Leopard weeing a lot

[Lyn W]

Recently I've noticed that Lola seems to be weeing a lot.
Always when he comes out of his hide in the morning but sometimes when he's eating he leaves a puddle, and when he's walking he often leaves a trail too. So on average about 4-5 times a day.
His urates looks fine - white and creamy, so is this normal for torts and I'm just noticing it now I'm home more often? His floor is covered in thick black rubber and cleaned everyday, but I've never noticed as much as I've seen this last week. Maybe the puddles have dried up by the time I usually get home or maybe he usually uses his substrate trays so I've not seen it, but just in case this could be a health issue thought I'd check what the normal frequency is for torts weeing.

 

[Yvonne G]

I doubt it's anything to worry about, but just be sure he always has access to fresh water.

 

[Lyn W]

I doubt it's anything to worry about, but just be sure he always has access to fresh water.

Thanks Yvonne yes he has a large tray of fresh water daily which he could self soak in if he wanted to, although I rarely see him drink; he is soaked every day and his food is well hydrated too (i.e soaked for a while) - in fact I was wondering if he is too hydrated if there is such a thing.

 

[JoesMum]

Thanks Yvonne yes he has a large tray of fresh water daily which he could self soak in if he wanted to, although I rarely see him drink; he is soaked every day and his food is well hydrated too (i.e soaked for a while) - in fact I was wondering if he is too hydrated if there is such a thing.

I doubt Lola is too hydrated.

He may not need daily soaks now he's so big, but it's unlikely to do any harm.

I wouldn't be concerned. Joe floods us out from time to time too.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

As you know, Lyn, I live in a pretty hot place.
i tend to find in the summer that Tidgy drinks much more and what goes in comes out to a large degree. i get lakes.
She drinks because she knows its hot and doesn't know when she will find water again. next time she drinks or gets wet food she'll leave the water she was retaining, just in case. It's a biological preservation process and quite normal.
I wouldn't worry,
if it's hot and she's nor peeing buckets, she's not getting enough liquid.

 

[Lyn W]

Thanks Adam and JoesMum, when he misses his mats and wets my tiles his wee looks nice and clear but I just wanted to check there wasn't anything wrong that could be making him wee more often.
I soak him daily because I rarely see him drink and even though I can tell when he's been in his water tray, sometimes he just walks through it, and I struggle keeping humidity above 50% so it's to help his shell growth really.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Thanks Adam and JoesMum, when he misses his mats and wets my tiles his wee looks nice and clear but I just wanted to check there wasn't anything wrong that could be making him wee more often.
I soak him daily because I rarely see him drink and even though I can tell when he's been in his water tray, sometimes he just walks through it, and I struggle keeping humidity above 50% so it's to help his shell growth really.

I'm not a leopard expert, as you know, but it all sounds good to me.
Tidgy sometimes won't drink her bath or water tray, but this means she's tanked up.
I'm pretty sure you're doing fine.
We know how much you care for Lola, and when you're on hols the love is suddenly intensified.

 

[Kasia]

Thanks Adam and JoesMum, when he misses his mats and wets my tiles his wee looks nice and clear but I just wanted to check there wasn't anything wrong that could be making him wee more often.
I soak him daily because I rarely see him drink and even though I can tell when he's been in his water tray, sometimes he just walks through it, and I struggle keeping humidity above 50% so it's to help his shell growth really.

Check Lola's weight daily in the morning and in the evenings - if it's not at equilibrium you will know she looses to much water and it's something to worrie about. My leo pees once a day a clear pee, I often don't see ureates in it's pee.

 

[JoesMum]

Check Lola's weight daily in the morning and in the evenings - if it's not at equilibrium you will know she looses to much water and it's something to worrie about. My leo pees once a day a clear pee, I often don't see ureates in it's pee.

I disagree. Weighing too frequently is a waste of time.

Just like your weight, a tort's weight varies naturally through the day.

Weighing once a week at roughly the time of day each time will give you a much more accurate indication of weight trends.

For an otherwise healthy tort, I wouldn't weigh more frequently than once a fortnight. Joe gets done once a month and more frequently in the last few weeks before hibernation.

 

[Kasia]

I disagree. Weighing too frequently is a waste of time.

Just like your weight, a tort's weight varies naturally through the day.

