I think my corn may have something?

[greghall]

my female snow eats great never regurges,very active but has alot of smelly loose stools,the only thing I have changed this year is feeding F/T mice every four days to get ready for egg production,Im afraid something may be going on & could spread to my other corns & Balls,(my other corns have loose stools too but don.t go as much)do yur corns defacate almost every day when fed heavly?I may be overreacting but its bothering me.

[frankykeno]

First off, I'd be taking in fecal samples to the vet if you have a lot of snakes with loose, runny, very stinky stools. Make sure each sample is kept cool in the fridge (not frozen) and is marked as to which snake it came from and the date collected and then take it to the vet as soon as possible for a fecal float test.

Next if it's only happening to the snake being fed f/t prey I'd be taking a close look at that prey. Where do you get the f/t from? Is there any possibility it was de-frosted, then refrozen and may have started to decompose in between? When you defrost the f/t prey does it have a normal sort of rodent smell to it or is there any whiff of the sickly sweet smell of decomposition? Is this loose stool thing a recent problem and if so, have you recently either changed f/t suppliers or just bought a new bag of frozen prey?

[greghall]

I just started with F/T after brumation my mice are almost gone,Ill try to go back to live & cut back feeding to see if that helps,last year I never remembered that they went so much ,but then I was feeding pre killed fresh mice.

[Blue Apple Herps]

I second the taking the fecal sample to the vet. The poop will be "soft" when it first comes out, but being runny is not normal.

[greghall]

WELL CALLED AROUND TO GET SOME PRICES ON A FECAL,WAS'NT BAD RANGED FROM $16 TO 26 EXTRA FOR CULTURES,BUT YOU HAVE TO BRING THE ANIMAL IN TO BE EXAMINED,ALL I WANTED WAS A FECAL DON'T WANT TO SPEND $200 TO $300 ON A $60 CORN SNAKE,DOES ANYBODY IN MARYLAND NOW SOMEBODY THAT DON'T TRY TO STICK IT TO YOU JUST FOR A FECAL!!

[frankykeno]

You may want to check this sticky for Maryland vets our members have recommended.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=56792

There's no need to bring the snake or snakes in just to have a fecal float done. In fact why stress a snake hauling it out to the vet in March weather to find out whether or not it does in fact have internal parasites present, when just taking it's feces in will do the job. Get the fecals done then if there is an issue, you can take that snake in to be diagnosed and a treatment plan set up.

[greghall]

THAT'S WHO I CALLED DR.GOLD'S OFFICE,THE OTHER WAS A VET I USED 10 YEARS AGO WHEN MY SPOTTED TURTLE HAD RES. INFECTION & HE TOLD ME IT WAS A BOG TURTLE ,DON'T HAVE MUCH FAITH IN SOMEBODY THAT CAN'T TELL COMMON SPECIES APART!!!!!

[greghall]

I THINK IT MAY BE CHEAPER TO GO BUY A MICROSCOPE & DO IT MYSELF.

[Blue Apple Herps]

Yeah, you should be able to just bring in the fecal. They're trying to scam some more money out of you saying you have to bring in the snake. If the fecal comes back with bad news, then go from there. But you should be able to get a fecal examination for not much money; what you got quoted sounds about right.

[greghall]

Im going to email some of the maryland breeders that I know to get some advice & maybe talk to the DR. himself,tired of doctors & everybody getting into my wallet Im not stupid I know what has to be done,its not my family dog or cat that I grew up with.I just want a piece of mind & see what's going on.If its the F/T mice great if not ? we shall see!