Greetings all,
Just a brief intro into my husbandry: I have two W. Hognose Snakes that are housed in individual sweater boxes (well-ventilated). The temps and humidity are where they should be and all other aspects of good husbandry are well-addressed. I keep them on aspen shavings and I feed them in a separate substrate-free container. The animals both eat very well, a rat pup and a fuzzy mouse (f/t) every 4-5 days. The snakes are yearlings.
Anyways, I noticed in each of their enclosures that there was a single shaving with a spot of red on it. I can only assume that it is blood, but a very insignificant amount, I had to strain to see it. I noticed the one "bloody" shaving next to feces and I noticed the other one nowhere near any feces. The shavings were by no means covered with blood, imagine a single shaving with a stain like that from a red marker being blotted on it.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what this could be?
Thanks,
RMB
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Blood in the Enclosure???
Replies (3)
Not sure with mice since most of my easterns are only eating toads now and the last easterns I had that ate mice were from years and years ago, but with the toads, there is normally a fair amount of blood. Could have something to do with the hognose chewing on the animal (the rearfangs introducing the "venom" if you will). I have seen wild hognose with blood all over their face after swallowing a toad. But if you are worried, quarantine both and watch them. If something else happens, get them to a vet. Andy
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone
If they have not been dewormed recently, I would say there is enough reason to go to the vet for a checkup.
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*Humans aren't the only species on earth... we just act like it.
".the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without
spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)
...in the lab and it turns out that it is not blood, I figure it is dye that some how got on a shaving or two during manufacture. I also just got a fecal exam done on both of the animals (float and smear) and both were negative. Yipee!
Cheers!
