Oh dear, is this normal? (urates)

[1hotAZmimi]

My 25+ yr old sulcata (Milo) has had this white, somewhat slimy looking urine. It's completely opaque, like latex paint & it comes out with a large volume of milky fluid. I've seen the white stuff in the yard, but today he peed on the patio while I was feeding him some romaine lettuce. Have only had him for a month & would HATE it if I'm not doing something right .I've included a picture of the white stuff .

 

[Ronnycyr]

Tortoises also produce urine and urates. Urine is the liquid portion stored in the urinary bladder. Urine contains waste products and toxins that are filtered from the bloodstream. 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. In reptiles, uric acid is cleared from the bloodstream by the kidneys. When the tortoise urinates, it will pass the liquid urine and the semi-solid urates at the same time. A tortoise may urinate and defecate at the same time, which may leave urate deposits on the fecal material. This will make the feces appear as if it is white or off-white. I suspect that is what you are seeing.

 

[Yvonne G]

Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions section and read the thread, "My Tortoise Pooped Out Some White Stuff."

 

[Ronnycyr]

I took this explanation off the internet because it is EXACTLY how my ‘tortoise doc’ explained it to me, when my tortoise (Turbo) did the exact same thing in his office! The vet wasn’t surprised by it at all. I’m no expert but I trusted what he said! I hope that makes you feel better! Seems like it’s a normal thing. : )