Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My new black rat snake has been eating well but his pee is a darker gray color instead of the more normal white that I am use to seeing from every other snake that I have every own, (including wild caught).
Any thoughts? Should I be concerned?
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

First, snakes don't pee! Why don't we try calling it scat. ;~)

If you are worried, take a sample to a vet that works with reptiles. They can check it for blood and/ or parasites. That is the only way you will know for sure.

Best of luck with your snake.

Rick

Well if you are gonna push terms scat is inaccurate also as urates would be the best term for the discussion here. But yeah bring it to a vet. It should cost about $10 for a fecal from a decent vet.
Thanks Jason

Snake droppings are a mixture of white or gray salts of uric acid and dark colored fecal material. There is very little water in it. This helps a snake to conserve water.

Scat is just a slang term for animal droppings. If you don't want to call it scat, that is fine, but to call it a urate would be to ignore the fecal portion that is not a urate. If you don't like the term "scat" then how about we call it "snake poop." I don't know if there is an official scientific term for a bird or reptiles droppings, but to just call it a urate is not correct.

Original quote was "My new black rat snake has been eating well but his pee is a darker gray color instead of the more normal white..." as far as I can tell the concern of the original poster was the urates from this quote. You where correcting him for saying "pee." The white substance in queastion is the urates not the total fecal matter on a whole. I just thought it was funny that you wanted to correct him and instead of being specific you got more vauge with your descriptive replacement word. So I think his "pee" is a better desciptive than your "scat". At least I know where his concern lies but with scat I could be left wondering. If you are going to be condesending in a response to somebody looking for help than you should at least be right. I am not trying to flame you but, more, trying to point out that a response that starts with you talking down to someone is not going to make someone come back for more answers for fear of being made to look stupid. With the knowledge of the people on this forum (not me per say) that would be a loss for the poster and the animals he keeps.
Thanks Jason

>>First, snakes don't pee! Why don't we try calling it scat. ;~)
>>
>>If you are worried, take a sample to a vet that works with reptiles. They can check it for blood and/ or parasites. That is the only way you will know for sure.
>>
>>Best of luck with your snake.
>>
>>Rick

I own enough snakes to know they do not "pee" as we do. That was not my question. Taking the snake to a reptile vet is also a no brainer. I ask because this board has in the past been very friendly and extremely helpful. I thought SOMEONE might have seen this before and delt with it. Sadly you were the only reply.
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

okay lets be flat out honest. what do you do when you come to a thread where you dont know the answer? X it out. we all do. Therefore, no replies either means people don't know and therefore dont reply, or it's not a problem. The only answer was take it to a vet, which you didn't specificy you were planning on doing, so thats the only information anybody could give.

You know just as well as the rest of us that threads are constantly jacked off to other topics or arguments. However, trust me, if someone knew the answer you would have gotten a reply.

Take it to the vet.
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-Chris

0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat
1.0 Black Rat
0.1 Vietnamese Blue Beauty
1.0 Green Tree Python
0.1 Texas Bairds Rat

The educated are the few. The uneducated are the masses.

North American Rat / Corn Snake Care Sheet

>>okay lets be flat out honest. what do you do when you come to a thread where you dont know the answer? X it out. we all do. Therefore, no replies either means people don't know and therefore dont reply, or it's not a problem. The only answer was take it to a vet, which you didn't specificy you were planning on doing, so thats the only information anybody could give.
>>
>>You know just as well as the rest of us that threads are constantly jacked off to other topics or arguments. However, trust me, if someone knew the answer you would have gotten a reply.
>>
>>Take it to the vet.
>>-----
>>-Chris
>>
>>0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat
>>1.0 Black Rat
>>0.1 Vietnamese Blue Beauty
>>1.0 Green Tree Python
>>0.1 Texas Bairds Rat
>>
>>The educated are the few. The uneducated are the masses.
>>
>>North American Rat / Corn Snake Care Sheet

That is really interesting then. All the rat snake owners have never had a rat snake with grayish scat?
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

I think I have actually seen the gray you are talking about but I can't remember where or in who's collection and I don't think anything was done about it. That is why I gave you the "go to the vet answer" Better safe than sorry.
Thanks Jason