Gritty Urates

[yay14]

My one year old Hermann tortoise just peed out some kinda gritty urates. He gets soaked 5-6 times a week for 20 minutes. His humidity is over 60 most of the time and i mist his food what should i do?

I looked like cottage cheese but felt like it had some small rocks in it.

 

[KarenSoCal]

My one year old Hermann tortoise just peed out some kinda gritty urates. He gets soaked 5-6 times a week for 20 minutes. His humidity is over 60 most of the time and i mist his food what should i do?

I looked like cottage cheese but felt like it had some small rocks in it.

Try soaking him every day for 30-40 min. And increase his humidity to 75-80%.

 

[yay14]

Try soaking him every day for 30-40 min. And increase his humidity to 75-80%.

I have an open top enclosure so humidity control is a little hard for me but i will try also how long should i be doing that for?

 

[KarenSoCal]

I have an open top enclosure so humidity control is a little hard for me but i will try also how long should i be doing that for?

The open top is the problem. As you have found, you can't maintain the proper temps and humidity.

There are ways to enclose it, but I don't know anything about Stockholm's Amazon. I'll post a link for you to read and you can search for similar products.

Re' how long to do the extra soaking? When you've seen no urates for a while, or at least nothing gritty, you can back off a bit. I would still soak daily, but decrease the time to 20-30 min. And don't worry if you skip a day now and then.

Hi! New here

Hey! I am looking for the "frequently asked questions" and do not see it. Can someone guide me? Thanks

www.tortoiseforum.org

 

[JoesMum]

If urate is gritty then step up to soaks twice daily for 30 minutes in warm water.

 

[yay14]

The open top is the problem. As you have found, you can't maintain the proper temps and humidity.

There are ways to enclose it, but I don't know anything about Stockholm's Amazon. I'll post a link for you to read and you can search for similar products.

Re' how long to do the extra soaking? When you've seen no urates for a while, or at least nothing gritty, you can back off a bit. I would still soak daily, but decrease the time to 20-30 min. And don't worry if you skip a day now and then.

Hi! New here

Hey! I am looking for the "frequently asked questions" and do not see it. Can someone guide me? Thanks

www.tortoiseforum.org

What would you say is a while when it comes to seing urates. Also when i dont see urates for a while or it's the right consistency should i step the humidity down to 40-60 as is recomendended for his age and species

 

[KarenSoCal]

What would you say is a while when it comes to seing urates

Maybe 3 weeks, a month? It's not a precise, timed with a timer kind of thing. The main point is no grit.

 

[yay14]

If urate is gritty then step up to soaks twice daily for 30 minutes in warm water.

If I would do that would i need to change the humidity or anything else or just change the soaking?

 

[JoesMum]

If I would do that would i need to change the humidity or anything else or just change the soaking?

Yes, your tortoise is dehydrating for a reason. You need to fix the reason.

Get a cover over the enclosure.

Your substrate ahould be an warthy type like fine grade orchid bark or coco coir. Tip water in and mix with your hands until all the substrate is damp, not wet, right to the bottom and into the corners and that will increase the humidity.

Make sure the water dish is big and shallow enough for your tortoise to get in easily and sit in it. Put the dish in the middle of the enclosure so your tortoise doesn’t drag substrate through it when patrolling the boundaries. Sink the dish into the substrate so the rim is only just above the surface.

Serve food wet so he takes water on board while he eats

 

[yay14]

Yes, your tortoise is dehydrating for a reason. You need to fix the reason.

Get a cover over the enclosure.

Your substrate ahould be an warthy type like fine grade orchid bark or coco coir. Tip water in and mix with your hands until all the substrate is damp, not wet, right to the bottom and into the corners and that will increase the humidity.

Make sure the water dish is big and shallow enough for your tortoise to get in easily and sit in it. Put the dish in the middle of the enclosure so your tortoise doesn’t drag substrate through it when patrolling the boundaries. Sink the dish into the substrate so the rim is only just above the surface.

Serve food wet so he takes water on board while he eats

How should i go by covering it also how much humidity would be good would you say? i have done all of that now exept for covering the top

 

[Maggie3fan]

You could close off the top with a piece of wood, or a piece of clear acrylic, or close it off with aluminum foil...moist substrate. Or get a green house thing made by HermanniChris, it covers the top with a nice top. About 80% humidity

 

[yay14]

You could close off the top with a piece of wood, or a piece of clear acrylic, or close it off with aluminum foil...moist substrate. Or get a green house thing made by HermanniChris, it covers the top with a nice top. About 80% humidity

but wont it be shade whare it's covered or how should i do? and also it seems like i can keep the humidity pretty good now with what am doing so is it really that important that i cover it?

 

[Chefdenoel10]

but wont it be shade whare it's covered or how should i do? and also it seems like i can keep the humidity pretty good now with what am doing so is it really that important that i cover it?

yes..... It IS important to cover it as they said.
The temps and humidity will change all of the time. If you make it a closed chamber
(As was said by everyone over and over...)
Your temps will stay constant ..all of the time. You have to remember you are doing this for your tortoise who CANT SPEAK FOR HIMSELF. Trust these guys . They KNOW what they are talking about and WHY they are saying it..
Don’t try to understand it....
right now just do it.....and you will see the results in a few months.
Also, if you cover it ... you do have lights right?
if you cover it make sure to have a :

1- heat bulb/flood light bulb
2- a “CHE” bulb (no light just heat for night time)
3- a uvb bulb/fixture.

That’s what they are trying to explain...
Do have all of that?
If not ... you need to get it.
Your tortoise is depending on you as it’s mommy.!!
Give him/her the best treatment you can and you’ll have a healthy,happy, loving tortoise!! ????

 

[JoesMum]

@yay14 Some people use a plant mini greenhouse like this over the lights and enclosure


Alternatively, use a piece of perspex/plexiglass and cut holes slightly bigger than the lights to allow them to shine unobstructed, but allow the heat and UVB through without letting too much humidity out.

 

[KarenSoCal]

@yay14 Some people use a plant mini greenhouse like this over the lights and enclosure
View attachment 313542

Alternatively, use a piece of perspex/plexiglass and cut holes slightly bigger than the lights to allow them to shine unobstructed, but allow the heat and UVB through without letting too much humidity out.

Ummm, don't you mean holes slightly smaller than the lights? Don't want them falling through.

 

[JoesMum]

Ummm, don't you mean holes slightly smaller than the lights? Don't want them falling through.

No. If you use perspex, you don’t want them touching it. It is a fire hazard. The holes should be very slightly larger

 

[yay14]

@yay14 Some people use a plant mini greenhouse like this over the lights and enclosure
View attachment 313542

Alternatively, use a piece of perspex/plexiglass and cut holes slightly bigger than the lights to allow them to shine unobstructed, but allow the heat and UVB through without letting too much humidity out.

ok i think this will work currently i am using a daylight light rail and an H.I.D lamp thats attached to the wall so I think I would have to cut holes in this tent thing

 

[KarenSoCal]

ok i think this will work currently i am using a daylight light rail and an H.I.D lamp thats attached to the wall so I think I would have to cut holes in this tent thing

If you look carefully at the picture of the tent, you'll see that there is a bar at the top. You would hang your lights from the bar, so no hole cutting is needed.

If you look on Amazon and search for 'portable greenhouse', you'll find lots of different sizes and shapes. Don't get one any smaller than 4'x2' footprint.