He Has Diarrhea! What Should I Do?

[marct]

I just arrived to check on my animals, and noticed a very fowl smell. I checked my racks and noticed that one of my snakes had a bad case of diarrhea. Is this something I should be critically concerned with, or should I just keep an eye on him?

He seems alert. My temps are 93 on the hot side but I have noticed that my cool temps are cooler than I would like (79-80). The temp has dropped here in Louisiana this week. Humidity is 55-60.

Thanks for your suggestions in advance,
Marc

[blackcrystal22]

Get a parasite check from your vet. Send in a fecal and get a float done.

Were you feeding him hairless rats or mice by any chance?

[marct]

I feed them all rats from rodent pro.

Does diarrhea mean something is positively wrong, or is it somewhat common? Whats a float?

[blackcrystal22]

I feed them all rats from rodent pro.

Does diarrhea mean something is positively wrong, or is it somewhat common? Whats a float?

The rats are not hairless then?
When rats are hairless, they often don't hold together properly when they defecate, which is normal.
If they have hair get a fecal float done, which you take a fresh fecal sample from your snake in a plastic baggy of some type and take it to a vet. They will either look at it under a microscope or float it in liquid for parasite checking.

[marct]

The rats do have hair. Thanks for schooling me on the hairless facts and float technique.

I will bring a sample in the a.m. You didn't answer my other question. Can this be normal for a ball to get diarrhea every now and again?

[singingtothewheat]

I agree with what everyone has said. If you are having more than one loose stool I personally would be worried. Any animal will dehydrate if they have to much fluid leaving via the gastrointestinal tract.

[blackcrystal22]

The rats do have hair. Thanks for schooling me on the hairless facts and float technique.

I will bring a sample in the a.m. You didn't answer my other question. Can this be normal for a ball to get diarrhea every now and again?

No, it is not normal.