Sick/Injured Black Headed Python?
Okay so I'm sure some of you guys have seen my pics on here, I have a four foot juvenile female BHP. I have fed her primarily f/t rat pups but have fed her f/t fish a few months ago. I have also fed her quail eggs before, which was only twice before since they are kind of fattening. Anyway, a few weeks ago she had shed and she had defecated at some point during her shed. Following her bowel movements was a little bit of blood near her cloaca, I didn't think much of it because I searched through her cage for anything sharp and realized that part of a branch I had in there for her wasn't sanded down all the way at the base. Since it didn't appear like it was coming from her cloaca, just near it, I figured she probably cut herself while shedding. Removed the branch, thought I solved the problem, but I was wrong. Now I am home from college for winter break, and I came home to her with her tail up thinking she's about to poop, and I noticed a little red drop come out of her cloaca. It was only one or two drops of blood but I am rather concerned. I have done some research online and found some explanations that I don't know if they pertain to my situation but involve blood at the cloaca:
A.) Parasites- she really shows no signs of being lethargic or underweight, she is in fact a lot stronger and larger since I've first got her and parasites have other symptoms in bloody stool, such as mucus with the protozoan amoebiasis
B.) Passed urate that ripped some part of her digestive track due to dehydration- possible but she has a very large water dish so I don't see why she would be dehydrated.
C.) Prolapse? Nothing came out besides blood, her vent is very tight and I am still very confused.
D.) She is in fact a he that cut his hemipenes while shedding them... ?
E.) Difficulty passing food item? The egg shells of quail are very thin and rat pups should be pretty easy to digest given how strong the digestive enzymes are. Haven't fed her a f/t fish since I first got her so that probably isn't it.
Any input here guys? I'm probably going to get a fecal sample done regardless, just curious what I may be in for. She/he is still very inquisitive when I enter the room and still has a good feeding response, no change in mood or physical appearance. She did go without heat for two days a few weeks ago, since my dad was out of town while I was at school, and the heat bulb on her tank went (which I hate having, got her one for now but I'm getting another thermostat and heat pad for her because bulbs are terrible). I don't think lack of heat can do that to her, my house is pretty warm, almost 75 in here. Also, she has been living in the bottom cage of my stack of cages but they're all hooked up to one thermostat and I've been fiddling with the temps to try and breed my womas so I set up a tank for her for the time being. My womas are in pretty good health and show no sign of physical ailments either, and they are in a separate room. Other reptiles/amphibians in the room that could potentially cross-contaminate include some fire salamanders, in a tank in the stand beneath her tank and baby turtles I have in a tank on my desk. I never ever cross-handle my different species without washing hands I nearly killed a turtle doing that. She is also on newspaper as bedding and I see no drops or trails of blood anywhere on there besides the two drops I witnessed. So if anyone has any advice or suggestions, link to a good site on BHP illness please chime in, I'm getting really worried about my little girl. Thanks for reading this ridiculously long post, I will be sure to post pics if this happens again.
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