Fig the Rescue! Bad underbite

[Figthewesternrescue]

Hey guys! This is Fig my 5 years old rescue western hermanns girly.

I knew upon rehoming her she does have a severe underbite. It does not impact her eating too much. I watch her whilst she is eating her weeds and aid her if she appears to struggle.

Does anyone have and experience with a similar tortoise. Were you able to correct it? And if so how long?

Yes I have arranged a visit to a specialist exotic vet who will be doing a full health check and clipping. Just seeking advice and hopefully similar experiences from other owners thank you x

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Omg she’s so precious

Aw Fig, you’ve not had the best start poor girly, usually an underbite like that indicates she’s not had the best diet. She’s probably not had the best uvb source either.

I don’t have personal experience with a tortoise underbite like Figs, so I’m hoping others are going to chime inI imagine she’ll benefit from a slight dremel to her bottom jaw, only the tiniest bit being taken down, it’s something that would need to be done in very small steps to not throw her alignment out, it’ll probably take a while, but with overall better housing and diet, you should see the appearance improve(though sometimes not 100% perfect), it’s a gradual process and I’m hesitant to give an exact timeframe

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thank you so much for taking her in, rescue is a wonderful thing

 

[Figthewesternrescue]

Omg she’s so precious

Aw Fig, you’ve not had the best start poor girly, usually an underbite like that indicates she’s not had the best diet. She’s probably not had the best uvb source either.

I don’t have personal experience with a tortoise underbite like Figs, so I’m hoping others are going to chime inI imagine she’ll benefit from a slight dremel to her bottom jaw, only the tiniest bit being taken down, it’s something that would need to be done in very small steps to not throw her alignment out, it’ll probably take a while, but with overall better housing and diet, you should see the appearance improve(though sometimes not 100% perfect), it’s a gradual process and I’m hesitant to give an exact timeframe

Hey again!

Yes I have read that it is potentially from lack of calcium in diet that has caused this. I know she has only ever had a combi lamp and fed mostly lettuce.

I agree with the beak, if it was upper I’d give it a go myself but the lower jaw is so fragile I want to make sure a professional see’s her first and then I can maintain trims.

She is my first tortoise but seems in good spirits she loves climbing on rocks constantly.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hey again!

Yes I have read that it is potentially from lack of calcium in diet that has caused this. I know she has only ever had a combi lamp and fed mostly lettuce.

I agree with the beak, if it was upper I’d give it a go myself but the lower jaw is so fragile I want to make sure a professional see’s her first and then I can maintain trims.

She is my first tortoise but seems in good spirits she loves climbing on rocks constantly.

Bless her, I’m sure she’s going to get all the tlc she needs with you, I’m so glad she has a better homeit’s great she’s being active already

 

[Figthewesternrescue]

Bless her, I’m sure she’s going to get all the tlc she needs with you, I’m so glad she has a better homeit’s great she’s being active already

Actually I have had to get her out of her hide for a morning bath around 11am because she hasn’t got herself up the last two days. Yesterday she was active then took herself back to her hide at like 3pm for the rest of the night.

This morning I gave her a bath and then placed her under her basking lamp ( 32c) and she went straight back into her hide. Her hide is down to cool side of her enclosure measuring at 24c.

This doesnt seem good to me she is in the cooler darker end. Is it normal after a stressful car ride and new home or should I be forcing her to sit under her heat lamp for a few hours?

@Tom I’d value your opinion too if you don’t mind?

Thank you all so much already for your help!

 

[Tom]

@Tom I’d value your opinion too if you don’t mind?

Hi! I would not force a tortoise to sit under a basking lamp. It is very likely that the stress of transport is contributing factor in the excessive hiding away, but I see other factors too.

It needs to be closer to 36-37 directly under the basking lamp at tortoise shell height. Check this by placing a digital thermometer at tortoise shell height directly under the lamp and letting it cook for an hour or more. If it's only getting to 32C, then lower the bulb a bit or get a higher wattage flood bulb. Or add a CHE to raise the ambient, which will also raise the basking temp.

You mentioned "the cooler darker end". 24C on the other end away from the basking area is great, but it shouldn't be darker over there. The whole enclose needs to be bright and "sunny" during the day. Add more LED lighting over there if needed. There should be hides available for shade, but the enclosure should be very bright all day long. This is especially important at your northern latitude and with your colder temperatures if you are not brumating them.

 

[Bro bott]

Hey guys! This is Fig my 5 years old rescue western hermanns girly.

I knew upon rehoming her she does have a severe underbite. It does not impact her eating too much. I watch her whilst she is eating her weeds and aid her if she appears to struggle.

Does anyone have and experience with a similar tortoise. Were you able to correct it? And if so how long?

Yes I have arranged a visit to a specialist exotic vet who will be doing a full health check and clipping. Just seeking advice and hopefully similar experiences from other owners thank you x

fig is sooooooooo cuuute!!!!!

 

[Figthewesternrescue]

Hi! I would not force a tortoise to sit under a basking lamp. It is very likely that the stress of transport is contributing factor in the excessive hiding away, but I see other factors too.

