Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just looked at the stool from my baby ball python and it looks like a lot of hair, is this normal looking? Can bp's not digest the hair and that's why? Sorry, i'm a little concerned right now. Thanks!!

Brian

Are you sure of which end it came out of??? If it still has hair, there may be a chance he regurged it. Does it smell like, well...poop, or like decomposing animal matter?

What's the difference in the smell? I was watching him this morning, i saw him drink, then when he moved away there was is poopy thing. I never saw him open his mouth and regurgitate something up. I guess it smells poopy??

A regurgitated mouse will make you want to throw up, so is unmistakeable. If you've smelled it, and it didn't remind you of something horrible you found in your fridge at some time or other, then it should be just a poop. Normally, snakes can digest the hair, teeth, and claws without problem. But it isn't unheard of for a baby to poop before fully digesting. Don't worry about it at all.

Phew, thanks for the response! So he should be okay to feed again next week? Thanks...

Brian

I'd expect him to be ready! First feeding's out of the way, it's all downhill from here

also keep in mind, it still may pass the exit with hair. Mine will do this periodically. I think it happens when feeding a lot or large meals.
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Jay A. Martin

In my experience with regurgitated critters, it is very obvious that it has not been completely digested. It looks like a slimy mass of fur, and stinks BAD! If it was poo, it should look like poo(dark colored, possibly with some urea). I do occassionally see fur in the poo, but it is not most of what comes out. If you are unsure at all if it is poo or regurge, wait a couple weeks before you feed again, and feed a smaller prey item, just in case.
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"I am a cop, and you will respect my authoritae!"-Cartman

The stool is dark in color and doesn't smell too bad. There looked to be some white and yellow stuff mixed in, is that the urea? Thanks...

Brian

That's what you wanna see! Yes, the white and yellow stuff is urea. In between stools, you may occassionally get just urea. Sometimes it is solid and chalky, sometimes there is a lot of liquid with it. Depends on the hydration level.
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"I am a cop, and you will respect my authoritae!"-Cartman

Greetings:
I didn't have time to go thru all of the other postings, so I'll just answer simply: yes it is normal to have hair in the stool of a BP. Usually a healthy BP stool is black or nearly so and the hair in it is hard to recognize as such, but it is there.
Scott J. Michaels DVM