Ozwins beak

[ozwin]

Hey everyone, came across this forum and thought it would be a great place to ask some questions I've had my tortoise for almost 3 years now and he's almost 3 himself (I'm not really sure about the sex) i noticed a few months back that the left side of his beak has split :S I don't know when for sure that it happened but it doesn't look like it's bothereing him... I always thought his beak was normal until I seen pictures on this forum, his seems a bit longer that the pictures posted on here, but I've put a rock in his enclosure and I put his food on there to encourage him to file his beak whilest eating... I'm wondering whether he split his beak on the rock at some point?! (The rock isn't sharp, it's flat with a few different levels to it, if u understand that? lol) Any replys back will be very much appreciated Thanks guys

 

[katesgoey]

Welcome Ozwin - can you please post a photo of the him and the beak so we know exactly what you mean? I'm sure others will check in soon to answer your question but I think a photo always helps.

 

[Yvonne G]

One of the problems with allowing a tortoise's beak to become overgrown, or misshapen, is that they will split or crack. In the wild, tortoises have to bite off their food from stems that are rooted in the dirt. This gives them something to pull against. We feed them a lump of food that they just shovel into their mouths, and they don't usually need to use the biting motion. IMHO you should take the tortoise to a vet and have the beak filed and trimmed to a more perfect shape. Then having him eat on the rock will be beneficial to him. Also, if you feed things that you cut up for him, stop cutting his food and make him bite pieces off instead.

Yvonne

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Oh, and:

to the forum!

 

[Crazy1]

Welcome to the forum ozwin. You've gotten great advice thus far so I will just say Welcome. Yvonne that is a very nice welcome sign today.

 

[ozwin]

Heres a picture of his beak.... I hope that you'll be able to see it as he's sleeping., or just camera shy hehe

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Oh sorry I can see his eyes open, he's camera shy www almost forgot, he's got an appointment with the vets for monday

 

[katesgoey]

Glad you are taking him to the vet. Let us know how that goes and when you get a chance, give us a photo of the whole tortoise - he looks sweet

 

[ozwin]

Will do His shells's not smooth it's bumpy! I've done A lOT of research and I think it's down to the lack of UV light when I first got him... The woman said I'd need a lamp that would give hiim heat and thats it :S so I took her word as she was a experienced breader... But I think it gives him character and it doesnt seem to bother him as he loves to run around in the garden! Hope I'm not being a pain in asking, but I'm thinking of getting a new torotoise and was wondering how big of a table I'd need to get??

These pictures where taken a while back (on computer already...) His beak is fine in these... Hmm! But I love him and he's happy so hopefully it can get sorted out at the vets!

 

[katesgoey]

I don't see a link to more photos. What kind of tortoise is he? He looks to me in the first photo (the closeup of the beak) that he could be a Hermanns or a Leopard (hard to tell for me by the photo), I only keep Leopards. Anyway, bumps (also called pyramiding) is arguable caused by a lack of humidity. If he is a Star, then pyramiding can be normal depending on the species. If not, the pyramiding will never go away but you can improve the look of it. My Tank was very "bumpy" when I got him (still is) but his new growth is helping to reduce the rocky road look. Very bad pyramiding can reduce the life span of a tortoise If you tell us more about his set up and diet, etc., we can help you (if you'd like) with information to adjust his environment and perhaps improve his "bumpiness." UVB light and heat is important but in terms of pyramiding, humidity is also very important. UVB and heat can be provided by the same light - the temp level depends on the type of light you are using. Your tortoise's pen or enclosure should have a cooler side, a warmer side and a basking area - you can read through this forum on various threads to learn the temps, etc. If you get a new tortoise, please quarantine him/her and keep separate from your existing tortoise for at least 3-6 months. If it will be a different species, you need to keep them separated permanently as different species carry different pathogens that can make the other sick.

