Symptoms of intestinal bacterial infection?

[widget]

So I got a hatchling Honduran milk snake a little over a month ago. Fed him for the first time after a week of having him but when I thawed out the mouse it smelled kind of weird. It wasn’t really a rotten smell but it was definitely strange. I fed it to him anyway after looking it up because everything I could find said it would smell like rotting meat, and that pinkies sometimes smell strange. I decided it wasn’t worth the risk after thinking about it for a few minutes so I went back to take the mouse out and he had already eaten it.

Every time he has pooped after that his poop has smelled really bad, like poop mixed with a fishy smell. But I have no way of knowing if this is normal for him because he didn’t poop before he ate the mouse at all. No diarrhea at all either. I switched him over to aspen a few days ago and the smell is gone, because the aspen absorbs most of the smell. If he had been on aspen to begin with instead of paper towels I wouldn’t have ever noticed the smell was weird.

So I’m wondering what the symptoms would be so I know if I need to take him to the vet or not. I’ve tried looking up symptoms but I must just be using the wrong keywords since I can’t find anything about bacterial, only parasites.

[Bogertophis]

You might take a fresh stool sample to the vet to check it. No idea what the strange smell might have been but it's too bad he ate it.

If he seems ill (regurgitates, has diarrhea or bloody stools, or refuses the next meals offered) you might have the vet check him out too. Hope he's OK.

[Timelugia]

Rank fishy smelling poop is perfectly normal for ball pythons. I imagine its the same for milk snakes. Hopefully someone with more experience will be able to chime in

[bcr229]

I have noticed that the odor from the waste produced by my colubrids is much more strong/pungent/nasty that that from my ball pythons and boas.

[JRLongton]

I have noticed that the odor from the waste produced by my colubrids is much more strong/pungent/nasty that that from my ball pythons and boas.

Personally, I find exactly the opposite! The stench of boa/python feces haunts me. It is the only downside with them.

On the other hand, my corn snake's waste doesn't bother me at all.

To each their own though!

[distaff]

My kingsnake doesn't seem to smell at all. The corn, only sometimes. Sonoran gopher - bigsnake, big poops, but really not too bad. Baby ball, so far hardly noticeable. Rosy boa, medium stink. Itty bitty little locality hatchling boa...too small to tell.

The trans-pecos rat? LOVE the guy, but he stinks! I know exactly when he relieves himself ....is there a dead mouse in the house?? He is stinky to the point where I am considering taking a sample to the vet. He has always been on the thin side, I'm becoming concerned.

So, take my experience with a grain of salt, but all mine are different.

[Craiga 01453]

I wouldn't worry about it as long as the poop is solid and not diarrhea. Just keep an eye on it for now.

In my experience, snakes with faster metabolisms tend to have the stinkiest poop. My hognose, for example, stinks worse than any other animal in my house.

I guess the bottom line is: poop stinks. As long as it looks healthy I wouldn't worry about.

[Bogertophis]

My kingsnake doesn't seem to smell at all. The corn, only sometimes. Sonoran gopher - bigsnake, big poops, but really not too bad. Baby ball, so far hardly noticeable. Rosy boa, medium stink. Itty bitty little locality hatchling boa...too small to tell.

The trans-pecos rat? LOVE the guy, but he stinks! I know exactly when he relieves himself ....is there a dead mouse in the house?? He is stinky to the point where I am considering taking a sample to the vet. He has always been on the thin side, I'm becoming concerned.

So, take my experience with a grain of salt, but all mine are different.

Yes, PLEASE take a stool sample to the vet...that is NOT normal, there is something going on there. I've raised these snakes in the past & still currently have 3-
their stools aren't noticeably stinky when they are healthy. And you even said he is always on the thin side...not normal!

And for what it's worth, this is likely the reason we're getting opposing opinions about the same kinds of other snakes here too. If you have ANY kind of snake whose
stool makes you gag, it's not normal & please do get it checked & treated.

[CALM Pythons]

Yes, that is NOT normal, there is something going on there.
And for what it's worth, this is likely the reason we're getting opposing opinions about the same kinds of other snakes here too. If you have ANY kind of snake whose
stool makes you gag, it's not normal & please do get it checked & treated.

30 years having Snakes and when mine Piss and Crap it smells nasty and when there is liquid with the Uraites its fishy to a laymen..
The whole Room stinks when a 15’ Burms sprays a Gallon.


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[Bogertophis]

30 years having Snakes and when mine Piss and Crap it smells nasty and when there is liquid with the Uraites its fishy to a laymen..
The whole Room stinks when a 15’ Burms sprays a Gallon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Over 30 years with a house full of snakes, & I didn't say "it" ever smells yummy, but there IS a difference & an unusually-nasty odor can indicate GI issues that might
need (or improve with) treating. If you're checking to see if the septic tank over-flowed, you might run a stool sample in to the vet, ESPECIALLY when you also notice
that particular snake fails to gain weight. Stay CALM...