What causes urates in tortoises?

What causes urates in tortoises?

Feeding too much protein to herbivorous tortoises can stress the kidneys and cause them to produce a lot of urates. Make sure you are feeding your sulcata a low-protein, high-fiber diet (that is, lots of grass, hay and edible weeds, and NO ANIMAL PROTEINS) and that you soak the tortoise regularly.

Do tortoises have urates?

Tortoises also produce urine and urates. Urine is the liquid portion stored in the urinary bladder. Reptiles also have one more type of excretion product, called urates or uric acid. This is the end product of protein digestion and is also stored in the urinary bladder as a creamy, off-white pasty semi-solid.

How often should a tortoise passed urates?

This should be done daily, until the urates return to normal. Generally, this bathing should be done two to three times every week (more often for hatchlings, who can dehydrate more rapidly than adults).

What does it mean when a tortoise poops white?

Tortoise excrement can contain a white substance called urate. A runny consistency is healthy, but you should watch out if this becomes lumpy or grainy in texture. This indicates a lack of water. The worse the change, the worse the issue, especially if this dryness continues in their poop.

Is tortoise poop toxic?

For expert advice, I contacted reptile specialist Dr. Robin Lane. I learned that Tortie most likely carries a species of pinworms that can only set up housekeeping in tortoise intestines. Unlike pinworms that bedevil unlucky school children, Tortie’s would be harmless to dogs and humans.

Why do tortoises pee on you?

Tortoises sometimes urinate when they are picked up. This is thought to be a defence mechanism, due to the volume of liquid, and the speed at which it is released. If your tortoise does this, ensure that its given plenty of opportunity to rehydrate, either through bathing it, or providing water rich foods.

Do tortoises need to eat everyday?

How often should I feed my tortoise, should it be every day? Adult tortoises can be fed every day but it is recommended to give them a starve day twice a week.

Can a dog get sick from eating a tortoise?

Alternatively, if your dog ate a turtle recently within the past two hours, you can take your dog to the vet right away and the vet may try to get any large pieces of the shell out of the stomach. Turtles at times can be harbor parasites and these can be transmitted to dogs.

Why do tortoises pee in water?

The water itself is retained in case the tortoise doesn’t come across a drink for a while and needs to reabsorb it! They essentially “flush and refill” the tank by peeing and drinking as much as they can. They can then keep going for weeks (or longer, if necessary) on their fresh water supply.

What do tortoises need to be happy?

Some may call these items toys while others may consider them enrichment. No matter what they’re called, tortoises do need a variety of interactive objects to stay healthy and happy. Logs, rocks, bathing dishes, moist hides, and dirt mounds are good choices for toys and enrichment.

What kind of urate does a tortoise have?

Urates will generally range from a stark white to a very pale yellow in color, and can be anywhere from the consistency of toothpaste to very thin and watery. The appearance of your tortoise’s urates depend largely on how much protein makes up their diet, as well as how much water they drink on a daily basis.

Is it OK to own a leopard tortoise?

Leopard tortoises are stunning reptiles that stand out in a crowd. These pets are not only beautiful to look at, but a joy to own. With their long lifespan and peaceful nature, many herp-lovers have been drawn in by this unique species. But leopard tortoise care is harder than it seems.

How are bladder stones formed in a tortoise?

In a well hydrated tortoise these urates are secreted normally when urinating. In a dehydrated tortoise that is recycling its urine, the urates are not secreted, and can slowly build up into a bladder stone. When we analyze tortoise bladder stones chemically they are comprised almost exclusively of urates.

What kind of animal is a leopard tortoise?

Docile and very personable, the leopard tortoise ( Stigmochelys pardalis) is a reptile that can bring decades of joy to the right owner. These tortoises are the fourth largest in the world, and they sport a beautiful shell to boot! Originally from Eastern and Southern Africa, leopard tortoises inhabit savannahs and grasslands.