Hatchling With Underbite

Oldbattleaxe

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Hey guys, I’ve been meaning to ask if anyone has experience with a tortoise with an underbite. Our first hatchling (08-22-21) has an underbite and I’ve filed it down twice. First time with a very fine Emory board, and again today with a fine file. I imagine he’ll need it done regularly for the rest of his life. I’ve filed an upper beak before, but never a bottom one. Anyone have similar experience, advice, insight, etc?
 

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Yvonne G

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My only experience with this condition didn't occur that early in life. And it was due to not enough calcium in the diet.
 

Oldbattleaxe

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The parents have access to cuttlebone and they go through them quite quickly. The babies have had calcium sprinkled on their ‘sticky food’ twice a week and always have access to pieces of cuttlebone. I see little nibbles on the edges of the cuttlebone, so I know they at least taste it. This little fellow hatched with the underbite, but now that I think on it, the first eggs we had incubated partly underground and partly in the incubator because I found them accidentally.
I wonder if it’s related to my interruption of their incubation?
 

wellington

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Do you feed them on a flat ruff surface like a piece of rock or tile? See if that will help keep it filed. It helps on the upper beak not sure it will on the lower.
 

Oldbattleaxe

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No, I‘ve been feeding in a rubber ag tub. You‘re right of course! I’ll make the change.
 

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Oldbattleaxe

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Regular newborn beak and this guy.
 

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