Gritty urates

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3appleshigh

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Cooper, my 10 month Russian hasn't been acting herself for the past month, she lost her appetite and doesn't come out from under her hide, she used to be really active, nothing has changed with her general husbandry.
I've been soaking her almost daily, misting her viv and food, but she never drinks. She's only interested in food if I place it in front of her, and she'll only eat her favourite round lettuce, whereas previously she used eat a huge variety of leaves and weeds.
Anyhow, today she passed a watery ish bowl movement followed by some urates, like any good torty mummy I gave it a good feel, and its was pretty gritty, also there were 2 flat white disks and 1-2 cms in it. I know urates are a sign of dehydration, I'll up her soaks to twice a day, is there anything else I can do?
 

wellington

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I would force the other greens. Chop it up small and mix with what she will eat. Then mist it all with water. The water she needs anyway and it also helps the food all stick together so she can't pick and choose.
 

lvstorts

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You can coat her food with Mineral Oil to provide some extra lubrication to expell the gritty urates. This is only temperary, finding the cause is most important. She may have a stone or something...may warrent an x-ray.
 

Laurie

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Gritty urates are a symptom of dehydration. Have you checked your temperatures recently? If you're soaking almost daily, maybe she is being kept too hot. What are your four temperatures? Basking,warm,cool and nighttime.
 

Tom

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Sounds like either a long term nutritional thing or a "Fall is here and it's getting close to hibernation time" thing.

What sort of lighting are you using? Coil bulb for UV? How long are your lights on each day? How often do you calcium supplement? Ever feed spinach or dandelion?
 

3appleshigh

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Temperatures are hotspot 95f warm side 85f cool side 70f nighttime I turn off all the lights, the temperature is anywhere between 60-68f depending on my house. She has a uvb10 18in bulb and a 35watt sun glo basking bulb, both on 12 hours per day.
She has never had spinach, occasional eaten dandelion, but not much as she doesn't really like it. I've tried offering her the food chopped very finely all mixed, she flat out refuses as she prefers it rougher chopped, she did eat a bit of vetch and honeysuckle earlier as well as her lettuce, so hopefully now she's passed that she's starting to feel a little better

Calcium supplement was twice a week, however since she's been extra fussy this past few weeks with her food I haven't put any on her for 3 weeks, she's been getting some outdoor time however
 
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