What exactly are Urates and are they good for soil?
Ive been trying to research what exactly is in BP urates and the advantages/disadvantages of leaving them or burying them in a bioactive vivarium. As an animals waste product are they any good for fertilizing my soil or is it more bad than good with it being in such a small area compared to in the wild. I know they contain high traces of Potassium, ammonia and sodium among other things. If anyone knows the other main chemicals that make up urates or just anything about them please comment below. Also I assume when they aren't the whitish/yellow colour is this a sign of bad health or is that the snakes way of getting rid or other stuff there body's cant break down?
Re: What exactly are Urates and are they good for soil?
As I understand it, urates are just basically urine with the water largely removed so the snake can retain as much water as possible.
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Re: What exactly are Urates and are they good for soil?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Spoons
Snakes use Urates instead of urea like other animals because it takes less water to flush the nitrogenous waste out of the body. It is comprised of a high percentage of uric acid. I have read that it breaks down much more slowly than standard urea does, and could therefore be not as harmful to plants. But, in such a closed system, I'm not sure if you would want to leave it in there and risk it. You could always bury one and see how it does over some time. If it is a bioactive setup, does your cleanup crew not touch the urates?
Personally, I would spot clean the urates. Have you checked with other people with a bioactive setup to see what they do?
Unlike the poop that the springtails especially seems to cover within a few hours I've noticed they leave the urates alone. I have buried them in the past but i couldn't tell you where about in the enclosure. I know nitrates are good as a fertilizer but it must depend on certain types as for the uric acid could this throw my pH levels out?
Re: What exactly are Urates and are they good for soil?
I think, even though the urates will contain nitrogen, the amount of nitrogen compared to the amount of uric acid may not be worth leaving it in there. I don't think it will throw your pH off in the tank by any means, possibly just in the one spot - it's not enough to offset a tank. I know sometimes where a dog pees in the grass, the center of the spot will burn and kill the grass (the urea) and around it the grass will be tall and green (possibly the nitrogen/other stuff in the pee?) so there's both elements in play. If urates break down more slowly than urea though, it may not have the burning effect on the plant life. Maybe just bury them deep?
