Don’t know what I found today.

[BP12]

Today I went out to pick up the plates after feeding my tortoises, I found a good size pile of a semi hardened bleach white foam next to one of the plates, and it was not there when I put the food down.

I do sprinkle light amounts of Calcium and 1 capsule of antibiotics (several are slightly wheezing, trying to cure this before hibernation as per Doc) on food shared by three tortoises daily.

Any Ideas what this could be?

 

[saginawhxc]

We probably need a picture or a better description, but I would assume it's just urates and is probably perfectly normal.

How long have you had your tortoises? What breed? Why are "several" of them wheezing? Your post leaves us with an awful lot of questions.

 

[BP12]

I inherited the tortoises about 5-6 months ago. They are basic Mojave Desert tortoises. As far as the wheezing, the oldest and 1 of the youngest had bubbles and slight repertory issues due to bringing them from nice warm inland area to a coastal beach area and me being a tortoise rookie.

and no pics....

 

[Yvonne G]

It is probably hardened urates. Tortoises save up their urine, re-using it inside their body and when they finally get rid of what they've been holding it comes out looking like cottage cheese, white rock or cream. If it looks like rocks, then the tortoise is very dehydrated. You'll need to soak these tortoises in water for about a half hour daily for a couple weeks. After that, if they're outside, you can soak them weekly. But make sure they have a waterer big enough for them to climb into and out of easily.

 

[saginawhxc]

It is probably hardened urates. Tortoises save up their urine, re-using it inside their body and when they finally get rid of what they've been holding it comes out looking like cottage cheese, white rock or cream. If it looks like rocks, then the tortoise is very dehydrated. You'll need to soak these tortoises in water for about a half hour daily for a couple weeks. After that, if they're outside, you can soak them weekly. But make sure they have a waterer big enough for them to climb into and out of easily.

I was just writing my description of urages when I saw your description pop up. It was far better written than what I was writing. Thank you.

 

[saginawhxc]

*Urates. I have no clue what urages are or why my phone would aurocorrect to that.

Sometimes I think my phone is drunk.

 

[Yvonne G]

I really dislike auto correct. I THINK I've been able to find the disable button on all my devices, thank goodness.

 

[BP12]

Yvonne, That is exactly what I found. dry cottage cheese is a better description for what i found.

 

[BP12]

I have shallow ponds for them and soak the as much as I can with a hose.

 

[Yvonne G]

You need to actually put them into a tub that they can't climb out of. Fill up the water so it comes to the middle of their sides (this is called the bridge) and just leave them soaking in there for about a half hour daily. They may scramble to get out, but don't let them get to you. They need to hydrate, and soaking allows them to absorb a bit of water through the thin skin on the throat and around the cloaca.

 

[saginawhxc]

I would think if you were soaking properly you would have came across this by now.

If this is the first time you have found urates I would guess you need to step up your hydration game.

Unless this desert tortoises are that much different from sulcatas, Russians, or bearded dragons. I have five reptiles at the house and they all urate on a regular basis.

 

[BP12]

WOW........thank you very much! I will get them soaked on a daily basis. how often should i be seeing the urates?

 

[saginawhxc]

Mine urate during most, but not all, of their soaks.

 

[enzot91]

WOW........thank you very much! I will get them soaked on a daily basis. how often should i be seeing the urates?

Often, a well hydrated tortoise won't produce urates at all.