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Some serious diarrhea!

Posted By:

Crazy4Herps

In Relation To:

Sangre

My Borneo short tail python is probably about a year old and has been healthy up to this point(with the exception of a few mites a long time ago). Basking point is 88*F, cool side around 79*, humidity at 60%. He's in a Rubbermaid tub (20qt I think, he's outgrown it. I'm buying him an AP within the next month) with paper towel substrate. There is a [I]chance[/I] it may have been a bit too cool during these past few days, I wasn't monitoring the temps as closely as I usually do. He defecated a little bit yesterday and it looked/smelled fine. Just a few hours ago he took a big dump. It's much more loose than usual. It smelled, too--his feces usually reek, but this is a completely different smell. The best way to describe it is to say that it smells like cat crap. I literally walked into my bedroom and was very angry because I thought my cat had taken a dump under my bed. I also found the hip bone of a rat in the feces, which is why I'm thinking the heat pad may have cooled off and it's a result of indigestion. Here are some pics. http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk93/im_original/Sangre/DSC08895.jpg http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk93/im_original/Sangre/DSC08897.jpg http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk93/im_original/Sangre/DSC08898.jpg (Yes, he does have retained spectacles again, I've been working on them.) I'll get a fecal sample to the vet as soon as possible to check for parasites. Any other ideas? Has anybody experienced anything similar to this?

Attached Photos:


Points:	150
Topics:	General Health , Digestive
Species:	Pythons > Pythons > Python breitensteini
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Accepted Answer

3/7/2010 6:39:04 PM

Geckofactor

That disgusting pile to the left looks like he threw up and it looks a little deydrated I'd get some fluids in him for sure.

Member Comment

3/7/2010 6:39:55 PM

Sonja K. Reptiles

That looks like a regurge... that's a rat tail and fur, isn't it?

Member Comment

3/7/2010 6:40:13 PM

aaron

The followign are the images.

Digestive issues can be indicative of worm/protozoa infestation. Take the fecal in, make sure they check for both. Panacure / Metronidazole accordingly. Check for amoba, cryptosporidian, as well as the wormy stuff. Quarantine accordingly, and make sure the animal stays well hydrated.

Good luck!

Member Comment

3/7/2010 6:41:47 PM

Geckofactor

Damn you for beating me to that Aaron

Member Comment

3/7/2010 6:43:55 PM

Sonja K. Reptiles

Have you fed him since the 28th? That's a really long time for a regurge - typically it happens around day 3, but I've had it as late as day 5 - but there was only bone then.

Member Comment

3/7/2010 6:44:31 PM

aaron

And yes, that's a regurge, which explains the smell.

The food size looks adequate, so that's unlikely it. If the cage is too cool, it can cause a regurge as the digestion can't overcome the temperature, and the animal starts to rot inside your snake. Depends on what "a bit too cool" is.

If you go the non-vet route, give the animal a month to recover before feeding, and then the next meal should be no larger than a small/mid sized mouse. And again, make sure the animal remains hydrated through all of this. Soak if needed.

That is vile lookin'. :(

Member Comment

3/7/2010 6:45:34 PM

aaron

Heh, by a minute. That's kinda funny. :)

Thanks for posting em regardless.

Member Comment

3/7/2010 6:47:32 PM

Geckofactor

Yeah for some reason anytime I post anything it takes like a minute or so for the post to go through after I hit submit. Oh well. I've never heard snake vomit smelling like cat poop that's kinda funny in itself.

Author Comment

3/7/2010 7:07:09 PM

Crazy4Herps

Thanks so much, everyone. I guess I sort of snapped the pictures then rushed to get it in the trash then out of the house. Now that I look closely it really does look like the two rats. By saying that the temps were cool, it couldn't have been by more than a few degrees or I would have noticed.

Member Comment

3/7/2010 8:13:58 PM

bsharrah

Had this of happened just a few days after feeding, I would suggest going the non-vet route Aaron mentioned. However, given that it has been a full week, it does not appear the rats digested properly in that time. Temps could cause this but it would be a noticeable drop such as a power outage or tstat failure. I would recommend the vet route. My guess is the problem is bacterial or parasitic. You should also isolate the animal away from anything in your collection (move it to a separate room) and make sure you are not sharing any husbandry equipment with the other animals (feeding tongs, etc.). Until it can be examined by a herp vet to determine cause, I would also suggest nothing comes in to, or leaves, your collection.

Member Comment

3/7/2010 10:28:36 PM

shellboa

If your cats poop smells like this that you need to take your cat to the vet too! Regurge is quite possibly the worlds most foul odor...well next to regurge on the heat pad after three days.

Member Comment

3/8/2010 7:39:45 PM

aSnakeLovinBabe

That ia definitely a regurge... and by far the NASTIEST one I have ever seen. My god I have never seen a regurge like that before! The few times I have had snakes regurge here, it was a bit more "solid".. like, partially digested rodent, but still in one piece. That, is just foul! Good luck getting him all better! Regurge has it's own unique smell.... when i walk into the snakeroom I will instantly know if someone has freshly poo'ed, or vomited. Just the other day one of my bloods pooped and my mom walked in the snakeroom and ran out yelling I THINK SOMETHING DIED... I walked in and I was like no mom, that's just a fresh poop!

Member Comment

3/9/2010 2:55:03 AM

Katie M

your temps are too high - Bloods like it around 82 on the warm end, so a basking spot of 84 would be ideal... I don't know if that's what caused it, but you're keeping this one too warm

Member Comment

3/9/2010 3:53:17 PM

crazysnakelady

I held my beath just reading this!! WHEW! That is a nasty one! I say go with the vet :-( keep us posted!

Author Comment

3/9/2010 8:27:11 PM

Crazy4Herps

Ok, thanks everyone! I'll give my vet a call tomorrow to schedule an appointment. Oh, yes, it's definitely quite the smell! My cat can leave some good stink bombs, but he can't compete with Sangre!

Member Comment

3/11/2010 10:25:00 PM

youngji

Definitely regurge. As a vet will probaby tell you. Regurges can be very difficult on a boid. I have always heard to feed smaller meals with half the frequency for several feedings after a regurge to ensure that the animal recovers gradually and fully. Also, you will defeinitely want to pay close attention to defecation tracking for the next couple of months to ensure proper digestion. A good soaking wouldn't hurt either in some mildly warm water. Good luck.

Member Comment

3/12/2010 10:12:37 PM

zachrfields

Your ambiant temp can be much high same with basking spot. Your ambiant temperature should be about 86 degrees. And a basking spot of 95 degrees wont hurt as long as there is a cooler side.

Member Comment

3/12/2010 10:15:09 PM

zachrfields

higher*

Member Comment

3/13/2010 11:36:34 AM

Geckofactor

I would never give a blood any spot in the enclosure that's 95 degrees at all basking or not. That would almost certainly cause it to regurge. Just to straighten that out ambient temps should be in the low 80's high end should be mid to high 80's if you even give them a basking area. The temps and humidity you listed are fine really if it dropped in the low 70's it could have caused a regurge but I've even had that happen with them and been ok though they probably didn't have quite as large of a meal in them.

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