Healthy shell??

[Bro bott]

Just wondering if my Russian tortoises shell is healthy because I feel like his marginal scuts are curling up a little bit in the back

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

His shell looks fine to me personally, I’m sure others will weigh in, there’s the odd bit of keratin chipped off, but that can be quite typical for a wild caught Russian

I do think I peak an overgrown top beak though?

 

[Bro bott]

His shell looks fine to me personally, I’m sure others will weigh in, there’s the odd bit of keratin chipped off, but that can be quite typical for a wild caught Russian

I do think I peak an overgrown top beak though?
View attachment 395997

thank you @Littleredfootbigredheart. His outdoor enclosure is made of cinder block and he has a lot of stuff to climb on. he usually climbs on a downed log and so i think that is why the keritan is rubbing off. I have noticed his beak is a little overgrown. I've been putting his food on hard rocks and stuff to help sand down his beak. one side is a bit shorter than the other and i think its because he chewed on something hard. we have a dremel we could shave it down with but i dont feel confortible doing it my self.

 

[zovick]

thank you @Littleredfootbigredheart. His outdoor enclosure is made of cinder block and he has a lot of stuff to climb on. he usually climbs on a downed log and so i think that is why the keritan is rubbing off. I have noticed his beak is a little overgrown. I've been putting his food on hard rocks and stuff to help sand down his beak. one side is a bit shorter than the other and i think its because he chewed on something hard. we have a dremel we could shave it down with but i dont feel confortible doing it my self.

The upper beak is pretty long. Can you get your parents to let you take it to a good vet for a beak trim?

 

[Bro bott]

The upper beak is pretty long. Can you get your parents to let you take it to a good vet for a beak trim?

The upper beak is pretty long. Can you get your parents to let you take it to a good vet for a beak trim?

Yes. How badly would you say he needs it? He’s never been to the vet. I’m totally willing to do it. It doesn’t seem to interfere with his eating. But I want him to have the best life possible. And also do I need to go to a reptile specific vet? One that works on tortoise? Or just an exotic vet?

 

[zovick]

Yes. How badly would you say he needs it? He’s never been to the vet. I’m totally willing to do it. It doesn’t seem to interfere with his eating. But I want him to have the best life possible. And also do I need to go to a reptile specific vet? One that works on tortoise? Or just an exotic vet?

The beak is pretty overgrown from what I can see. It probably needs 1/4" or so trimmed off to be "normal". I would look for an exotics vet that has experience with trimming bird beaks and/or tortoise beaks.

 

[Bro bott]

The beak is pretty overgrown from what I can see. It probably needs 1/4" or so trimmed off to be "normal". I would look for an exotics vet that has experience with trimming bird beaks and/or tortoise beaks.

Thanks for the help. I found an exotic vet called “oasis veterinary hospital” they work with birds and reptiles so I think we’ll go there.

 

[zovick]

I seem to recall that I advised you how to look for an exotics vet another time not too long ago. To save you some time, here is the page I found just now showing 4 exotics vets within 25 miles of Chester, VA:

https://members.arav.org/search/newsearch.asp

Oasis is on the list on the page noted above, so it is probably fine to go there.

 

[zovick]

Thanks for the help. I found an exotic vet called “oasis veterinary hospital” they work with birds and reptiles so I think we’ll go there.

I just noticed that the link in my prior email doesn't show the page I meant to show you. Here is the page with the list of vets. Lucy Haile is the one listed at Oasis Veterinary Hospital. Drs. Dean and Elswick both work at Wellesley Animal Hospital in Richmond:

• View Profile
  Cecelia Dean
  Richmond
  Virginia
  23233-7528
  United States
  
  
• View Profile
  Ernesto Dominguez
  Mechanicsville
  Virginia
  23116-3813
  United States
  
  
• View Profile
  Lindsey Elswick
  Richmond
  Virginia
  23233-7528
  United States
  
  
• View Profile
  Lucy A. Haile
  Midlothian
  Virginia
  23114-4365
  United States

 

[Bro bott]

I just noticed that the link in my prior email doesn't show the page I meant to show you. Here is the page with the list of vets. Lucy Haile is the one listed at Oasis Veterinary Hospital. Drs. Dean and Elswick both work at Wellesley Animal Hospital in Richmond:

• View Profile
  Cecelia Dean
  Richmond
  Virginia
  23233-7528
  United States
  
  
• View Profile
  Ernesto Dominguez
  Mechanicsville
  Virginia
  23116-3813
  United States
  
  
• View Profile
  Lindsey Elswick
  Richmond
  Virginia
  23233-7528
  United States
  
  
• View Profile
  Lucy A. Haile
  Midlothian
  Virginia
  23114-4365
  United States

Thanks so much @zovik

 

[wutang]

I just noticed that the link in my prior email doesn't show the page I meant to show you. Here is the page with the list of vets. Lucy Haile is the one listed at Oasis Veterinary Hospital. Drs. Dean and Elswick both work at Wellesley Animal Hospital in Richmond:

• View Profile
  Cecelia Dean
  Richmond
  Virginia
  23233-7528
  United States
  
  
• View Profile
  Ernesto Dominguez
  Mechanicsville
  Virginia
  23116-3813
  United States
  
  
• View Profile
  Lindsey Elswick
  Richmond
  Virginia
  23233-7528
  United States
  
  
• View Profile
  Lucy A. Haile
  Midlothian
  Virginia
  23114-4365
  United States

Thanks so much for sharing this! I’m in Richmond and was looking for a good vet just to give my baby leopard tort a checkup since I just got him

 

[OkAdiza]

I'm a bit late seeing this, but wanted to mention, I use to take my first Hermann's Tortoise to Oasis Veterinary Hospital. I am drawing a blank on her name, but I was seeing the founder who had opened this clinic after moving from the one we saw her at previously. I thought they were great, just a little pricey.
@Ink has a great vet too. I can't remember the name of that vet.

 

[Ink]

I have taken Ink (my leopard tortoise) to brandermill animal hospital. He went for beak trim and last year eye drops. Dr. Emily is great. Also, fecal samples. However I never brought my tortoise or turtle in just brought samples.