 

[ozwin]

Oh sorry, I'll try again! Did it to me earlier :S He's a hermanns.... At one end of his box I have a UV light and a infared light and the other is where I put his water (where it's cooler) I use hemp for his bedding but recently started using bark (afraid of too much dust from the hemp...) So for his diet I give him:
-Lettuce
-Tomatoes
-Dandelion leaves (weeds)
-Carrot peelings
-Cabbage
-Cucumber
-Celery
-Strawberries
-Grapes
It's mainly lettuce and weeds to be honest but he does get the others a fair few times...
I'm thinking of getting another hermanns so if I do I'll keep them seperate as you've said. Do you have any idea the size of an enclosue I'd need? Even a guestimate would be amazingly helpfull Thank you

 

[Crazy1]

Here is a good place to look up what is a good diet for Ozwin. http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-5823.html
Celery, iceberg lettuce and cucumber all are good for hydration but provide little nutrients. Strawberries, grapes and tomatoes have lots of sugar and should only be fed very occasionally if at all. Cabbage if fed in excess can cause goiters. You can start with an organic spring mix and add escarole, curly endive or chicory to it dandelion leaves weekly. We want to get Ozwin on a good diet to help smooth out any new growth. Substrates. Many different opinions on this one. I like Cypress mulch or clean yard dirt as they hold moisture well and allow you to keep the humidity up while the top layer dries out so they do not suffer shell rot. You've come to a great forum with people who are passionate about torts and turts. And love to help you help your torts.

 

[ozwin]

Thanks dude! strawberries grapes and omatoes are giving VERY rarely, It's mainly lettuce and weeds he gets!! thanks for the info good stuff!!! I'm so glad for all the help I'm getting thanks dudes

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Thanks dude! strawberries grapes and tomatoes are giving VERY rarely, It's mainly lettuce and weeds he gets!! thanks for the info good stuff!!! I'm so glad for all the help I'm getting thanks dudes

 

[Crazy1]

Ozwin, thats dudett I am glad those are given rarely. What type of lettuce and weeds is he getting? What type of bark is he on? Ozwin has such a sweet face in the pic he is either sleepy or is his eyes slightly puffy? It could be the bark if it is pine or fir they have been known to cause eye problems in reptiles. It's a shame the bags of pine and fir bark (like Reptibark).

 

[ozwin]

All it says on the bag is Natural bark... The make is Rain Forest. Ice berg lettuce and dandelion leaves he usually gets! I'm about to buy a few packs of mixed seeds for tortoises!! more range of food for him I think!


HELP!!!!! He's developed runny nose I feel like crying :'( I keep his little house clean, give his clean water daily, give him a warm area and a cooler area, a UV light.... I can't think of anything I'm doing wrong!! I'm gonna change his diet to what you dudes and dudettes have suggested but I'm SOOOO glad he's going to the vets Monday, lucky timing but I wish he didn't have a runny nose in the first place I feel like a bad owner :'( He won't bring his head out of his shell and won't eat, are they symptoms of a runny nose (exept of course of the runny nose which he has) Advise needed asap pleeeease I'm soo worried, he's like my baby

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I don't think it developed over night, he was a bit weezy a few days ago but it dissappeared so i thought it could have been dust or something and thought he was ok but he's got the runny nose now :S:S:S Monday is toooo far away!!! I hope he'll be ok, I'm so scared!!! Will he be ok??

 

[Crazy1]

Ok first thing is don't panic thought I realize that is hard to do. I would take him off the bark NOW. If you need to put him on paper towels or newspaper without color pics for the time being.

OK here are some information we need.
What is his temps (warm side, cold side and basking area)?
When you say runny nose, Is he blowing bubbles from his nose?
How long has he been keeping his head in his shell?
How long has he been not eating?

Lack of apetite and being slow or lathargic can be syptoms of RI(Resperatory Infection). But they are also signs of being on Pine/fir. as well as poor diet and several othe things.
I see that you are in England Can you get baby greens in the store there? Something like a mix of lettuces and such we call it Spring Mix. It is often sold at salad bars here in the US? If you can I'd get that and see if he will eat any. Please get back to us with the info I've asked for. Hopefully others will also respond.

 

[ozwin]

Ok first thing is don't panic thought I realize that is hard to do. I would take him off the bark NOW. If you need to put him on paper towels or newspaper without color pics for the time being.

OK here are some information we need.
What is his temps (warm side, cold side and basking area)?
When you say runny nose, Is he blowing bubbles from his nose?
How long has he been keeping his head in his shell?
How long has he been not eating?

