Passing gritty urate and some 'hair'?

[derrick0312]

I have recently started a thread regarding my tort (1 yr old Hermann) which is not passing urate/pee as frequent as before. Today when I was bathing her, she passed out some really gritty white urate, together with many tiny tiny solid things which I guess is stones? Also coming out is some 'root-like hair' that you always find in topsoil?

Really worrying!!

I bathe her every morning for 15-20 mins in lukewarm water, and she has no problem poo-ing. As said she has not urinate as frequent these days...what should I do???????

I am a bit surprised as I read that gritty urate is a sign of dehydration - but I bathe her every day and I saw her sometimes drink from the water bowl...I feed her on weed such as plantain, dandelion (not always), clover, Sainfoin (not always), Campanula flowers and leaves, and T-rex pellet once a week. I also supplement with Nutrobal and calci-dust. Would there be a chance that I give too much nutrobal/calcium so it forms stones? I read from TT that excess calcium is actually not passed out from urine, and I would this would be a problem?

Shall I give her some lettuce/cucumber to increase her water intake? Also, I use tap water for her bath and water bowl? would hard water be a problem?

[Alan1]

I think you are giving a decent variety there and the water type and calcium won't be a problem I doubt. I wouldn't panic. Sometimes they do pass gritty urates from time to time. Hard water is probably far better than soft water for them.

Dehydration could cause stones and eating things like dandelion a lot and things with high oxalates maybe but I don't think you need to worry, you appear to be doing all the right things

[Alan1]

also they will pee in the bath without any sign of urates at times

[derrick0312]

Argh I am still wondering what might have gone wrong? She has been passing urate a lot in the past few months, and suddenly the behaviour changes since last week or two...why why why why why why why!!!??? Is stone forming takes a long time like months? or it can happen in weeks?

And the root-like hair from the soil indicates that she has been eating soil???? But I feed her on slate...is she too hungry? Shall I give her more food??? I thought I give her more than enough already.

[Bindi]

I agree with Alan, you seem to be doing all the right things, keep up with the regular bathing and varied diet, she has probably had a nibble on the substrate which would account for the hair type stuff in her poo. They also are partial to the odd stone or two which as long as it's coming out the other end ok shouldn't be a problem.

[Alan1]

I think it would take months for a stone to form but not sure. remember they can pass a fairly big stone .. and of course they lay eggs which are not small, females obviously.
plantain and other plants have strands like hair but they do eat a hair in the soil from time to time. when the balls of hair in the soil collect in a ball, lift them out. they will eat far worse in the wild, dead animal hair or fur is bount to be in with plants they come across

[Alan1]

BTW, if there was a stone there would be a lot of straining to poop with nowt coming out so it doesn't appear to be a problem

[derrick0312]

Thanks peeps! I think I will carry on with my routine and hope for the best