Weighing once a week at roughly the time of day each time will give you a much more accurate indication of weight trends.

For an otherwise healthy tort, I wouldn't weigh more frequently than once a fortnight. Joe gets done once a month and more frequently in the last few weeks before hibernation.

Yes, it varies but in certain range, water retention will be visible in matter of days.

 

[Lyn W]

Well I've been keeping a close eye on Lola trying to catch him in the act of weeing and this morning I watched as he came out of his hide. He lay under his lamp for a while and then a steady stream of clear wee appeared from under him. He wandered around for a while had some dandies and basked a while longer. Then he raised to his feet and seemed to be struggling with something, one of his front feet was circling in the air and he hissed and then I noticed his penis was fully extended. He passed a little more urine and then lay again for awhile before carrying on as usual.

So do you think this is a sign that maybe there is a blockage and the flashing occurs because he is straining or is this normal adolescent tort behaviour while flashing? He only used to do it in his soak when he first started. I may take to the vet for an xray just to check there's no stones in his tubes.
(He is eating really well - eating loads actually - and very active so there are no other signs that he is in distress or ill)

 

[JoesMum]

It doesn't sound anything particularly unusual to me - boy behaviour

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Well I've been keeping a close eye on Lola trying to catch him in the act of weeing and this morning I watched as he came out of his hide. He lay under his lamp for a while and then a steady stream of clear wee appeared from under him. He wandered around for a while had some dandies and basked a while longer. Then he raised to his feet and seemed to be struggling with something, one of his front feet was circling in the air and he hissed and then I noticed his penis was fully extended. He passed a little more urine and then lay again for awhile before carrying on as usual.

So do you think this is a sign that maybe there is a blockage and the flashing occurs because he is straining or is this normal adolescent tort behaviour while flashing? He only used to do it in his soak when he first started. I may take to the vet for an xray just to check there's no stones in his tubes.
(He is eating really well - eating loads actually - and very active so there are no other signs that he is in distress or ill)

I've far less experience with boy torts and non with leopards, but I bet it's normal.
But if in doubt, vet visit.

 

[Anyfoot]

As you know, Lyn, I live in a pretty hot place.
i tend to find in the summer that Tidgy drinks much more and what goes in comes out to a large degree. i get lakes.
She drinks because she knows its hot and doesn't know when she will find water again. next time she drinks or gets wet food she'll leave the water she was retaining, just in case. It's a biological preservation process and quite normal.
I wouldn't worry,
if it's hot and she's nor peeing buckets, she's not getting enough liquid.

I agree Adam. We've had a very hot period in the uk, reaching mid 30s. Lola will probably be taking on board more liquid thinking there's harsh arid times ahead(instinct). When the harsh times don't follow due to captivity he releases the fluids.
@Lyn W it will be interesting to see what happens when we are over this freak hot period.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I agree Adam. We've had a very hot period in the uk, reaching mid 30s. Lola will probably be taking on board more liquid thinking there's harsh arid times ahead(instinct). When the harsh times don't follow due to captivity he releases the fluids.
@Lyn W it will be interesting to see what happens when we are over this freak hot period.

Yeah it's in the 40's here quite often, and all the torts do it.

 

[Anyfoot]

Yeah it's in the 40's here quite often, and all the torts do it.

Makes sense, even when it's a continuous barrage of heat like tidgy endures but not the the lack of food sources that may follow in the wild that the peeing cycle would be on a larger scale.
40°c. Keep it. I'm a cool man.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Makes sense, even when it's a continuous barrage of heat like tidgy endures but not the the lack of food sources that may follow in the wild that the peeing cycle would be on a larger scale.
40°c. Keep it. I'm a cool man.

In the wild here, they spend most of the days buried shallowly and venture out at dawn and dusk or when it rains (rare in summer).
Sometimes they don't come out at all for several days.
And I love the heat
I'm very uncool.

 

[Lyn W]

Makes sense, even when it's a continuous barrage of heat like tidgy endures but not the the lack of food sources that may follow in the wild that the peeing cycle would be on a larger scale.
40°c. Keep it. I'm a cool man.

Me too
- except I'm not a man!
Thanks for your reply Craig.

 

[Lyn W]

I'll keep an eye on him for the next day or so and if the 'straining' continues we'll be off the vets for a check up!