Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my borneo keeps emitting a slight liquid that is brown/yellowish in color that seems to be in place of a normal bowel movement. she is only about 2 feet long and everything else seems to be okay. her weight is good, she has 60-70% humidity, temps are around 78-80 with a warm spot at around 88. she eats a small to medium sized rat once every week to ten days. doesn't refuse a meal. i don't suspect it's normal? it is a wild caught/captive hatched specimen. could it be internal parasites? any suggestions would be appreciated. she's in shed right now.
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Will trade voice over work for snakes.

With any WC or overseas farmed animals a veterinary performed fecal and prophylactic de-worming are always a good idea. Your husbandry sounds good although I would tune down the hot spot a couple of degrees. Loose/fowl smelling stools can be a sign of some sort of digestive issue. The fact that it is a WC/farmed animal definitely raises suspicions towards something that should be checked out. Good luck and keep us updated.
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- Lon D.

Has she ever produced "normal" defecations, and is she producing much in the way of the white urates? Also, is this liquid relatively thin and somewhat clear, or thick and opaque?

Kelly

yes, she has produced white urates and a normal defecation before. it is a very light liquid that is just colored enough to stain the paper towels she's on and nothing more. maybe a visit to the vet is in order. i have a vet in my area that works with snakes.
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Will trade voice over work for snakes.

I don't know how much you have worked around pythons, but some species release fair amounts of relatively clear, tea-colored liquid on occasion. This is normal and mostly seen in the larger python species and anacondas, with some individuals of these species expelling more than others. Enteric disorders, whether parasitic or bacterial, typically produce a fecal diarrhea that is a little thicker than this and more opaque, and definitely of a stronger odor. Everything else that you described appears to be normal, but it is obviously difficult to tell without actually seeing the situation. If you do decide to take this snake to a vet, I would be interested to hear the diagnosis. Thanks,

Kelly

kelly, thanks a lot. i had no idea larger pythons emitted this liquid, as i have mainly worked with pituophis species and other colubrids. i will continue to assess the situation and determine if she needs a vet visit. and thanks Lon for your input as well. just to clarify, this light emission usually smells like a "normal" defecation, correct?
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Will trade voice over work for snakes.

At the most, but usually not quite that strong.

Kelly