Any need for concern???

[sweetcheeks]

So tonight i went to play guitar hero, my playstation is under his cage on the bottom of the entertainment center. I notice he's moving around and being active which he normally dont do. Then I look in his hide and he's pooped.... so I waited a few mins, put my dinner in the oven until i could get back to clean etc... he's normally ok with me reaching in and getting him out etc... this time he pulls back, ok no problem. Grab his log, his hide his water bowl, and pick up the reptile carpet. Set him on his log and take the carpet to the kitchen to get a better look, his poop has a few traces of blood in it. This is the first time ive seen blood in snake poo.

also while having him out, i was going to give him a look over to see if there is anything else i need to look for, and hes very head shy tonight and draws back.

Im relatively certain this is not normal, but then again ive not been around much snake poo in my life lol

Is there any need for concern at this point? What could it be, and does it require vet assistance?

[danthony428]

ya know, i suppose it could be no big deal, but in the few years that ive kept snakes, i've never seen any blood in their poo, so you might wanna get that checked out

[sweetcheeks]

should i save the poo??

oh wait thats a dumb question lol

[evil mechanic]

i would be concerned. i dont think blood in poop is good for any animal. let us know what the vet says.

[RoyalGuardian]

I'm concerned! I'm no vet but bloody stools are never a good sign!

[Pandora]

Bloody stool is a sign of internal parasites. See a vet ASAP and bring a stool sample. The longer you wait, the worse it will get. A friend of mine thought it was nothing, waited a week and his carpet python was dead in a week.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Actually, you SHOULD save the poo--in a plastic baggie, sealed, in your refrigerator--before it dries out. If it's too late, then wait for the next poo, and save that one promptly. The vet will need to look at it under a microscope to detect parasites.

[sweetcheeks]

i told hubby that morning before he came home from work and he threw it out... so now im gonna have to wait til next poo

[JLC]

You don't have to wait until the next poo to take the snake in to see the vet. It could be weeks before you see another one. The vet can usually get a sample "the hard way" if they need one. With signs of blood, I wouldn't wait.

The one thing that came to mind though...did the snake shed about the same time the poo was laid? Because shedding sometimes can cause bleeding around the vent and that is perfectly normal and heals up very quickly.

[WingedWolfPsion]

That's true, too, a shed skin sometimes causes a small amount of blood from the vent, and they almost always defecate right after shedding.