It needs to be closer to 36-37 directly under the basking lamp at tortoise shell height. Check this by placing a digital thermometer at tortoise shell height directly under the lamp and letting it cook for an hour or more. If it's only getting to 32C, then lower the bulb a bit or get a higher wattage flood bulb. Or add a CHE to raise the ambient, which will also raise the basking temp.

You mentioned "the cooler darker end". 24C on the other end away from the basking area is great, but it shouldn't be darker over there. The whole enclose needs to be bright and "sunny" during the day. Add more LED lighting over there if needed. There should be hides available for shade, but the enclosure should be very bright all day long. This is especially important at your northern latitude and with your colder temperatures if you are not brumating them.

Thank you so much for replying , when she sits under the lamp I notice the thermometers actually spike up to 36-38 as I assume she covers the sensor. I was worried that was too hot but I’m relieved it’s not.

Okay! Good to know my tortoise table has a covered area but I did actually open the lid and it is right next to my bright window as I did think it couldn’t be good to be sat in the dark. Thank you for this advice. Do you think it being directly under the south facing window is enough? Or shall I get a led as well?

I think you are amazing for all this help thank you!

 

[Tom]

Thank you so much for replying , when she sits under the lamp I notice the thermometers actually spike up to 36-38 as I assume she covers the sensor. I was worried that was too hot but I’m relieved it’s not.

Okay! Good to know my tortoise table has a covered area but I did actually open the lid and it is right next to my bright window as I did think it couldn’t be good to be sat in the dark. Thank you for this advice. Do you think it being directly under the south facing window is enough? Or shall I get a led as well?

I think you are amazing for all this help thank you!

Definitely add LEDs. Sometimes it's cloudy in the UK.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Actually I have had to get her out of her hide for a morning bath around 11am because she hasn’t got herself up the last two days. Yesterday she was active then took herself back to her hide at like 3pm for the rest of the night.

This morning I gave her a bath and then placed her under her basking lamp ( 32c) and she went straight back into her hide. Her hide is down to cool side of her enclosure measuring at 24c.

This doesnt seem good to me she is in the cooler darker end. Is it normal after a stressful car ride and new home or should I be forcing her to sit under her heat lamp for a few hours?

@Tom I’d value your opinion too if you don’t mind?

Thank you all so much already for your help!

She’s still in her settling in period, it’ll take time for her to adjust and establish a proper daily routine, the stress from moving into a new environment can definitely effect their activity for a few weeks, she might not have the biggest appetite either, but some settle sooner than others, they all have different personalitiesI wouldn’t worrycompletely agree with everything Toms mentioned about the temps and ambient lighting, I know those wooden houses tend to have a hide section, but I always tend to advise people remove it so that space can be heated and lit the same as the rest of the space.
Ambient lighting can definitely help activity levels, it keeps the entire space looking bright and sunny, the basking bulb is mounted further one end for a temperature gradient, next to the uvb(which is only on for 4 hours anyway) so naturally only one end is more lit without some led lighting, adding it can help with their circadian rhythm

 

[Figthewesternrescue]

She’s still in her settling in period, it’ll take time for her to adjust and establish a proper daily routine, the stress from moving into a new environment can definitely effect their activity for a few weeks, she might not have the biggest appetite either, but some settle sooner than others, they all have different personalitiesI wouldn’t worrycompletely agree with everything Toms mentioned about the temps and ambient lighting, I know those wooden houses tend to have a hide section, but I always tend to advise people remove it so that space can be heated and lit the same as the rest of the space.
Ambient lighting can definitely help activity levels, it keeps the entire space looking bright and sunny, the basking bulb is mounted further one end for a temperature gradient, next to the uvb(which is only on for 4 hours anyway) so naturally only one end is more lit without some led lighting, adding it can help with their circadian rhythm

Hey! Thank you, you say the basking bulb or uvb only needs to be on for 4 hours? I’ve had them on for 12 hours despite fig not really being interested to take herself over to them x

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hey! Thank you, you say the basking bulb or uvb only needs to be on for 4 hours? I’ve had them on for 12 hours despite fig not really being interested to take herself over to them x

The basking bulb is on for the full 12hours, ambient lighting is on the same 12 hour timer.

Just the uvb is on its own separate 4hour timer from around noon, with the uv timing, every other source of information will tell you 12hours of uv. This is essentially an old fashioned rule that has stuck with a lot of keepers, it stems from the presumption that once the basking light or ambient lighting is on, ie the ‘sun’, that uv must coexist the same amount of hours. Fact is, uv rays only peak for a few hours a day, anyone with a uv meter will confirm this. No tortoise is blasted with 12 hours of uv in the wild, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity. Whilst not necessarily dangerous, it’s potentially annoying to the tortoise to have 12hours on uv in the enclosure.
The right uv bulb(which you have) are much more expensive to replace once their uv strength diminishes, so it’s definitely best having it on a 4 hour timer that provides them with all the uv they need, saving your bulb life