Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Molly finally went tonight after a little handling. Thanks to whomever suggested it. I have noticed that she always has a LARGE excess of fluid in her stools. Not urates just very VERY smelly liquid. I estimate around 1/3 of a cup of this fluid... I took pictures just so everybody can get an idea and let me know if it sticks out to them as a symptom of anything.

P.S. I know her cage isn't much to look at but I am in middle of building her custom tank.



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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 MO Locale Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)

"You can only take my money for so long. And then I don't have anymore, and then I get angry!"

Phiber, I would get those fecals to a vet, asap. I would have him/her send some to a lab for an acid fast test to check for cryptosporidium, also, as most vets do not have the capability of doing that test in office. Do you have any reptile health books? I reccomend "Understanding Reptile Parasites" by Roger J. Klingenberg D.V.M., "What's Wrong With My Snake?" by Rossi and Rossi, and "Reptile Medicine and Surgery (second edition)" by Douglas Mader. Cryptosporidium is a potentially collection ending parasite, and I would take feces that look like that and smell bad very seriously. There is currently no cure for crypto, and euthanasia is usually suggested. On the lighter side, most parasites can be controlled with a few different medications. I put my wc snakes through a round of Flagyl and Panacur/Safeguard, and I have fecals done just to be sure. Best of luck.

-Toby

A fecal is definately on my list. And it is higher up on my list after that last post. I ordered some panacur last night from lll. Can you give me more information on the acid test? I have had her for around 5 months and she hasn't shown any signs of not being well. Just odd stinky stools. When I say stinky I mean "hold your breath or choke on it."
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 MO Locale Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)

"You can only take my money for so long. And then I don't have anymore, and then I get angry!"

The acid fast test is a test using special chemicals which stain the oocysts of cryptosporidium, which makes them visible. Crypto oocysts are very small and hard to detect. It is probably not crypto if the snake has not lost weight or regurged in the time you have had it, however the feces look questionable and the odor you describe does not sound good. Another symptom of crypto is a mid body swelling right in the stomach area. There are many parasites that will cause wet, foul feces and crypto is just one of them. The vet can do a fecal flotation to look for most parasites, but most vets will have to send a sample off to a lab for an acid fast test. My local exotics vet found a place where it only costs me $30 to send fecals for an acid fast. In the meantime, I would maintain extreme quarantine on that snake.

-Toby

-Toby