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wellington

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If you feed the, on a flat ruff rock or tile and also offer another one or two for them to walk on and climb over, they may be able to keep them filed down themselves. Also, feeding on one will help keep the beak trimmed too.
 

lvstorts

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I feed on flat rocks and they have lots of stuff to climb up and over in their outdoor pen and I still have to clip their nails. So far, the flat rocks have kept the beaks in check.

I don't have a system of when I clip their nails...usually when I'm handling them and they try their hardest to puncture my hand with their nails I say 'hey! time to clip your nails!'

Usually comes out to 2-3 times per year. I burnate so that leaves out 3-4 months of the year.
 

biochemnerd808

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It probably depends on your tort and on growth rates and age and a bunch of other factors. 2 of my Russian torts live in the same enclosure and eat the same food... one of them wears her toenails down nicely, digging and walking over the rocks I've provided. The other sometimes needs a trim.

I've found that placing a flat rock in one of the corners where they like to dig (under the substrate) really helps. That way while they are digging, the are also wearing down their claws.

In the Summer I also chase them across the driveway (cement) every week or so. :)

Rather than clipping their nails, you might try just filing them. If you do cut their nails, be careful not to clip into the quick (kind of like with cats and dogs, there is a fleshy portion inside part of the toenail).

lvstorts said:
I feed on flat rocks and they have lots of stuff to climb up and over in their outdoor pen and I still have to clip their nails. So far, the flat rocks have kept the beaks in check.

I don't have a system of when I clip their nails...usually when I'm handling them and they try their hardest to puncture my hand with their nails I say 'hey! time to clip your nails!'

Usually comes out to 2-3 times per year. I burnate so that leaves out 3-4 months of the year.
 
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