Reptile & Amphibian Forums

a) What causes it?

b) What to do once it has happened?

It might be caused by a lack of tough, fibrous food items that would keep the beak worn down. I think some people claim that it is a sign of overfeeding, where too much food = too much growth.

I know that I see it only in my male russian tortoises. The females, who eat similar amounts (for their size) of the same foods, don't ever get it. I also have two small leopard tortoises. I don't know their gender, but they are both eating the same foods and only one gets an overgrown beak.

I've tried using a finger nail file to trim the beak and it doesn't work for me. My vet used a power tool type of device to do it fairly quickly. I've had success using finger nail clippers, but wouldn't recommend it until someone shows you how far you should trim. I think you can cause bleeding and possibly serious damage if you go too far.

In addition I try to add tougher foods to the diet. Things like carrot. And I try to place the food on a rock or slate surface so that the beaks is worn down while eating even soft foods.

I've noticed that after adding tougher foods and feeding on a hard surface the last couple years I've had fewer problems with beak overgrowth.