# What are Urates?



## johnyforsh (Sep 2, 2008)

Can anyone explain to me what the white stuff in Bearded dragon faeces are? Been told they are urates but not sure what this means.


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## Julie&James (Sep 24, 2007)

Wee!!:lol2:


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## joe190 (Jun 28, 2008)

Julie&James said:


> Wee!!:lol2:


really?
solid?


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## Julie&James (Sep 24, 2007)

Yes, i know, its weird, but is it wee.


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## joe190 (Jun 28, 2008)

woooooooooooow
i learned something new today!


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

urate....urine, tough they still pass urine in the form of a liquid oo, usually when theyre on my hand!!!:bash:


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## sarasin (Dec 8, 2007)

Depending on whats been fed the urates may be very thick and hard or very soft, sometimes runny.


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## neep_neep (Oct 18, 2007)

In humans, we happen to excrete nitrogen in the form of urea, which is water soluble. Which is why we tend to think of 'wee' as being liquid!

Reptiles on the other hand excrete nitrogen in the form of Uric Acid (known as urates) - which can be excreted dry.

Both methods fulfil function, just that one compound gets dissolved in water and the other doesn't so much!


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## johnyforsh (Sep 2, 2008)

What makes it white though?


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## Julie&James (Sep 24, 2007)

neep_neep said:


> In humans, we happen to excrete nitrogen in the form of urea, which is water soluble. Which is why we tend to think of 'wee' as being liquid!
> 
> Reptiles on the other hand excrete nitrogen in the form of Uric Acid (known as urates) - which can be excreted dry.
> 
> Both methods fulfil function, just that one compound gets dissolved in water and the other doesn't so much!


Great clarification!! I knew it was wee but why it passed solidly sometimes stumped me!!


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## johnyforsh (Sep 2, 2008)

Great explanation thanks


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## Andrichus (Jan 27, 2010)

johnyforsh said:


> What makes it white though?


What makes table salt white?
Urates aren't uric acid exactly. They're salts and anions of uric acid.
Humans have them too. That's what gout is, a buildup of urate crystals in joints (or muscle in the case of visceral gout) hence why it's linked to men who eat lots of meat. We also have them in our poo, and our kidneys (kidney stones).

Pretty sure pure urea isn't yellow when dehydrated.
High amino acid metabolism means darker, even brown urine in mammals, and high levels of B vitamins make urine bright yellow. I think the combination of the two at healthy levels gives the colour we know urine to be.


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