Frequency of passing urates

[cajf]

Good Evening everyone. I know the discussion of Urates has taken place on this forum already but after searching threads I cannot find the answer to my question.

Iv noticed the last few days that my 4.5 year old Sulcata is passing urates pretty frequently and I would like to get some feedback on the issue.

On Sunday night, Monday night, this morning, and this evening he has passed Urates while soaking. They are white, the consistency of toothpaste, and some of them feel gritty like sand.

I soak him everyday or every other day for about 30 minutes. Every time I soak him I can see that he is drinking water. He eats like normal and has the same energy he always has had.

What are you thoughts and opinions on this? Should I continue soaking him a few times a day or is it suggested I take him to the vet?

Thanks.

 

[Livingstone]

No way to know, calcium absorbtion varies by to many factors. Maybe there is too much calcium in his diet, and that is why he passes the urates so frequently?

I wondered the same thing, but as with your post, many people looked but nobody could/would answer.

What are you feeding the tortoise, how frequently, any supplements?

My 1.5 year old hasnt passed any urates in at least 6 months, I just figured the bones were absorbing all the calcium because it is growing so fast.

 

[Yvonne G]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that urates, or uric acid, was the after product of holding the urine inside the body for great lengths of time. The tortoise doesn't know when the next rainfall and puddle will occur, so they don't "pee" on a regular basis, re-using the fluid inside their body over and over. The resultant thickened white stuff, urates, will then be expelled when the next available puddle or drinking circumstance becomes available. I don't think "urates" is calcium.

There are a couple good research sites on the web telling about urates, if you do a web search for them. The Tortoise Trust and Russian Tortoise.org can both be trusted to give you the correct scoop.

 

[Missy]

Yvonne, that is what I thought too. My sulcata passes urates almost every time and I just don't worry about it.

 

[cajf]

Thank you for your replies. I took Yvonne's advice and did some research on Tortoise Trust and found that she is correct in her statement that they will not pass urates until they are sure they can replenish the water it takes to pass them.

On Tortoise Trust and a few other sites they say tortoises should not pass them more than 2-3 times a week, and if they are passing them with that frequency there may be too much protein in their diet or they may be consuming Oaxlic Acid containing foods.

I'm feeding David a handful of spring mix and a large amount of Timothy Hay in the morning. Then I put him out in the pasture where he has access to grass and fresh water all day.

I really don't feed him too much in the way of supplements. I feed him a few strawberries and some pieces of pumpkin once in a while but other than that he is on the above mentioned diet. I tried to give him a cuttle bone but in a matter of minutes he had eaten 1/4 of the bone like it was candy so I took it away from him.

My plan is to watch for the frequency he passes urates for a few more days and see if they subside with more soaking.

Yvonne -- Since you live right down the street from me, what Vet would you suggest in our area that would be great to take a tortoise to?

 

[Yvonne G]

I use Dr. Sue Lynch. She used to be the vet at the zoo, and now she's trying to get a mobile vet practice going. Her email is (without the spaces) slynch @ mailaka.net

If you don't want to use Dr. Sue, then my second choice is Dr. Holm at the Abby Pet hospital. He's very humble and is the first to admit he doesn't know much about turtles and tortoises. But he's not one to want to do brain surgery on a hang nail.

 

[cajf]

Thanks Yvonne.

Also, is there anything in the diet I listed above that stands out to you as something I should not be feeding or something I need to be feeding that I'm not?

 

[Yvonne G]

You might check your lawn to see if you have a lot of Oxalis or spurge in it. These are high in oxalates. If its mostly Bermuda grass, I can't think why he would be making stones. That's all my Dudley eats...I don't feed him at all.

 

[Becki]

Hi!
I just read Yvonne's post and looked up a picture of spurge and (darn it!) I have some mixed in my yard where my hatchling grazes twice a day. Aaaargh! I will remove it but just wanted to say Thanks Yvonne!

 

[Livingstone]

I learn something new everyday.

 

[Missy]

I don't feed fruit at all but some do rarely. How often do you feed strawberries? Tank goes in spurts on the cuttlebone, there are times he will go weeks and not touch it than sometimes he will eat the heck out of it. I leave one in his pen at all times.