Possibly Injury?

Okay, so I'm a little worried.

I keep my snake in a large tub and use paper towels as a substrate. I used to use newspaper, but he seems to like the paper towels more cause he can hide under them a bit easier. Tonight I opened his tub and noticed that there were a few specks of blood trailing from where I feed him to his favorite hiding spot. I immediately checked him all over for injuries and couldn't find one. I then cleaned his enclosure.

He just turned 1 years old and he has not shed recently. Though, I noticed when I picked him up to check if he was injured that he is very close to shedding. (His eyes are staring to cloud up a bit.)

I don't actually know if he's a boy or girl, I haven't taken him to the veterinarian yet to be checked. I don't want to try and do it myself because I've never done it and I don't want to cause him any unnecessary stress. I'm perfectly okay not knowing until I get him checked at the vet.

I was just wondering if anyone could possibly explain what or where this blood came from? He's not bleeding anymore as far as I can tell. There were no new wet spots. The ones that were there were dry and old. They weren't there when I fed him which was about 36 hours ago.

I will also add that he has never refused a meal and has always had complete sheds. I'm still a rather new BP owner but I don't think he's very stressed as far as I can tell. He hasn't shown any signs that I read about online (yawning, refusing to eat, partial sheds, etc.) He has yawned at me, but it was only once when I first changed his enclosure from a tank to a tub, which was quite a long time ago. He used to yawn at me sometimes in his tank, though since I changed him to a tub, he hasn't done it at all.

Any help would be appreciated! Normally I would rush him to the vet but since the blood was dry and he doesn't seem to bleeding anymore as far as I can tell, I decided to take a few calming breaths and try here first. (Also, after I changed his cage and put him in, there hasn't been anymore blood on the paper towels so far.)

Thank you all so much!

The blood couldn't have come from a feeder, could it?

I don't believe so? His enclosure isn't very small. I fed him on the complete opposite side of where the blood trails to. I feed him frozen hoppers. Unless he got it on himself and it dripped off...

But even so, there wasn't a lot of blood but it still seemed like too much to come from the feeder.

I didn't watch him eat, but I know he usually eats it right where I drop it and doesn't leave that spot until he's finished. Which makes it strange that there's drops trailing across the enclosure.

Sometimes the skin around Cloaca/spurs give off a tiny amount.. Usually during shedding. Nothing you would notice on the snake.. Usually on the shed itself or smear on paper substrate.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

Sometimes the skin around Cloaca/spurs give off a tiny amount.. Usually during shedding. Nothing you would notice on the snake.. Usually on the shed itself or smear on paper substrate.


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Would that happen prior to shedding? He's in very early stages of a shed. His eyes just became milky. He hasn't shed yet. :/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stofey

Would that happen prior to shedding? He's in very early stages of a shed. His eyes just became milky. He hasn't shed yet. :/

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No but I wouldn't worry. If theres nothing to be seen your ok.. If there was a flesh wound you would notice.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

No but I wouldn't worry. If theres nothing to be seen your ok.. If there was a flesh wound you would notice.


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Okay. I'ma keep a close eye on him the next few days. Just to be safe.

Thanks so much for your help! :)

Both of my guesses were already mentioned above, so nothing to add there...
But...what size prey are you feeding? Hopper mice?

May I have a guess on this matter?

You fed him +- 36 hours ago.
He constricted the Prey item causing the blood droplets to spray a bit.

I reckon the blood does not come from him.

I'm thinking it's the blood of a rodent as already suggested . Maybe it spat the mouse out and starting it in a different place or something. Mine do that if they start at the middle or the wrong end of the food item ..


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