White Chalky Substance - Urates?

[TestudoGeek]

Hello,

This morning, while taking a bath, instead of the usual bowl movement, my little Hermanni releasead a white cloud of dust lol

Are these the Urates I read about? I've noticed some white spots on the substrate in the past 2 weeks and figured that might be it, right?
What I'd like to know is if this is normal or if I should change something. I've even eased on the calcium added to each meal: since last week I've only dusted his food 2 or 3 times.

He seems fine. Has been putting weight (about 2 grams per week, now weighting 36g), is active and is getting bigger (5 cm at the begining of the month and circa 5,3 today).
Thanks,
T

 

[clark]

Hello,

This morning, while taking a bath, instead of the usual bowl movement, my little Hermanni releasead a white cloud of dust lol

Are these the Urates I read about? I've noticed some white spots on the substrate in the past 2 weeks and figured that might be it, right?
What I'd like to know is if this is normal or if I should change something. I've even eased on the calcium added to each meal: since last week I've only dusted his food 2 or 3 times.

He seems fine. Has been putting weight (about 2 grams per week, now weighting 36g), is active and is getting bigger (5 cm at the begining of the month and circa 5,3 today).
Thanks,
T

i would be careful how much calcium u give him i dust my spur thigh food 3 times a week and ive read to much calcium can cause problems.im not an expert on ur species and i could be wrong but i would check into or call a vet that is fimiliar with ur species and ask.more than 3 times a week seems a bit much to me/i could be wrong

 

[Crazy1]

Yep, I would say urates. It is perfectly normal for them to do this. all of my Greeks do this. Sometimes alone sometimes with feces in it. It is just ridding the body of the urates. Your shelled baby is still little and I know this is the formatable year of his/her life. I give my little one calcium and vits everyday and I am now soaking him/her in vitisol for birds. it is a liquid vit. Here is a quote from the post (BIG problems....someone please help!) from egyptiandan who raises greeks.
"you can't over do the supplements in the first year. You can though once they get older."
He also stated in the same thread;
"I also, for the first year of my hatchlings lives, add liquid vitamins once a week to their water while soaking. I use Vitasol for birds by 8in1."

 

[egyptiandan]

It is urates your seeing and thats perfectly normal.
The first year is the critical year with hatchlings and you can't over do the supplements within that period.

Danny

 

[T-P]

That white stuff is normal.

 

[Cam]

What amount of urates should one expect, and how often?

(When we brought home our 7 year old greek he had urate releases in his bath water about the size of the palm of your hand at each of the first 4 soaks. Now he is bathed every other day and releases only a pea sized amount occasionally.)

 

[Jelbel]

the urates can vary, and should be anything from the thickness of toothpaste to cramy. but should not be gritty.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Cam]

Thanks.
I have never seen gritty...what would that mean if the urates were gritty?

 

[TestudoGeek]

what would that mean if the urates were gritty?

it would mean dehydration.

 

[Cam]

If they do not excrete any for several days would that also mean dehydration?

 

[Ozric]

I don't find that mine produce urates every day, I'd say each tort produces urates probably at least once a week, but it does vary.

I've had the gritty urates once, its easy to spot as the urates are lumpy and, well, gritty. It went away when I provided more baths.

An absence of urates could mean dehydration though, as they might be too dry and lumpy to pass out of the torts system.