Snake pooing blood, please help

[Parkinson]

Please can someone help me don't know how to post something to all!!my checkerd albino garter is pooing blood please anyone help !!!

[ConcinusMan]

You did just post. More information is needed. Lets have details. How long have you had it? where'd you get it? what's it been eating? More questions to follow.

Is the poo watery? Is the cloaca area red and inflamed? first thought is it could possibly be crypto or flagellate infection.. Fairly common in the captive reptile trade. Most reptiles are considered susceptible to Cryptosporidiosis, especially snakes. immediate treatment with a medication called "flagyl" (Metronidazole) might cure it.

We aren't vets or zoologists here. Only responsible advice we can give you is to see a vet immediately. A fecal sample and assessment of the overall health of the snake is essential for determining a course of action.

[guidofatherof5]

We'd love to help if we can but as Richard said, more info and maybe photos are needed.

[Stefan-A]

Just to rule out something silly: Have you been feeding the snake salmon or trout, by any chance?

[guidofatherof5]

Not silly. Good question for this incident.

[Parkinson]

hi yes trout..she 2yrs old had babies in may,its been a light blood sighting a couple of tims this week but nothing to alarming at first i thought i was seeing things maybe an off brown colour but it was about a 5pence circle of blood very clear in her poo when i was holding her..last night i found a small slug 2cm in her dish of water maybe just her waste that had expanded in the water?? she seems fine eating well etc..

[gibble888]

Just to rule out something silly: Have you been feeding the snake salmon or trout, by any chance?

Do tell please...

[Parkinson]

hi yes trout..she 2yrs old had babies in may,its been a light blood sighting a couple of times this week but nothing to alarming at first i thought i was seeing things maybe an off brown colour but it was about a 5pence circle of blood very clear in her poo when i was holding her..last night i found a small slug 2cm in her dish of water maybe just her waste that had expanded in the water?? she seems fine eating well etc..

[Stefan-A]

Farmed trout and salmon are fed a harmless additive (typically Astaxanthin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) that gives the meat the same red color as their wild counterparts have. That additive passes through the snake and ends up staining the feces red. It's easy to tell apart from blood, because blood turns brown when it dries, while astaxanthin remains bright red.
edit: It appears that wild salmon contains the same substance.

Here's an example picture.



Note: This may not be what's going on in your particular case, but it's a likely explanation.

[Parkinson]

thankyou so much x it seems to be the same still worried though will try and upload a photo in the morning of the poop! thanks again to all