odd color with stool

[reds_21]

my gecko recently went to the restroom, a few times today. to put it politely, he went #2. he did this 3 times today. stools looked normal and all is well, except for one thing. at the end of each stool there is a small ball/clump of white. really small but noticeable, its at the end of each stool.

we have been coating his mealworms/crickets with a white calcium powder, what are the chances this could be in his system and coming out at the same time?

 

[Ehatcher]

the white stuff is urates. In better terms... pee. No need to worry.

 

[reds_21]

really??!! why is it white and clumpy? why not liquid? does this happen to all geckos?

 

[ILoveGeckos14]

It is white and clumpy because instead of eliminating their nitrogenous wastes as urea (which exists as a liquid and what us humans use) they utilize uric acid which exists chemically as a paste. Roughly, the uric acid is secreted into the lower part of the colon, the poo is then moved up into a higher part of the colon(in birds called the coprodeum I believe) where the poo and "pee" is squished together and all the water is pulled out through the membrane of the colon which is specialized to be more permeable to water. This is useful for them because they are able to use all, or most of the water that they get from food items and are not so dependent upon drinking water which might not be readily available in their desert environment. Birds also use uric acid and that is why their poops also have white. This serves them for long migratory flights that many of them make, or sustains them in dry environments where freshwater might not be readily available, like saltwater conditions. I'm not sure if this happens for all geckos I just know that it does for leopard geckos.

 

[reds_21]

very cool, thanks for the bathroom 101 lesson. heres another question out of what you said.

since my gecko sleeps during the day and i am unable to see him walking around, is there a way that i can tell if he's drinking his water? i know he's eating cause i have fed him, but as for water i am really not sure.

i am worried that he wont know where his water is. i have had him for only 5 days now and have yet to witness him drink.

 

[Wreptile]

very cool, thanks for the bathroom 101 lesson. heres another question out of what you said.

since my gecko sleeps during the day and i am unable to see him walking around, is there a way that i can tell if he's drinking his water? i know he's eating cause i have fed him, but as for water i am really not sure.

i am worried that he wont know where his water is. i have had him for only 5 days now and have yet to witness him drink.

It's very uncommon to see them drink. It's fine, geckos always find their water when they are thirsty.

 

[got spots?]

It's very uncommon to see them drink. It's fine, geckos always find their water when they are thirsty.

I have seen mine do this 2x
=]