monmcqueen
New Member
Hi everyone, I have a Greek spur thigh whose nearly 1 year of age and they've had two stones within a week and a half, I've attached a picture which was the size of his head. Any information would be helpful
Whats this stone
- Thread starter monmcqueen
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Did that come out of your tort?
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It looks like rock hared urates which have been stained by something the tortoise ate or possibly blood. It is lucky that it passed rather than causing a blockage.
Do you keep this tortoise well-hydrated? IE, do you soak it for roughly 20-30 minutes daily?
monmcqueen
New Member
Yes!! This is the second one
monmcqueen
New Member
It's been stained by poop, they have a bath everyday and sometimes twice and fresh water in there enclosure daily
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In that case I would soak them for a longer time daily (you didn't mention how long they are soaked) and also try feeding foods with high water content which will have some laxative qualities such as cucumbers, spineless opuntia pads, aloe leaves, green and yellow squashes, and romaine lettuce.
Also when you say the tortoises "have a bath" daily, what does that mean? Do you put them in a high sided container (from which they cannot get out by themselves) with lukewarm water and leave them in it for 20-30 minutes at a time?
monmcqueen
New Member
Yeah there in tepid/lukewarm water for 20-30 minutes then i clean my tort, high sided container but they also have the water in there enclosure which they climb in and out of. I feed them cucumber, rocket and crispy salad on a rotation.
Have you broke it apart? I see a little white, like Zovic if it is white. Then it is definitely a hard urate. Soaking is a must and anything you can think of to get water in your tort. I have taken okra and with a syringe filled them with water. But Opo can eat a okra in 2 bites. So he gets most of the water. Don't know if watermelon is good for a greek. But feeding it to him for a few days probably won't hurt. wish I could send you some cactus. Any food with lots of moisture that won't harm a greek.
monmcqueen
New Member
I haven't but it feels hard like a rock. I've tried spinach and Bell pepper with my tort but they don't like it but I will take your advice, the passing of a stone is not a nice thing to see let alone experience I'm sure. The next thing might be a manual feed but his so little only 7cm at the moment
Oh ok just a little fellow. Don't try to give him water by forcing in him. Like with a syringe type emplment. The water could go down the wrong side, into the lungs. I am sure with giving him longer soaks and feeding some watery foods. It will be ok. Does your tort eat mazuri yet? Where you live I think the alternative starts with a N. Maybe someone else remembers the name. Anyway I put water in with the mazuri, just enough water to soften the mazuri before it turns to mush. Opo doesn't like mush but some tortoises don't mind.
monmcqueen
New Member
Yeah his palm size, he doesn't eat mazuri or any pellets but that's interesting I could try something similar twice a week
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Are you speaking about the original formula Mazuri or the newer LS variety. I have not yet seen a tortoise who wouldn't eat the original formula Mazuri, but I have had plenty of them that would never even touch the LS variety.
You could also try something with multi-colored small pellets such as Fluker's Small Pellet Tortoise Diet. My Western Hermann's babies loved that stuff! Here is what I mean:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DHPBC/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
Tortoises will eat them either dry or wet as a rule.
monmcqueen
New Member
Perfect thank you so much
I agree that this is urates. Three things contribute to urate stone formation:
1. Dehydration. With daily 20 minute soaks, I don't see how this would be possible. I suppose if the enclosure is bone dry with dry substrate and hot lamps, a small tortoise could still dehydrate in a day.
2. Excessive protein intake. You need to be feeding much more variety and much better foods, but excessive protein doesn't seem likely with what you are offering.
3. Lack of exercise. Most people house them in tiny little enclosures. This is not good for them in many ways, but one of the issue commonly seen is a build up of urates like what you have there.
What size is your tortoise and what size is the enclosure?
Is it an open topped table? What is the humidity?
What substrate are you using?
Take a look at this. There is also a temperate species care sheet near the bottom:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
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Oh those pellets would be perfect for smaller tortoises.
I use the 5M21 mazuri opposed to the LS. Talking with the people at mazuri about a year ago. They had told me they did or would be changing the ingredients in the LS I can't remember. But I had always heard that tortoises preferred the 5M21. So I never tried the LS.
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The LS Mazuri is much smaller and looks more like a rabbit pellet in which you can see lots of short little fibers of grass or hay. The pellets don't soften up as much when wet as the original formula, either. My tortoises wouldn't touch it, dry or wet. Even when I mixed it in with the original type, they would eat all around the pellets and leave them on the feeding tray. Here is a photo of it:
mazuri LS - Google Search
www.google.com
I noticed they offered in 2 different sizes. 3/32 × 1/8 in and 1/4 × 1/2 in. So maybe if someone started with a young tort. The tort might be persuaded.
