Poopology
- Thread starter Sigmar
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Yes, BUT, the physiology is a bit different... Tortoises DO urinate, where birds do not. The white in a birds poop is necessary, as it is the only way they can express urates. With tortoises, you want to see as little as possible. Some is normal occasionally, but if it is large amounts and hard or gritty or has an off color, it can be a real problem.
If the urates are building up in the tortoise's system, it can create toxicity and blockages.
A tortoise's body tells itself to only flush out moisture when more moisture is available. This protects them from dehydration in the wild. By making sure your tortoise has a constant source of hydration, the urates won't have time to mass in the tortoise's system before they are flushed.
If the urates are building up in the tortoise's system, it can create toxicity and blockages.
A tortoise's body tells itself to only flush out moisture when more moisture is available. This protects them from dehydration in the wild. By making sure your tortoise has a constant source of hydration, the urates won't have time to mass in the tortoise's system before they are flushed.
In my experience, yes. All of my tortoises expressed urates when I first got them. Now none of them do. I make sure they are always well hydrated my soaking, spraying and making sure they have access to a good sized water dish.
Urates up to a few times a week is still normal, but less often and less gritty (smooth and liquidy) is good as long as the tort is still peeing the liquid portion of the urine on a regular basis (if they aren't peeing at all that is bad as they aren't replenishing their water stores, but many times you can't see the liquid pee as it will be in the water dish, hide in a moist substrate, or dry up on a dry substrate).
I have a tort that as much as I do to hydrate him and have a low oxalic acid diet, he still has gritty urates, albeit only every week or two.
Torts will only pee when they replenish the fluids, so it is common for them to pee (and poop) while being soaked. If you feel your tort isn't hydrating itself even with access to a dish which is accessible (actually test this out, because what looks ok may be difficult for the tort to use), you may choose to "force soak", or what I like to do is a twist on force soaking--I will put baby bath warm water in his dish in his enclosure when I remember to, and then place him in it. When he wants to get out he can. About half of the time he gets out, and about half of the time he stays and soaks and drinks for up to 20 minutes. The force soaking would be in a container they can't get out of for a set amount of time, such as twice a week for 10 minutes or whatever you choose (depending on the age of the tort we could recommend something if you chose to go this way).
I have a tort that as much as I do to hydrate him and have a low oxalic acid diet, he still has gritty urates, albeit only every week or two.
Torts will only pee when they replenish the fluids, so it is common for them to pee (and poop) while being soaked. If you feel your tort isn't hydrating itself even with access to a dish which is accessible (actually test this out, because what looks ok may be difficult for the tort to use), you may choose to "force soak", or what I like to do is a twist on force soaking--I will put baby bath warm water in his dish in his enclosure when I remember to, and then place him in it. When he wants to get out he can. About half of the time he gets out, and about half of the time he stays and soaks and drinks for up to 20 minutes. The force soaking would be in a container they can't get out of for a set amount of time, such as twice a week for 10 minutes or whatever you choose (depending on the age of the tort we could recommend something if you chose to go this way).
Dang. I was hoping for something a bit more stimulating here. 
With photos!
With photos!
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