Things You'll Need
- Old towel or rag large enough to wrap around the turtle
- Wooden dowel, spoon or old credit card
- Emery board or other non-metal nail file
Instructions
Trimming a Turtle's Beak
Fast the turtle for two days. This will help prevent a mess if it defecates during the trimming.
Sitting on the floor, place the towel in your lap and brace the turtle tightly between your thighs. The turtle's head should be facing up.
Gently but firmly grasp the turtle's head by the sides, not top and bottom.
Gently rasp at the outside of the beak with the emery board, using the dowel to pry open the mouth if necessary. Do not rasp inside of the mouth, or you may injure the turtle.