Reptile & Amphibian Forums

this morning while feeding and soaking my redfoot (who is about 2 years old), i noticed a small, dark, vertical line on his beak. it's on his lower jaw, on his right side, toward the front, and is mainly visible when he opens his mouth because it is on the edge/rim of his beak. i got him to bite onto a wooden chopstick so i could try and get a better look (and see if whatever it was was something that would just wipe off, which it wasn't), and i *think* that you can also see the line from the inside of his mouth, which makes me think that maybe it's a crack...?

naturally, i've made an appointment with the vet for monday morning. junior doesn't seem to be bothered in that he's been eating normally, but i hate the thought of him being in any discomfort. he makes a snap noise with his beak sometimes, so i don't know if this has anything to do with it or not. his beak isn't overgrown (or at least so the vet said at his annual checkup a few months ago). i've even verified with people i know that are in contact with him that he's not been dropped or anything.

does anyone have any idea about this kind of thing, or any experience with it? i'm pretty worried about my baby, and any insight would be greatly appreciated.

i'd post a pic if i had one, but i only this morning before work saw this. if i can get a good pic later i'll try and post it, if that will help.

thanks!

If it is a crack you need to have it trimmed beyond the crack. If left alone, food can get caught in the crack and make it worse. I've read that if it extends too far it will never fully heal so you should address it as soon as possible.

>>this morning while feeding and soaking my redfoot (who is about 2 years old), i noticed a small, dark, vertical line on his beak. it's on his lower jaw, on his right side, toward the front, and is mainly visible when he opens his mouth because it is on the edge/rim of his beak. i got him to bite onto a wooden chopstick so i could try and get a better look (and see if whatever it was was something that would just wipe off, which it wasn't), and i *think* that you can also see the line from the inside of his mouth, which makes me think that maybe it's a crack...?
>>
>>naturally, i've made an appointment with the vet for monday morning. junior doesn't seem to be bothered in that he's been eating normally, but i hate the thought of him being in any discomfort. he makes a snap noise with his beak sometimes, so i don't know if this has anything to do with it or not. his beak isn't overgrown (or at least so the vet said at his annual checkup a few months ago). i've even verified with people i know that are in contact with him that he's not been dropped or anything.
>>
>>does anyone have any idea about this kind of thing, or any experience with it? i'm pretty worried about my baby, and any insight would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>>i'd post a pic if i had one, but i only this morning before work saw this. if i can get a good pic later i'll try and post it, if that will help.
>>
>>thanks!
-----
Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

it's very small -- between 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch, i'd say. he's not very big, though; if his beak isn't overgrown, can it be trimmed that much? he won't have enough beak left, i'm afraid! i can't help worrying about my scaly "child."

wish i could've gotten a sooner vet appointment... how quickly can these things get worse? should i try to get bumped forward if it's too urgent to wait 'til monday?

any ideas on how/why this happens and how it can be prevented?

thank you SO much, ej!

Hi, one of my redfoots cracked his beak a few weeks ago. I noticed he was having trouble tearing greens and flowers. His bottom beak, around the hook was cracked. It took me a week to get into the vet and when he'd eat it would bend like a broken fingernail. The vet numbed it and took off the broken piece. It looks sort of ugly right now (like he could spit thru the hole if he wanted) but he can eat normally. The vet thinks it will grow back and it already seems to have a little. I am guessing that he bit into something hard and got the tip stuck and cracked it? I'll try to get a picture.
Troya

It is amazing how resiliant these animals can be. What you suggest is the best course of action.

btw, Troya, I hope all is well with you. I was wondering how you faired.

>>Hi, one of my redfoots cracked his beak a few weeks ago. I noticed he was having trouble tearing greens and flowers. His bottom beak, around the hook was cracked. It took me a week to get into the vet and when he'd eat it would bend like a broken fingernail. The vet numbed it and took off the broken piece. It looks sort of ugly right now (like he could spit thru the hole if he wanted) but he can eat normally. The vet thinks it will grow back and it already seems to have a little. I am guessing that he bit into something hard and got the tip stuck and cracked it? I'll try to get a picture.
>>Troya
-----
Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Thanks, Ed. He seems to be doing fine. He's eating everything in sight and I almost can't tell it broke off.

Troya

What everyone has said thus far sounds fairly complete. Depending on how severe the crack is, it may or may not heal on its own.

A visit to an experienced herp vet is always the recommended action, but for those who can't for whatever reason, extra attention needs to be given to inspecting the mouth and nares of the animal to ensure no infection is taking hold. An infection that takes hold in the crack of a tortoise's beak can quickly overtake it.

Good luck!

my vet is great... i'd quickly recommend him to anyone in the metro atlana area. he's even contracted with zoo atlanta! i'm just afraid for my baby...

well, i took him in this morning, and he was not a happy camper. my boyfriend held junior while the vet took him firmly behind the jaw (to keep him from pulling his head in) and pried his mouth open -- poor thing was pulling back and fighting it so hard that his eyes were bugging (and he pooped quite a bit, too)!

it was definitely confirmed to be a crack, and my vet verified that there was no inflammation. he said that since the crak wasn't too bad yet in his opinion, and because junior was so small, he was hesitant to act on it. he wants to wait a little while (as i keep an eye on it to make sure it isn't getting worse/bigger) and then use a dremmel (sp?) tool on it after it grows out a little and he is a bit bigger. he says that this is the sort of thing that happens with birds all the time, and turtles/tortoises on occasion from biting something too hard.

junior bites *everything* but us, though! his food bowl, his water bowl, his plastic castle he hides in, rocks and sticks and acorns outside... that's just his way of testing things out, so i don't know how that can be eliminated from his environment, unless i just invest in a rubber room or something for him to live in!

so i suppose that we aren't going to take action just yet, but i'm going to keep a very *very* close eye to make sure the crack doesn't get any bigger. poor little stinker... at least the vet set my mind at ease for now.