Tortoise mouth has scale lifed

[ri0ku]

Hello, I am a new tortoise owner (2 weeks now) and I am really worried about something that seems to have happened yesterday to my little tortoise.

I have a horsefield tortoise who seems to be fine hes got allot more active after the first week and he seems to be happy eating etc but yesterday I noticed his mouth on the side has one of the scales lifted upwards which looks like the bottom of the top area of his mouth.

This only happened yesterday and its the same today..I am not sure if its a self inflicted wound or if this is actually just reptile shredding?

I have bathed him today and he seems fairly fine, he loves running around after drying on a large towel on my bed, and now hes back in his enclosure basking.

Here are some pictures:



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as you can see its like the left side of his mouth, its as if the scale has been pulled upwards. Worried because im not sure if this is something that will remain like this for good now? or do they fall off eventually and regrow?

What has worried me most is that the pet shop gave me wood chippings for the enclosure...however I have been told they are completely the wrong thing to have. So i went back to the petshop and they dont sell soil or sand and told me that wood chippings are best for a horsefield as sand and soil could cause moisture to build up in the tortoise shell... but now im starting to think the wood chippings may have caused his wound on his mouth... when he was eating he may have possibly caught a wood chipping? or when digging...

 

[jeffbens0n]

It looks like it could just be shedding, but I can't see it very clearly. Is it just a thin flake of skin? or is it a crack in his beak? Is he still eating and acting normally?

 

[ri0ku]

It looks like it could just be shedding, but I can't see it very clearly. Is it just a thin flake of skin? or is it a crack in his beak? Is he still eating and acting normally?

Its as if the beak area has been pried upwards theres nothing under it apart from a small gap. So im worried incase this isnt shredding? I didnt know if thats possible when shredding i thought just a small layer off the top would peel way not an entire piece. He seems to be acting normally. He still eats and walks around but he has been basking a lot more lately...

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here is another picture I hope shows it a bit better.



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Its as if the actual scale that forms that side of the beak area has been lifted upwards.

He seems ok with it thought its not stopping him eating



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[jeffbens0n]

Yea that second picture is a little better. It doesn't look like normal shedding. He must have damaged the beak somehow. The good news is his beak will grow back. As for the piece that is hanging off, I wouldn't attempt to mess with that on my own because you don't know if there is any tissue in there that might bleed if you pulled it off. Maybe others will have more insight on that though. At least he is still eating, but my recommendation is to take him to a vet that is familiar with tortoises to check that out.

In the meantime I would get rid of the woodchips. Switch to something like cypress mulch, coco coir, or soil. Your little guy also appears to be captive bred and has a bit of pyramiding going on. I would try to increase the humidity in his enclosure and maybe provide him with a humid hiding spot, just make sure to keep him warm.

 

[ri0ku]

Thanks for your reply, he has his basking area which is just abouts 30 C and then in the opposite area he has a cooling area. I was told by the pet shop that this type of tortoise cannot have sand or soil but people keep telling me 50/50 sand and soil should be ok.

So should I be ok to get Top soil and play sand from B&Q and use this rather than the wood chips?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi ri0ku:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

Don't worry about the beak. He must have bitten down on something hard and split it a bit. That part will flake off and it will re-grow into the shape its supposed to be. If he's still eating it doesn't bother him.

I don't like sand, but that's a personal choice. You should use whatever works for you in your climate. I prefer orchid bark or cypress mulch.

 

[ri0ku]

Hi ri0ku:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

Don't worry about the beak. He must have bitten down on something hard and split it a bit. That part will flake off and it will re-grow into the shape its supposed to be. If he's still eating it doesn't bother him.

I don't like sand, but that's a personal choice. You should use whatever works for you in your climate. I prefer orchid bark or cypress mulch.

Thanks for the reply

My name is Luke I live in the UK (North East) where in all honesty.. is cold a lot... however getting into summer now the days are getting hotter.

I want to 100% replace these wood chippings tomorrow. So im just trying to figure out what would be the best to get the little guy..just want him to feel happy and nothing that can put him in any danger

 

[coreyc]

Welcome to the forum

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[Fernando]

Hello and Welcome to TFO!

I hope your little dude gets better!

 

[dmarcus]

Welcome to the forum, sounds like your gonna make the little tortoise very happy..

 

[kimmer]

What a cute little guy. I really don't like the sand either. It is messy and gets in the creases.

 

[HLogic]

If, as you stated, the entire edge of the biting surface has broken and there is a gap in the cutting edge now (the horizontal part is the missing portion of cutting edge) or if you can see its tongue or inside its mouth through the gap, I would suggest a vet visit. The extent of the break appears to involve the basal tissue of the mandible. If not repaired, it may continue to grow horizontally or inconsistent with the remainder of the mandible. It is likely this could be repaired with careful application of medical adhesive by an experienced vet.

A picture from a lower angle looking into the mouth in the area of the break would be helpful.

 

[pdrobber]

welcome. you've gotten great advice already

 

[ri0ku]

I cant really seem to get a decent enough picture below his beak area without it bluring, you cant see inside his mouth or his tongue its just black and i am pretty sure its his skin from the bottom part of the mouth.

It just looks a bit bad, but he seems to be ok he lets me touch it and doesnt do anything and hes running around as normal and eating.

 

[HLogic]

Hold him vertically or turn him over... If you can see clearly enough to determine if it is simply split along the length of the mandible and the rest of the upper cutting edge is there (like one ply of plywood peeling up), he should be fine. If it looks like the entire cutting edge is broken I would suggest a vet trip.

 

[RianSeeking]

My two Russians seem to really like the coco coir I use as substrate. They can dig nicely in it and if I spray it down regularly it retains moisture but doesn't get sopping.