Gritty urates or cuttle bone being passed? Or what?

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Everything is still normal apart from the gritty urates on saturday. When do you think that it is safe to lay off the daily soaks and mineral oil, if ever?

Overall, what do you think, is this "medical therapy" an effective way to treat bladder stones? I mean is there effective treatment without surgery? I found this one case study where the stone increased in size after 5 months of treatment: https://meridian.allenpress.com/jhm...-Energy-Computed-Tomography-for-Diagnosis-and

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

This is when I wish I was more up on the ins and outs of bladder stones and how to treat😣luckily never had to deal with it! But I feel your concern through your posts bless you, keep doing what you’re doing for now and hopefully the others can help on next steps❤️it’s really good that he’s being his usual self though🥰

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Not related, but spotted some mites on Edward today 😬 https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/mites-on-a-russian-tortoise.217049/

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Not related, but spotted some mites on Edward today 😬 https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/mites-on-a-russian-tortoise.217049/

Oh bless him!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

The tick problem is over and Edward has been healthy. His weight has been hovering around 500g, 3-5 grams over or under. His appetite and activity is normal and he returns to his food plate mulriple times a day. Poops have been regular, often times at least once a day.There has been some gritty urates, maybe three since I last updated. But also some normal urine without urates.

I have been thinking, is brumation a possibility I should even consider next winter? How does brumation affect bladder stones? Can they build up and cause problems during brumation? If you have any resources I might want to look at, please share them!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

The tick problem is over and Edward has been healthy. His weight has been hovering around 500g, 3-5 grams over or under. His appetite and activity is normal and he returns to his food plate mulriple times a day. Poops have been regular, often times at least once a day.There has been some gritty urates, maybe three since I last updated. But also some normal urine without urates.

I have been thinking, is brumation a possibility I should even consider next winter? How does brumation affect bladder stones? Can they build up and cause problems during brumation? If you have any resources I might want to look at, please share them!

@Tom @Yvonne G or @zovick do you have any insight?

 

[zovick]

@Tom @Yvonne G or @zovick do you have any insight?

I have not dealt with any brumating species for many years. However, I would say to go ahead and try it if the tortoise has been acting normally for a few weeks prior to the time of brumation. Personally, I would not attempt an overly long period of time for the first try. Say maybe 8 weeks or a bit longer.

Let's see what others with more direct experience may say.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I have not dealt with any brumating species for many years. However, I would say to go ahead and try it if the tortoise has been acting normally for a few weeks prior to the time of brumation. Personally, I would not attempt an overly long period of time for the first try. Say maybe 8 weeks or a bit longer.

Let's see what others with more direct experience may say.

Thanks for the reply anyway. What do you think about bladder stones forming during brumation? Doesit happen, or is the metabolism slowed down enough they won't form?

 

[zovick]

Thanks for the reply anyway. What do you think about bladder stones forming during brumation? Doesit happen, or is the metabolism slowed down enough they won't form?

I can't say for sure, but I would think that they would not form (at least not very quickly) due to the slowed metabolism.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thanks for the reply anyway. What do you think about bladder stones forming during brumation? Doesit happen, or is the metabolism slowed down enough they won't form?

Interesting question... I would like to hear a good explantaion.
As I understand bladder stones form from uric acid crystalls which are a by-product of digesting protein. Tortoises brumate with their guts empty (or at least should do that way) so protein metabolising doesn't happen through all period of brumation. And fat cells and muscle tissue which store some nutrients don't accumulate protein as well.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

BEHAVIOUR CHANGES:

I wanted to update everyone. I moved apartments on the 24th of August. Edwards enclousure has stayed the same except I reinforced the railing on his ramp. Since then he has gone to sleep a bit earlier than usual. Usually he digs in for the night at about 6 to 7 pm. Now he goes to sleep at 4 to 5 pm. Could this be from the move, him preparing for brumation or something more serious?

He is still eating normally and moving around. He is preferring his humid hide over the other hides. Every other day I give him a soak and most times he passes one urate, smaller than the tip of my finger. These are sometimes a bit gritty like there is sand inside. My concern is that today he passed like five of those instead of the usual one.

Any thoughts on his behavior or brumation possibilities?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

BEHAVIOUR CHANGES:

I wanted to update everyone. I moved apartments on the 24th of August. Edwards enclousure has stayed the same except I reinforced the railing on his ramp. Since then he has gone to sleep a bit earlier than usual. Usually he digs in for the night at about 6 to 7 pm. Now he goes to sleep at 4 to 5 pm. Could this be from the move, him preparing for brumation or something more serious?

He is still eating normally and moving around. He is preferring his humid hide over the other hides. Every other day I give him a soak and most times he passes one urate, smaller than the tip of my finger. These are sometimes a bit gritty like there is sand inside. My concern is that today he passed like five of those instead of the usual one.

Any thoughts on his behavior or brumation possibilities?

Maybe ambient light in the room has changed (like windows facing in other direction)?

 

[Megatron's Mom]

When one of my led strip lights went out Optimus was not too happy. It wasn't really that much different to me but to him it was like it was gloomy out. Once I put in a new strip light he was back to normal.

Now if it isn't that it could be a brumation thing. I don't have tortes that brumates but Bumblebee my leopard tortoise goes to bed earlier in the fall. Even though my lights stay on the same amount of time.