HELP!!!! (overgrown beak)

[lexilouandwags2]

My female red-foot (about 4 years old) had an overgrown beak and it was interfering with her closing her mouth correctly and it almost looked like the middle section of her beak was about to fall off. She does have a cuttle bone in her cage but she uses it very rarely. Well I tried to file it down a bit like someone suggested I do but I couldn't file it enough without scratching around her mouth so I quit. Then we tried to clip it down a bit with clippers but I guess we cut to deep because it started to bleed a little. Well it has stopped bleeding now but the middle still looks like it is about to fall off and she (Lexi) seems to be in some pain. I don't know what to do for her. I feel like a horrible horrible mommy!! **Is there anything I can give her to stop any pain? Should I be cleaning it with anything (hydrogine peroxide/alcohol)? Any other suggestions?? Thank you for any info you can provide us!! Lexi thanks you too!!!

 

[Jacqui]

RE: HELP!!!!

Hi! First rest assured you are not a "horrible horrible mommy". You tried to do something to help your tortoise and it just didn't work out right. Once you got to that point you asked for help. That makes you a good and caring "mommy" but not a horrible one. Now my first questions are:

1) can you take some pictures, so we can see exactly what's going on and what it looks like at this point.

2) is there a herp Vet near you or are you unable to get to one, if needed?

 

[lexilouandwags2]

RE: HELP!!!!

Hi! First rest assured you are not a "horrible horrible mommy". You tried to do something to help your tortoise and it just didn't work out right. Once you got to that point you asked for help. That makes you a good and caring "mommy" but not a horrible one. Now my first questions are:

1) can you take some pictures, so we can see exactly what's going on and what it looks like at this point.

2) is there a herp Vet near you or are you unable to get to one, if needed?

I think that we might be able to upload some pics. I will have to ask Dan when he gets home. As far as the vet is concerned, I believe that there is an exotic pet vet that is within an hour from us. How knowledgable they are of Tortoises I am not sure. We do plan on taking both of our tortoises there when I get paid at the end of this week. But until then I wanted to be able to do something for her. She is still eating, pooping and peeing normally. But she just seems to be more sluggish then normal. Also, it almost looks like there is some kindof fluid coming from the area. Dan called me at work today to update me and said that her jaw seems to move funny when she opens and closes her mouth and she has been sleeping all day (not normal for her. she is usually exploring and moving about).

 

[Yvonne G]

It is quite similar to when you've accidentally clipped a nail too short. It hurts until the tender part hardens off. There's really nothing you can do to make the pain go away. It just takes time.