desert tortoises

[HtVic]

does desert tort easy to have this kind of disorder called acid uric stone?

 

[Yvonne G]

We normally refer to is as uric acid stones. Tortoises that are not well hydrated or that eat foods high in oxylates can have stones, including desert tortoises.

 

[HtVic]

We normally refer to is as uric acid stones. Tortoises that are not well hydrated or that eat foods high in oxylates can have stones, including desert tortoises.

so which mean it is better not to feed them foods that have high in oxylates, like collards and parsley

 

[Laura]

correct.. foods high in oxylates should be fed very little...

 

[ascott]

in addition, soaks are really good at reducing the risk of stones/hard gritty urates.... some folks will just let their tort rely on its own means to consume water....some of the CDTs here enjoy being soaked while another will drink primarily with the sprinkler going and creating puddles so he can go and dig and then drink....so try a few different methods....just be certain that they are drinking and remaining hydrated...

 

[HtVic]

http://www.ohf.org/docs/OxalateContent092003.pdf

this is a pdf I found that describes food obtains high in oxylates

it includes these common foods what people usually feed tort: collard, chiory, dandelion green, mustard green, squash/

 

[ascott]

Yes..correct. some of the foods we feed do have oxalates....this alone is not reason to stop including the items as part of a varied diet....for example, dandelion greens and flowers have oxalates however, they have so many other goods that I would never think of not offering....

Remember, variety is key...and so is hydration...you must strike a balance with food offerings...and keep your torts hydrated...

 

[HtVic]

so no matter what feed them, they still have chance to get stone.
all we can do just try to reduce the chance of risk?

 

[LLLReptile]

Yes..correct. some of the foods we feed do have oxalates....this alone is not reason to stop including the items as part of a varied diet....for example, dandelion greens and flowers have oxalates however, they have so many other goods that I would never think of not offering....

Remember, variety is key...and so is hydration...you must strike a balance with food offerings...and keep your torts hydrated...

Weird, my posts aren't showing right away.

This is a great way to describe it. The key is always variety, if you are switching up the diet frequently and your tortoise is kept well hydrated, oxalates are only a minor concern. Think about it for yourself - if you only ever ate carrots and spinach for all your vegetable and fruit needs, you'd have some metabolic problems too, wouldn't you? Tortoises don't have any other options to eat but what we provide for them, so it's up to you to give them as varied of a diet as possible.

-Jen

 

[ascott]

Yes, that is right. No matter how well we try to provide for them in captivity it is by no means equal to that in the wild....also, who is to say that they don't suffer from urate build up in the wild and fail then as well...I would venture to bet that some pass on in the wild during extreme droughts and we know that in the wild essentially nothing goes to waste..so if we do happen upon an empty shell in a hike there is no way to have known what they passed from as the wildlife usually will reclaim the contents of the shell...nothing left to know from ...unless of course damage is apparent on the shell....

I suppose my point here is...we do the best we can for our captive friends...so as much variety as you are able to offer is beneficial to the overall health to them...there is no exact formula that will assure zero issues....kinda like other things in life..no guarantees...