Tortoise Grooming

[Happy_Tortoise]

Hello,
I am curious now that my tortoise is becoming bigger.
Is there any grooming I need to do?
Like cutting claws, taking care of the shell or it's beak to keep it sharp, etc...

Thank you in advance.

 

[Squirt the Dalmation]

If you post pictures of your tort, it will help the experienced members here to tell if those grooming steps are necessary

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

If you post pictures of your tort, it will help the experienced members here to tell if those grooming steps are necessary

I think for now there are no problem since he is only 1 yo but i was wondering if there was any routine thing I should do.

 

[COmtnLady]

It is best to keep them in a humid and warm enclosure until they are two or three years old (its dependent upon size more than age). The tortoise needs a home that is completely enclosed so that the humidity and heat can be maintained at 29C/84F and mid-80s% humidity until they are about three years old. With your species there can be a bit of flexibility on the temperatures.

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

If you have two or three terracotta clay plant saucers (large enough for your tortoise to be able to walk into and turn around easily) for water and food, instead of those plastic ones, it will help to keep the toenails and beak shorter. The surface of your plastic dishes is smooth, the surface of the terracotta clay is slightly rough and wears those parts down. You may still need to deal with keeping your tortoise's beak trimmed, but it will take less effort and be better for the tortoise if it is eating from a plain terracotta clay dish.



The beak should NOT be kept sharp. You need to trim it so that it doesn't over-grow and block or deform the tortoise's mouth, or so that pieces of it don't chip off and cause the tortoise pain and infection.


Read those offered info links and come back to talk about getting your tortoise set up better.

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

It is best to keep them in a humid and warm enclosure until they are two or three years old (its dependent upon size more than age). The tortoise needs a home that is completely enclosed so that the humidity and heat can be maintained at 29C/84F and mid-80s% humidity until they are about three years old. With your species there can be a bit of flexibility on the temperatures.

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

If you have two or three terracotta clay plant saucers (large enough for your tortoise to be able to walk into and turn around easily) for water and food, instead of those plastic ones, it will help to keep the toenails and beak shorter. The surface of your plastic dishes is smooth, the surface of the terracotta clay is slightly rough and wears those parts down. You may still need to deal with keeping your tortoise's beak trimmed, but it will take less effort and be better for the tortoise if it is eating from a plain terracotta clay dish.



The beak should NOT be kept sharp. You need to trim it so that it doesn't over-grow and block or deform the tortoise's mouth, or so that pieces of it don't chip off and cause the tortoise pain and infection.


Read those offered info links and come back to talk about getting your tortoise set up better.

I'm going to read them now.
But it is already eating from a clay dish.
I bought so it wouldn't be slippery.

Also I leave him in a open enclosure in the morning with heat lamp and UV. But the remaining of day and night he is in a closed enclosure where humidity is closed to 90%. The enclosure has only LED white light and a ceramic heater.

 

[144 Grandpa Turtle]

And Most of All just love it

 

[Squirt the Dalmation]

I'm going to read them now.
But it is already eating from a clay dish.
I bought so it wouldn't be slippery.

Also I leave him in a open enclosure in the morning with heat lamp and UV. But the remaining of day and night he is in a closed enclosure where humidity is closed to 90%. The enclosure has only LED white light and a ceramic heater.

They need access to a basking area (95-100°F) for 12-14 hours a day, UV light for 4 hours a day.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Hello,
I am curious now that my tortoise is becoming bigger.
Is there any grooming I need to do?
Like cutting claws, taking care of the shell or it's beak to keep it sharp, etc...

Thank you in advance.

At some point you might need to trim the beak. This can be done with a nail file or dremel. If the beak has a crack, it is best to get it trimmed by a vet.

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

At some point you might need to trim the beak. This can be done with a nail file or dremel. If the beak has a crack, it is best to get it trimmed by a vet.

Ok thank you.
I might need to watch videos at that time cause it looks scary.

I also read somewhere we can add chopped hay in the food to help sharpen the beak.
But I saw this only once so I dont know if it is reliable. And my tortoise doesn't like eating the hay.

 

[144 Grandpa Turtle]

Ok thank you.
I might need to watch videos at that time cause it looks scary.

I also read somewhere we can add chopped hay in the food to help sharpen the beak.
But I saw this only once so I dont know if it is reliable. And my tortoise doesn't like eating the hay.

How about Cac t us

 

[zovick]

I think for now there are no problem since he is only 1 yo but i was wondering if there was any routine thing I should do.

Your tortoise looks quite healthy. The beak does not need to be trimmed at this time. I can't see the nails very well in the photos, but from what I can see, they look all right also.

 

[COmtnLady]

Ok thank you.
I might need to watch videos at that time cause it looks scary.

I also read somewhere we can add chopped hay in the food to help sharpen the beak.
But I saw this only once so I dont know if it is reliable. And my tortoise doesn't like eating the hay.

Again, the beak does NOT need to be sharpened. It does need to be trimmed shorter sometimes, though.

Hay doesn't sharpen or do much of anything for their beak. That's like saying rice sharpens your teeth.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I think it's about fiber contents. Not hay per se. Feeding foods high in fiber and calcium and low in sugars and protein slows down beak and nail growth allowing them to wear down naturally (it doesn't imply that timothy hay is healthy or you should starve your tortoise!). Grocery store greens are cultivated to be tasty and soft but we can bring them up to the "tortoise standards" with some amendments (like Agrobs Pre Alpine, Tortoise Supply Herbal Hay etc.).

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

Your tortoise looks quite healthy. The beak does not need to be trimmed at this time. I can't see the nails very well in the photos, but from what I can see, they look all right also.

Yes i was not talking for now.
I just never heard about anything concerning tortoise grooming. So I asked. Better to know now than when it is too late.
Ilmaybw i should do something now to prevent it's claws from becoming too long, or give special food or soelmething to prevent its beak from over-growing.
So I asked.