrible, but needs some tending to...I only say this because since it has already been damaged it is likely sensitive and with each bite and each bit of pressure put on it I bet it is creating some pain and can actually further tear the beak....

http://tortaddiction.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-to-trim-tortoises-beak-with-pictures.html

Here is a tutorial that was done nicely....also, if you are not 100% confident in your skills an experience exotic pet doctor should be able to do it for you....but remember, please do not take the tort to any ole doctor and let them have at his beak....an untrained/unskilled vet can create a really bad situation and a vet trip is a bit stressful on the tort....so just keep him packed in a snug dark place for the trip if need be...also, please do not let the vet go into all of the shots and vitamins and such he can inject to your tort....hold strong and insist only on the reason you came there....

Once you have tamed the beak back down some...more to something like this;

http://www.mountainsoftravelphotos....Darwin Research Station Tortoise Close Up.jpg

Then when you offer food, don't cut it up too much, let the tort rip and tear at it....let the tort graze whenever you can do that and feed offerings on like a piece of slate or concrete paver...this will help in offering the tort the ability to naturally trim their beak...

Cute tort by the way

 

[Sydney Dethloff]

This just makes me so upset as the gentleman who sold him claims he noticed nothing wrong with him when I purchased him. He should of noticed the beak in this shape. I just now noticed as it took him the first 2 days to warm up to me and come out of his shell. Poor guy.