Hello from Portland

[Kathy_C]

Hi;

I'm Kathy and I live in Portland Oregon with my husband, son, 2 dogs, 2 cats, a couple of hermit crabs and our box turtle, Pokey. We've had Pokey for about 10 years and we got him from someone who's daughter outgrew him.

I don't know if anyone is around the Portland area, but I'm looking for someone who knows how to safely trim beaks. I for sure don't, and Pokey is in need of a trim. The last time he needed one, I had to drive about 15 miles away and the whole thing cost a fortune.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. If you start feeding on a ruff surface like a rock or tile that will help file the beak down. If it needs trimming for sure, you can search this forum on instructions and also a reptile vet can do it for you. Then still feed on a ruff service and it will help keep it filed down.

 

[Kathy_C]

Hello and Welcome. If you start feeding on a ruff surface like a rock or tile that will help file the beak down. If it needs trimming for sure, you can search this forum on instructions and also a reptile vet can do it for you. Then still feed on a ruff service and it will help keep it filed down.

Thanks - I think we have some rough tile leftover from a remodel - good idea, as we've been using a pretty smooth bowl. I'm pretty wimpy to try and do it myself so I think I need to find a reptile vet, but one that's closer to me.

 

[Kathy_C]

Thank you! We've been feeding him from a pretty smooth surface and we do have some nice rough tile leftover from a remodel. He really does need a trim though - harder for him to catch the wiggly earthworms this way. I'm fairly chicken to try and do it myself so I think I need to find a vet closer than the one I found before (and cheaper, as it cost a fortune!)

Kathy

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

Welcome!

Come to our next tortoise/turtle club meeting in January in Vancouver and Katie will help you. She always has her beak trimming supplies. I bet she's just ask that you make a donation to International Reptile Rescue. [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

I'm in your area. I live 90 minutes west of yah, and I have a small rescue organization, so I have my fosters and my own pets....3 Sulcata, 2 Redfoots, a Greek, plus 2 Basenjis. I don't have any kids.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Kathy:

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[Saleama]

Hello and welcome. One other thing you can do is just put some rocks and other rough stuff in the habitat and let nature take over. I have small river rocks and a few small terra cotta saucers. The turtles do a fine job grooming themselves.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Welcome Kathy. I'm east of Salem towards the foothills.

 

[Kathy_C]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! I think that I could learn a lot from you all. I am interested in coming to the January meeting in Vancouver, if I'm not at work or something. Happy to donate for a beak trim, too! Meanwhile, we need to make some changes to Pokey's habitat in the meantime. Has anyone had any luck with cuttlebone? I got some once but he looked at it with disdain.

 

[Jacqui]

Hi and welcome! There is a truckstop near Portland that has a BBQ place at it that I really miss. Beautiful area, too. As for the cuttlebone, I have some that never touch it. Some that never touch it and then one day out of the blue they use it. Some use it off and on. I have also heard of some that make use of theirs all the time. My belief is it is a nice cheap back up source sitting there, if and when they decide they need and want more calcium. Some folks instead of powder, will scrape the cuttlebone over the food.