hi, im probably being totally stupid but i would like some info please. have heard people talking about urates in the torts wee- what is this? sounds like some sort of gritty salt from what i can gather (which clearly isnt much lol). i have never noticed this with my torts- is that good or bad? please explain ,many thanks

urates should be creamy not gritty. If they're gritty it means that the tortoise is dehydrated. Comes out like white creamy....i dont knw how to explain it..mucus? maybe. Chances are it could have dried on the substrate and you've not realised. Mine tend to do it in the bath

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best way to describe urates, When a bird poos on your washing - the white bit is urate, Most reptiles do not "Wee" they pass a white chalky substance - urate. In some species (i am talking all reptiles not just chelonia) it can be a fairly firm white lump down to a white trace in a watery stool. Some people confuse this white chalky bit of the poo with calcium and believe that it is excess calcium being passed!. I believe (need back up on this) that it is the white chalky urate that can build up in tortoises kidneys causing kidney stones and death when they do not have access to drinking water.

Can somebody tell me is this why tortoises "wee" where as most other reptiles do not?

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Can also be caused by letting a normally hydrated tort sleep under a basking lamp. If it appears as a lump - you've got problems. Torts store water in their bodies which they release as urine only when they have the opportunity to replenish supplies or when startled/upset. Some think this is a defence mechanism but there is nothing to prove this. You will see them release stale moisture when bathing them also when feeding lettuce or other wet/low fibre foods

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Take care
Sue

wizzasmum@aol.com

Yes you will notice that I said in some species in can be a fairly firm white lump and that i was talking reptiles in general not just chelonia. As it is common for bearded dragons to pass a firm (not rock hard) urate. But i guess this would be indicative of dehydration in a tortoise? or would they just not pass any urate?


so when a tortoise "wees" is it not actually urinating but just changing its water stores? As in its not discharging urine its just expelling excess moisture? I would love to know for definate as that will answer the question in my head as why do tortoises wee when other reptiles do not.

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It seems that in the majority of times that I have witnessed, it is my adult females that can release a large amount of clear fluid. Urates can be passed either before this fluid release, or after.

I rarely, if ever, have seen my males "wee" anywhere near the same amount of fluid.

I have also seen my young 3 year old female Ibera release a substantial amount of fluid too...T.T.


PS. You aint gettin it all...my posts are being monitored/censored...

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Weeds...There free ya know!!!

thanks for the replies but i am still a little confussed as to what it actually is!!
should i be worried that i have never noticed this with my torts? although saying that i have only ever noticed one of them passing clear liquid once so maybe as mentioned before it just dries before i see it.
would it mean theyre unhealthy if they dont pass it? or unhealthy if they do? bit confussed. many thanks

LOL - you been a naughty boy again

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Take care
Sue

wizzasmum@aol.com

Keep your torts wellhydrated then it does not matter if you see it or not. If thye are not hydrated then not seeing it could mean they are dehydrated and forming a bladder stone. Well hydrated torts often do not pass urates.

__________________
Take care
Sue

wizzasmum@aol.com