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I recently read this on the www.anapsid.org:

"To help keep their beak in trim, let them gnaw on pieces of cantaloupe with the (well washed) rind still attached."

Petri used to love cuttle bone, but now she won't touch it. I am wondering if this might be a good alternative to help keep her beak trim? I've heard of using cantoalope as a special treat no more than once a month, but the I have never heard of giving them the rind as well.

I'm not sure she'd even be interested in it...

Any thoughts?

Do turtles need something to keep their beaks trim? I've never heard of one having an overgrown one. I don't think it's an issue with RES.

Same here. Never heard of an overgrown beak

really? I thought that was part of the reason for providing them with cuttlebone (and for the calcium too).

I've also heard that cuttlebone helps "condition" their beaks. It's main purpose is to provide calcium.

I actually read that from the same source. I give it to my turtles whenever I have some around, which is usually once a month with the rind on it. I don't think it's actually eating the rind that keeps their beaks trim, I think it's the process of having to scrape the cantaloupe off of the rind that is good for them. They don't actually eat the rind...well maybe they would if I left it in there for longer.

I know that box turtles and tortoises can have overgrown beaks. I've seen some extreme examples and it's not pretty.

I had a couple of 10yo res for a while before rehoming them and they had some pretty gnarly looking beaks. Looks like they might have been slightly overgrown. They were really severely neglected for the first 10 years of their lives.

Well, it sounds like it wouldn't hurt the turtle to give it a try... so maybe I'll throw a piece in there next time I have some melon in the house and see if she takes an interest in it!

She's become a picky eater lately, so I'm trying to spice up her diet a little.

I've given pieces of cantelope with a bit of the rind on them (more cantelope than rind). Since it's harder, my turtles would usually leave most of it. If your turtle eats it, though, that's fine.

I think an improper diet can, over time, result in a somewhat longer beak.

http://www.exoticpetvet.com/images/Box% ... ll%201.jpg

Yeah. Look at this poor thing...

oh my goodness! the poor little guy....

alright, so I attached a pretty good size piece of cantelope with the rind still on to the side of Petri's tank. I thought she'd just rip off pieces of the cantelope to eat, but she started biting off HUGE pieces, including the rind, and swallowing them whole.

She seems to LOVE it and was having a blast tearing it apart, but I got nervous the rind might not be good for her and took it out....

I think if I just let it float around, instead of using the veggie clip, she might have a harder time getting such big pieces off...

Wow! I'm going to have to get my turtle some cantelope!

Cantelope is one of my RES's favorite fruits, and it's really healthy to give---it's high in beta carotene (which the turtle can convert to Vit A without any fears of overdosing).

Do you know, is it alright for them to eat the rind too? Some sites seem to say it's good for keeping their beaks trim, but I'm nervous about her eating too much rind and getting sick!