Chalky stuff in Vent?

[Sebastian]

Hey guys. A few days ago I noticed Gideon's vent was a bit open and there was something that sort of looked like chalky whitey/yellow crud there. I figured he just was working on a bowel movement so I didn't think anything of it. Yesterday he was in hiding because he was shedding, but today he was basking so I pulled him out and his vent was still open a bit.... I wrapped him in a towel so I could hold him upside down and then I took a pair of tweezers and just gently poked at the stuff a bit. It comes apart, but theres sort of a disk of it inside his vent. I know it's not a part of him because I experimented just applying light pressure to his vent to 'move' it a bit and the scales moved independently of the crud. I've got him soaking in about a half inch of warm water right now, in the hopes that breaks down what ever the crud is. When he's out i'll try to get some pictures. Does anyone know what this might be from the description? The very first row of scales of his vent look a bit red, like they might be a bit sensitive, but it doesn't look puffy or infected. He hasn't passed a bowel movement for me in the last few days (today is food day), but he did right before I noticed this and it came out just fine

I'm thinking maybe it's like a urate that didn't come out all the way and then it got dusty from the peat moss? It doesn't look like puss of anything that would indicate an infection. He's active and interested in his environment.

[saisaac]

At first read it sounds like a stuck urate to me, but I don't have any experience with it, so hopefully one of our "Pearls of Wisdom" can provide some more information. Did the skink seem to mind you messing with it?

[Sebastian]

He fussed about being on his back, but ones I started trying to sort of clean up the crub (I didn't pull or do anything that might hurt because I don't know what it is, I mostly just wanted to see if it was solid or if it could be easily crumbled, which was the case) he calmed right down and let me touch with my finger and the tweezers with absolutely no fuss, so it didn't feel to be hurting or tugging on him at all.

He's still soaking but I think I might pull him out and use a wet cue-tip to try to remove some of it?

[Sebastian]

You were right, It was a stuck urate! I used a moist cuetip and managed to just slide it out (as it was loosened from soaking) thanks! I'm sure he'll feel much better now.

[saisaac]

That must have been uncomfortable. I wonder what caused it to get stuck there. Was it larger than usual?

[Sebastian]

It did seem a bit bigger than usual, but not by much, i'm not really sure why it would become stuck, it's a very odd thing to happen I think.