What is the white stuff that comes out in my torts pee?

[spudsgirl]

I have been told not to worry it is just calcium but I am not so certain I cant really describe what it looks like its not powdery its looks like a small bright white flat thing like a little bit of loo roll, sorry if my discription is vague but it the best I can give. Is it just calcium coming out or is it something I should show a vet if I can pick it up that is?

It doesnt happen evertime he pees just now and again I notice it when he running around on in me living room.

Does anyone have any ideas. x

[dreamer]

its called urates, its normal as long as it isnt gritty or anything. Lots of people have posted similar questions on here, dont worry about it.

[fatfecker]

Urates (or uric acid if you prefer) are the end product of protein digestion, not an indication of calcium. Torts have 3 waste products, wee, poo and urates, the urates are excreted along with wee as they are stored in the urinary bladder.

Be brave and stick your finger in it, as long as it isn't gritty or coming out in huge lumps it is perfectly normal.

[Mrs Mental]

Does it look a bit like slimey toothpaste????? And if so don't panic like the others have said its urates and perfectly normal. One of mine does this quite often, one every now and then and the other one I dont think has ever done it so goes to show they're all totally different

[Piecesandjam]

What does it mean if they start to get a bit more solid and gritty??

[fatfecker]

Generally that they are dehydrated, bath twice daily until they cream up again, torts are programmed to only release water once more is available, that is why they often pee in their bath.

If they do not have access to water they do not urinate but the urates (the creamy stuff) still builds up, when I got my tortoise from a pet shop (I know, I know) back in 2001 after bathing he passed a stone bigger than his tail due to not being provided water, after bathing twice daily for a few weeks he was much better and his appetite increased substantially.

[Piecesandjam]

Cool, thanks!
Think she needs more bathing then cause her skin is getting a bit dry - but she hates the bath sooo much
Also, just veering off the subject.... i see you keep Hermans, do u think my tort is hermannii hermanii or the other 1 (its the 1s you have - cant spell it!! ). Just has more yellow/green/brown colouring on her shell compared to other HH's i thought?

[fatfecker]

looks like a hermanni boettgeri to me, take a picture of his belly though, alot easier to tell from a belly pic, hermanni hermanni have a lot more black in the belly. More differences are explained Here

[Piecesandjam]

Excellent - thanks!
She's buried at the mo, so i wont wake her up 2 check her belly - almost certain is 99% yellow/green. So if in future I decided to get another tort, would it have to be a hermanni boe... or can you mix with HH?

[wizzasmum]

Originally Posted by Piecesandjam

Excellent - thanks!
She's buried at the mo, so i wont wake her up 2 check her belly - almost certain is 99% yellow/green. So if in future I decided to get another tort, would it have to be a hermanni boe... or can you mix with HH?

No you cannot mix sub species as the Thh is much smaller. Yours is Thb. Does your tort have shell rot - sorry if this has already been mentioned?