Don Wells posted the following on another tortoise forum I subscribe to:
"My experience with stones in tortoises goes back over many years. I've gone the
surgery route both successfully and not! If it were my animal I would first
determine where the stone is located? Is it a bladder stone ( most common)?
Stones are made metabolically by gathering minerals i.e. Calcium,Magnesium etc.
and forming the stone. Its been suggested and I prescribe to this idea, based on
observation, that the animals body Ph. is not correct and its not getting the
correct balance of nutrients that will influence the Ph. in its body.
If you want to try a folk remedy that has worked for me more than once, allow
the animal to drink slightly acidified water for a few months or forever. This
is done by adding cider vinegar to its drinking water a teaspoon per cup. Desert
tortoises drink mainly non mineralized rain water or get their water from plants
like cacti,flowers etc.The acidified water allows correct absorption but seems
to not allow these stones to grow and dissolves the ones that are there."
I have added apple cider vinegar to my horse's water trough for years because it helps keep the flies off the horse. I don't see why it wouldn't help a tortoise with stones. What do you have to lose?
Anyone have any comments or thoughts about this system?
"My experience with stones in tortoises goes back over many years. I've gone the
surgery route both successfully and not! If it were my animal I would first
determine where the stone is located? Is it a bladder stone ( most common)?
Stones are made metabolically by gathering minerals i.e. Calcium,Magnesium etc.
and forming the stone. Its been suggested and I prescribe to this idea, based on
observation, that the animals body Ph. is not correct and its not getting the
correct balance of nutrients that will influence the Ph. in its body.
If you want to try a folk remedy that has worked for me more than once, allow
the animal to drink slightly acidified water for a few months or forever. This
is done by adding cider vinegar to its drinking water a teaspoon per cup. Desert
tortoises drink mainly non mineralized rain water or get their water from plants
like cacti,flowers etc.The acidified water allows correct absorption but seems
to not allow these stones to grow and dissolves the ones that are there."
I have added apple cider vinegar to my horse's water trough for years because it helps keep the flies off the horse. I don't see why it wouldn't help a tortoise with stones. What do you have to lose?
Anyone have any comments or thoughts about this system?