Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone have any ideas on some blood in the feces of a snake. btw it's a milk snake, not an indigo, but you indigo folks seem so helpful.
Thanks

Advanced coccidiosis can cause blood flecks in stools. Desctibe the whole stool is it all black and runny? All white with red? Yellow? Clear?
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

The stool is completely normal, except for some blood. The blood looked more "fresh" not mixed in with the stool. Almost as if from a cut. In the past there was, on occasion, some blood. I had a fecal test and it was negative. The problem is never consistant, and hasn't happened for years. This time it was equivalent to two drops of blood. The snake otherwise is very normal and healthy.

I think Jeff is the expert in this situation, what do you think Jeff?
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

I would be curious to know what the last meal was, as it sounds as though your snake attempted to pass a bone or large body of fecal matter and ruptured some capillaries.
Since this has occurred in the past, but not on a regular basis, and the feces appears normal, not runny, and the snake has not developed any other symptoms since the last time such an occurrence presented itself. I seriously doubt you your snake harbors a clinical coccidian load or cryptosporidium serpentis, but rather a slight case of “reptilian hemorrhoids”. I have found this to be quite common during the winter months, when the air is drier and animals are consuming less water…

Best regards,

Jeff

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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

This could be due to a couple different things. The most common response to this question, in my experience, is hook worms. But don't panic. Crypto is also a possibility, but again don't panic. Some other signs of crypto are lethergy, regurgitation, {within an hour or so after eating}, weight loss, and a hard bump in the stomache. Sometimes the rectum tares open just a little bit, as the poop is pushed out, and it takes a couple drops of blood from the tare with it. Snakes get hemaroids, and colon polyps just about like we do. Then when a mass of feces passes through, it causes a little bleeding. Sometimes during egg laying, the ovaduct, and or rectum can tare just a bit too. These things usually heal themselves.

My advice would be to make sure you use good isolation or even quarentine procedures, until you are sure the snake is not contagious. If it is hook worms, or crypto, you will want to keep it from spreading to the rest of your collection!

Next, go to www.arav.org Find yourself a good herp vet, and make an appointment. Try to bring a fresh fecal sample with you.

And whatever the vet does, feed smaller meals for a while, and see if that helps.

Lastly, keep us up to date. Good luck!
Airborne, All the Way!

>>This could be due to a couple different things. The most common response to this question, in my experience, is hook worms. But don't panic. Crypto is also a possibility, but again don't panic. Some other signs of crypto are lethergy, regurgitation, {within an hour or so after eating}, weight loss, and a hard bump in the stomache. Sometimes the rectum tares open just a little bit, as the poop is pushed out, and it takes a couple drops of blood from the tare with it. Snakes get hemaroids, and colon polyps just about like we do. Then when a mass of feces passes through, it causes a little bleeding. Sometimes during egg laying, the ovaduct, and or rectum can tare just a bit too. These things usually heal themselves.
>>
>>My advice would be to make sure you use good isolation or even quarentine procedures, until you are sure the snake is not contagious. If it is hook worms, or crypto, you will want to keep it from spreading to the rest of your collection!
>>
>>Next, go to www.arav.org Find yourself a good herp vet, and make an appointment. Try to bring a fresh fecal sample with you.
>>
>>And whatever the vet does, feed smaller meals for a while, and see if that helps.
>>
>>Lastly, keep us up to date. Good luck!
>>Airborne, All the Way!

Entamoeba invadens causes this too. I know from a very unfortunate experience about 20 years ago.
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Thane