Lack of apetite and being slow or lathargic can be syptoms of RI(Resperatory Infection). But they are also signs of being on Pine/fir. as well as poor diet and several othe things.
I see that you are in England Can you get baby greens in the store there? Something like a mix of lettuces and such we call it Spring Mix. It is often sold at salad bars here in the US? If you can I'd get that and see if he will eat any. Please get back to us with the info I've asked for. Hopefully others will also respond.

Ok I've just thrown out his bedding and put newspaper down (no coloured ink).

Went and bought baby leaf spinach and seasonal green leaves and put them in his house but not eaten any... (Then again I've just this minute put them in).

Basking area - 31 degrees celcius
Warm Spot - 23 degrees celcius
Cool Spot - 19 degrees celcius

He was blowing bubbles from the side of his mouth the other day :S but now it's just driping from his nose! Also his eyes are puffy and have a little bit of gooey stuff by them! OMG I hope he's going to be ok! Glad I have people who understand what their talking about to help me!!

I've just bought a load of mixed seeds for tortoises on line so I'll plant them as soon as they arrive!

I've notice him keeping his head in his shell for about 3ish days same with not eating to be honest...

What can the vets do?? Everywhere I've been looking have been telling me what runny nose syndrome is but not what can help get rid of it...

Thanks very much, I owe yous big time!

---

Ok first thing is don't panic thought I realize that is hard to do. I would take him off the bark NOW. If you need to put him on paper towels or newspaper without color pics for the time being.

OK here are some information we need.
What is his temps (warm side, cold side and basking area)?
When you say runny nose, Is he blowing bubbles from his nose?
How long has he been keeping his head in his shell?
How long has he been not eating?

Lack of apetite and being slow or lathargic can be syptoms of RI(Resperatory Infection). But they are also signs of being on Pine/fir. as well as poor diet and several othe things.
I see that you are in England Can you get baby greens in the store there? Something like a mix of lettuces and such we call it Spring Mix. It is often sold at salad bars here in the US? If you can I'd get that and see if he will eat any. Please get back to us with the info I've asked for. Hopefully others will also respond.

Ok I've just thrown out his bedding and put newspaper down (no coloured ink).

Went and bought baby leaf spinach and seasonal green leaves and put them in his house but not eaten any... (Then again I've just this minute put them in).

Basking area - 31 degrees celcius
Warm Spot - 23 degrees celcius
Cool Spot - 19 degrees celcius

He was blowing bubbles from the side of his mouth the other day :S but now it's just driping from his nose! Also his eyes are puffy and have a little bit of gooey stuff by them! OMG I hope he's going to be ok! Glad I have people who understand what their talking about to help me!!

I've just bought a load of mixed seeds for tortoises on line so I'll plant them as soon as they arrive!

I've notice him keeping his head in his shell for about 3ish days same with not eating to be honest...

What can the vets do?? Everywhere I've been looking have been telling me what runny nose syndrome is but not what can help get rid of it...

Thanks very much, I owe yous big time!

Oh and the second day I noticed the runny nose... First day was head in shell and not eating.

 

[ozwin]

Found out why Ozwin was keeping his head in his shell and not eating, drinking or opening his mouth... He had a piece of coal in his mouth :O:O Must have picked it up in the garden, I was giving him a bath today and the next thing you know his heads bopped out and his mouth is open! I was so exited, but then I seen a pretty big black thing in tub... At first I thought it was a stone but then realised it was a bit of coal (perfect shape to fit in his mouth) His left eye was very puffy and gungy this morning and his nose was very runny (as expected I was paniking majorly) I rinsed his mouth as it had a bit of a blood clot in there but he's been munching away on a load of greens today so at least he's eating now!!! Can't wait to take him to the vets tomorrow to give him a proper clean with anti-bacterial stuff specifically for animals. And also file his beak a bit! Even though his nose isn't runny anymore I'm still really conserned so I'll be telling the vet everything and hopefully we can get Ozwin back to 100% healthy

 

[Yvonne G]

This is a VERY GOOD reminder that you can't go by what is normal in the symptom department! Always look for the unusual. I'm so glad Ozwin was able to get rid of that lump of coal (it wasn't even Christmas!). Just goes to show, they'll eat anything!

Yvonne