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Hi, I just took in a Three toed box turtle and i noticed that his top jaw overhangs the bottom one. Is that normal??

Thanks

>>Hi, I just took in a Three toed box turtle and i noticed that his top jaw overhangs the bottom one. Is that normal??
>>

Yes it is.
It's abnormal if the top overgrows so much that they aren't able to pick up food.
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PHRatz

Ok thankyou.... It is eating perfectly fine so i think its ok.

Thanks
Costhkng

>>Ok thankyou.... It is eating perfectly fine so i think its ok.
>>
Can you post s photo? The more I think about it the more I wonder how much it overhangs. My first thought was it's fine but then as I thought about for a while I got to thinking.. how far do you mean?
Normal is like the ones in the photos in this link:
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PHRatz

Here is a photo of his over hanging jaw. i noticed he has a hard time biting certain foods... does it look bad to you??

Boxie needs to get it's beak trimmed. You can probably do it yourself. You can always bring it to a vet to have it done. Looks like it needs some good overall attention. Was it neglected?

Yes it is actually almost 16 years old and it has pretty much always been negalected. I got it a couple of days ago and its got an overgrown beak, overgrown nails, and its missing its front left foot. It still has a leg but not a foot. Hes still realy active though so i need to get that stuff done and hell be good. do you have any further helpful information about them for me?

Thanks
xxcosthkngxx

I think the first thing you have to do is bring him to a vet to have his claws & beak trimmed. You can do it yourself but I don't know if you have any experience with boxies. Sometimes it's better to watch a vet do it, remember how he did it & hope you don't have to do it in the future. If you think you are able to do it, use a dremmel tool for the beak. But get some good pics of a normal boxie & go from there. The pic will give you an idea of how much to take off.
To prevent his beak from overgrowing again, you have to give it a variety of good foods on a rough hard surface like a flat stone. I occassionally give them a hard boiled eggs cut up into quarters with the shell on. They love it. The shell provides calcium and it good for the beak too. A few bites every 2 months is more than enough. This way his beak wears down naturally. I give them plenty of Nighcrawlers. They are good too - Sometimes there is grit in the earthworm which again wears down and prevents a beak from getting overgrown. Pinkies (baby mice) or a few baby dead birds that fell recently from their nest are good. lots of crunch to them. Sounds gross - but reality is reality. Read as much as you can on Box turtles - You should get a good idea on how to keep them happy. Don't give up on him. They are worth the time & effort. You can trim the nails yourself too. Again, get a pic & judge it from there. Don't cut it too short - Don't want any accidents.
I would concentrate on a really nice outdoor enclosure for him (if you can). He deserves it after all these years. But try your very best - (If you think you can't handle it - drop me line - I'll take him.) Good luck!

>>I think the first thing you have to do is bring him to a vet to have his claws & beak trimmed.

Frankly since you've said it's a 16 year old turtle who's been neglected, if it were me I'd want to have a vet take a look at him not just for the beak & nail trim but for a check up too.

One other suggestion on keeping the beak trim after it's been trimmmed by the vet, Melgrj7 came up with this one a few years ago. Use a flat rock or flat paver brick as a food plate. When they're having salad for dinner or something else that's not live then having to eat off a plate like that does help keep the beak trimmed because it's a little rough.
I use a paver brick & I like the idea not just for keeping the beak trim but because when they see the paver brick, they recognize it & know dinner is served.
I can run it through the dishwasher when they're finished too so it's easy to keep it clean.
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PHRatz

>>To prevent his beak from overgrowing again, you have to give it a variety of good foods on a rough hard surface like a flat stone.

DUH I just realized you had already said that. I didn't notice that you'd mentioned it before I suggested it but at least it's a testament to
Great minds think alike.
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PHRatz

Ok, thankyou for the advice. I'm taking him in today to get everything fixed and checked out. How long will he live when hes back in shape??

Costhkng

Boxies are quite long lived creatures if well cared for. There's no exact estimation in regards to longivitiy after he's all fixed up & looked over by a vet. But I wouldn't be surprised if he's still with you for another 20 years or more. But then - who can put a time span on life? Just provide him with the proper care & enjoy your pet. You can also ask & see what the vet says. Good luck!

Yea,
That sounds about what the vet says but he said that if i turn this ones life around, he can live to 40 or 50 years. The thing is.. its gonna cost me 50 dollars to get him fixed. I think its worth it and im gonna do it. Do you agree?

costhkng

That's a small investment for a lifetime friend. I definitely think it's worth it. Just can't estimate the lifespan of a boxie though. For all you know, it could be anywhere from 1 day to 100 more years. But knowing boxies, I think the "reasonable minimum" is at least 20 more years if all its needs are met. Just make a nice pen for it that will meet all its needs, give it a good diet with a variety of foods & I think you will be very pleasantly surprised. (it can easily live longer than you!) Have fun with your new friend and keep us updated!

n/p
Skin & Scales

N/p
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If the maxillary cusp of your Triunguis is very over grown, (usually due to poor feeding habits ~ as in, poor food types) then you will be doing it a great justice, by clipping it back. The cusp is made of Keratin and can be trimmed rather easily with a razor knife or Dremel tool. This is much easier of course if the turtle is tame to the point where it does not readily hide in its shell with contact. Still you will need to secure the head while working and if you need tips on this, let me know. Thanx, Leo
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