Cracked Lower Beak

[Cryptoturtle]

Just discovered this morning my 1 year old redfoot cracked his lower beak pretty bad so the tip of it is mostly chipped off. I’m not sure how. I see videos on beak trimming but that seems like it’s typically about the upper beak. If I trim the lower beak will it grow back or not? He can’t close his mouth currently unless maybe I push it back in, saw someone else recommend medical epoxy. Anyone had success with that? I’m thinking the best solution would be to trim the lower beak just enough so he can close his mouth again. Thanks for the help!

 

[zolasmum]

Hello from the UK and welcome. It does look quite a major bit of damage - is there any chance of taking him to a vet, who will probably have the tool they trim rabbits teeth with, to file it down ?

 

[Cryptoturtle]

Just wanted to provide an update in case anyone else ran into the same thing.

I was looking to bring him to a vet, but before I had a chance to, he bit off that bottom part of his beak on his own. It bled a fair amount at first, I just made sure to keep it clean, then it healed up. Fed him soft food for a few weeks, but then he was healed and back to normal and can eat like normal.

I think it was a calcium deficiency that made his beak weak, so I'm making sure to give him extra calcium now and I swapped his feeding dish from plastic to a rock one, so it can slowly file down his beak while he eats so his beak doesn't grow too long in the future.

 

[Thomas tortoise]

great job!? and thanks for the update. hopefully that wont happen again...

 

[zolasmum]

Just wanted to provide an update in case anyone else ran into the same thing.

I was looking to bring him to a vet, but before I had a chance to, he bit off that bottom part of his beak on his own. It bled a fair amount at first, I just made sure to keep it clean, then it healed up. Fed him soft food for a few weeks, but then he was healed and back to normal and can eat like normal.

I think it was a calcium deficiency that made his beak weak, so I'm making sure to give him extra calcium now and I swapped his feeding dish from plastic to a rock one, so it can slowly file down his beak while he eats so his beak doesn't grow too long in the future.

So glad to know he is sorted out now -it must have been worrying when he bit the rest of his beak off - you did all the right things, and it won't happen again because you will be aware of what went wrong. Congratulations, and I hope he will be well and strong in future.
Angie