Gritty Urates

[tortoisenerd]

My tort has been having gritty urates (few times a week that I notice) still even with every other day baths, his own drinks from the dish, and moist greens. I find dried urates near his food. Any way milky urates can dry to be gritty? I say this as I usually find them after they have dried so it's hard to tell what the consistency was before that. I'm guessing not though, and he either has a medical problem (he had a stone a couple weeks ago) or maybe he's still dehydrated.

He's about 6 months old. Does he still need daily soaks if he drinks on his own? Thanks for the advice! I've been thinking about taking him to the vet to get checked out again (he went in Dec.), as his urate system seems a little off with the stone, and then he'll not pass any for awhile, and then pass a lot of gritty ones, etc.

I've cut out as much food as I could with oxalic acid without sacrificing too much variety. He's mostly had baby lettuce mix this past week along with some lettuce/broadleaf/veggie sprouts.

 

[galvinkaos]

I have had the same issue about 2 times a week. I come home to find dry gritty urates on their food tile. I know they pee when they eat it cracks me up, 1st bite and the stream starts. I added a grade to the tiles so it would flow away from their food. I finally saw Doris actually pass them after I got home and the were only slightly gritty, less than when they were dried. I always soak both of them again if I see that. It will be 75-80 tomorrow, so it is sun and soak outdoors day.

Dawna

 

[nrfitchett4]

mine had her first urates yesterday. freaked my wife out. guess I have to go back to zero baby spinach in the spring mix...

 

[tortoisenerd]

Dawna-That's good to know they may not be as bad as they look. Today I saw some fresh ones, and although gritty, they also had some liquid content.

 

[galvinkaos]

The ratio of solid to liquid was definitely more on the liquid side when occurring but once dried seemed like alot more solid.

Dawna

 

[tortoisenerd]

Maybe I should quit worrying then...he went into the water at least twice on his own today and peed twice, with a little urates each time. It would be silly if he was actually dehydrated, and I hope due to his young age he doesn't have any medical problems.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I had a 4 year old tort who stopped eating and after a week I took her to the Vet who was kind of stern when she said the tort was dehydrated. How could that be when I soaked her every other day??? I am disabled and am home all the time and what I mainly do is take care of turtles and tortoises. I soaked her every other day...and she (the Vet) says that people count on soaking too much that soaking is "highly over rated". She says that not so much liquid is absorbed thru the cloaca as we think is. She says that soaking is over rated and if they don't drink that they will get dehydrated. That little tortoise stopped eating and even tho I soaked her and did every thing I know to do, in 3 weeks she was dead. I had her for 4 years and took very good care of her and she up and died in 3 weeks. So now I am confused about soaking. I have always believed in soaking. I counted on soaking to keep the animals hydrated...so what to do? Do I still soak?
Bob lives in a shed for 7 months. He would only drink from a running hose. I'm sure not gonna be running a hose in his shed all winter...so I got a dog bowl. The kind that don't spill...and darned if after a month I saw him drink out of that bowl. He drinks regularly out of it now and he pees a creamy flow with grit balls in it, and other times it's clear water...he's drinking so I'm just not going to fret over it. It is what it is...

 

[tortoisenerd]

Today alone we saw him go into his bowl (it has steps so it's cute to watch him manage those) and drink a sip or two. So yes, I don't rely just on the soaks, as I don't see him drink as much during those. The soaks help his skin and shell more, actually. He was shedding pretty bad (flaps of skin over his face) and a couple soaks cleared that up.

Thanks for the reassurement as always, Maggie. That's cool Bob will drink out of a bowl.

 

[Crazy1]

You can also wet down their greens this way they are taking in more water when they eat.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Thanks Robyn! I do that. The other day they were so moist I didn't notice that he also peed on them. Silly tort. On the weekend we watch him eat and he tends to eat the greens even if he pees on them...during the week he eats after I leave for the day so I don't get a chance to make sure he doesn't do anything gross. Today he pooped in his water dish really bad so I don't want to think about him soaking in the poop water, lol.

 

[Crazy1]

OK then I won't tell you that while you are at work he may be eating his poo.

 

[Isa]

Sometimes, when I get home, Hermy has brown spot in his face and on his mouth Ewwww Hermy

 

[Crazy1]

Just so you know it is thought that hatchlings will eat poo of an adult as well as dirt to get necessary good bacteria for their system. So eating their own poo is nothing other than recycling the foods and nutritions they already had eaten. Then again, maybe its just an aquired taste

 

[tortoisenerd]

Hehe I'm sure he does all sorts of stuff when I'm not watching. I usually find some poo everyday during the week though He tends to poop twice on the weekend that we find and clean up, but we also feed him extra since we're home. He's usually asleep again by the time I get home, or else I'd feed him a snack every afternoon. He was really quite scrawny when I got him, which we didn't realize until he put on weight and looked more natural while not gaining too much in length yet. Also feels more like a rock which I've heard is good.

At about 6 months old should he still be sleeping (rather, burrowed; not sure if he's asleep the whole time) from about 5pm to 8am? He's active during the day and eats fine, as well as naps under the light, so I haven't worried about it. I just never see him awake during the week!

The urates have been better lately (a little less often and less gritty). I actually think he's been self-soaking pretty well because I've only been soaking every 2-3 days, but I find stuff in his water so I know he's going in. That water dish I have with the steps was the best investment I've made because he didn't go drink before that.

 

[Isa]

Kate
I am glad Trevor's urates are looking better and less gritty.
Hermy is 3 or 4 years old and he goes in his hide around 5 or 6PM and wakes up around 6h30-7AM in the morning.

 

[Crazy1]

My greeks are inside now for the winter and they sleep or are at least quiet from about 5:30 pm to about 6 AM Then they nap on and off throughout the day. Their most active time is early morning (Breakfast time about 6 Am) and early evening about 4 pm.

I am glad to hear that Trevor is doing better.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Sounds like he's on track then as far as sleeping! Yay. His light comes on at 6am but he doesn't wake up until about 8am.

I moved his enclosure around a bit since I did a heavy cleaning, and now he likes to sleep butted up against a piece of driftwood not so deeply burrowed. Makes me happy because he used to dig down to the bottom against the wall and end up scratching the bottom and sides of the enclosure (made noise and I don't like to hear him frustrated). I guess the driftwood makes him feel safe so he doesn't have to burrow so deep. He sure loves the aspen.

 

[drgnfly2265]

I am so happy that ya'll were talking about this. I seen Bowsers pee a couple of days ago and it had gritties in it and I'm still noticing some when he still goes, but just a little. I was going to ask ya'll but you were already talking about it. I love this site!!!

___________________________________________________________

Jamie

1 Sulcata (Bowser)

www.myspace.com/bowsertortoise

 

[tortoisenerd]

Update: Trevor has still been having urates a few times a week, sometimes in large amount. But, they have not been so gritty. I've decided not to worry about it for now since there haven't been any more stones.

I'm thinking of adding a little cactus back into his diet. For awhile I was giving him a couple bites a day, but couldn't figure out the likely oxalic acid content of it.

 

[Isa]

Update: Trevor has still been having urates a few times a week, sometimes in large amount. But, they have not been so gritty. I've decided not to worry about it for now since there haven't been any more stones.

I'm thinking of adding a little cactus back into his diet. For awhile I was giving him a couple bites a day, but couldn't figure out the likely oxalic acid content of it.

Kate,
Hermy is passing urates everyday. it is white and creamy so I am not worrying about it but I still feed him some lettuce everyday just to make sure everything is ok.
Good luck with Trevor