Inspecting poo....

[slim6y]

I read on many occassions that we should inspect poo as an indicator to health problems...

But what do you look for?

For example I cleaned up the 'white' poo from my spotted yesterday, but noticed it was sitting in a browny (possible liquid at one stage) substance. But due to the heat the browny substance had set.

At first i was worried it was blood, but then I gave up worrying and just cleaned the tank as my mac seemed as happy as.

But it did get me thinking... what do I look for? The obvious is blood, worms or crawly things... But what else is there? Can someone show me with photographs what normal mac poo looks like (we can compare if you like). How many poos do they do - I find mine will eat wednesday, white calci poo by friday and finished poo by tuesday...

On writing this I am searching the forum for similar... So sorry if it has been said... or asked... But I think it's good for me and other newbies to know...

Thanx

[serpenttongue]

There's not really much you can look for with the naked eye. I think you'll need a microscope to view segments of worms or worm eggs etc. Usually worms arent passed with the faeces(depending on the type of worm, i guess).

Without a microscope however, you can see things like rodents claws, small pieces of undigested bone (if prey was digested at cool temps)and of course plenty of rodent hair. It's fairly normal to find these things in snake faeces.

What you really need to look out for is the consistency of the faeces. They shouldnt be runny, nor should they be hard. They should have a bit of firmness to them but at the same time being moist(until enclosure heat dries them). They should be soft enough to squash between your fingers while fresh. Hard faeces can be caused by digesting food at low temps, lack of water (which may lead to constipation) or feeding heavily furred or feathers prey to the snake. Faeces from constipation can sometimes have a thin film of mucus on them or a tiny bit of blood. Any stringy bits of greenish goo is most likey just bile, which is secreted by the liver to aid digestion. Bile will be most common when prey was digested at low temps.

Runny faeces are common for young snakes that are fed pinkies as they have no fur(rodent fur helps give the faeces its firm shape and holds it together). If you are feeding an animal furred prey and it is passing runny faeces then that would be a concern.

Also any faeces that are a weird colour(greenish/orangey yellow etc) should be dealt with.

The white blobs are actually uric acid/urates(urine). If they are a bit off colour and not nice and white, it is usually due to the snake drinking warm or stale water. Fresh water will produce white uric acid blobs.

[timthevet]

Things to look for are diarrhoea and blood (either red or black). You can't see worms in the faecies as the worms live in the intestines. Only worm eggs are present in faecies which are microscopic, hence the need for faecal flotations at the vet.

[slim6y]

Thanks serpenttongue.... That was an interesting and very valuable read! And thanks to timthevet - was a hard act to follow.

So is the first white crumbley poo not a bunch of calcites???

[ge_morgan]

Generally the white poo will come first which is actually the snakes urine. Then the brown poo which is faeces. Anything other than these two substances are troubling and should be seen by a vet.

[DameJacquie]

WOW, I love this site, I was just about to post a question about poo, and then here it is, all my questions are answered!!

[Chrisreptile]

soo the white first bit is actually urine?

[slim6y]

Originally Posted by Chrisreptile

soo the white first bit is actually urine?

Apparently so - I originally thought it was just calcium 'lumps' from the food source and i never really gave it much thought.

It must hurt to pass that?

[IsK67]

Originally Posted by Chrisreptile

soo the white first bit is actually urine?

uhuh.

It goes - chalky uric acid, a hair-dung/pelt and a dark brown solids stool.

Apparently.

IsK

[gaz]

mine do the two colors, but if you watch them go, they also wee liquid, is this right?, generally 1-3 days after feeding!

[gaz]

sorry guys, i know its late, but thats when "snakes alive". After the last post about 1/2 hr ago, I turned around and literally watched my 5' coastal do his business.today is friday, he was was fed a large rat last sunday. he just did a "big'?wee, then the white lumps(2 x 20 mm), then this massive dark one(230 mm long)all same diameter, about 10mm. I have never seen such a long poo, is that normal? He does go every week, but never this big. Looks like a baby snake!

[timthevet]

the mega turd hey gaz. sounds like one for the guinness book. The liquid you were referring to is urine whereas the white stuff is urates. Reptiles remove nitrogen from the blood through both these. Some diseases cause increased drinking and urine which can be confused with diarrhoea where the faecies are moist.

[Tatelina]

Hehehehe Medical advice on APS. Awesome.

[Chrisreptile]

thanks, i originally wasnt to sure.

[olivehydra]

you should also get very little change in urine colour due to a reptiles renal portal system and thus it's inability to concentrate urine. (also why its common practice to inject medications into the front of a herps body).