Possible snake internal parasite?

I noticed that my black ratsnake needed a spot clean after a BM and noticed something rather odd on the paper towel I had used. I thought it had a slight parasitic look to it, so I'm putting out feelers here and there to see if it can be confirmed or denied.

Info:Yesterday, I fed it a "large" f/t mouse, its fourth since resuming feeding in march following a fast beginning last September. That would of course not relate to the contents of its feces released today, but I'm trying to think of all pertinent info. Wild-caught, in my care since July of 2013.
No blood in stools, it has never regurged any food. Shed for the first time for the season a few days ago.
Temperatures during the winter rann from low to mid 70's generally, but I used no auxiliary heat, just room temperatures. Appears outwardly healthy, is alert and often inquisitive. in other words, it seems to feel alright.

There was no apparent movement by the object. I will of course be examining the stools more carefully after subsequent BMs. Currently, I am sorry to say that a vet trip is both difficult logistically and. To the best of my knowledge, there are no vets I consider qualified for reptiles here locally.

It could be just some remnant of its past meal, but I thought it looks rather suspicious and want to ascertain its nature if possible.

Searching on the net through several documents revealed no images the resemble it, but my search may not have been exhaustive.

Thanks in advance to anybody who has any input or can steer me in the right direction.

First photo: I am pretty sure the dark spot that resembles an eye is just a bit of grit, it was removed when I manipulated the thing with a second piece of towel. there is also what I believe to be a fibre of some kind that I only noticed after taking the photo and disposing of the object. So I don't know if it is a fibre for certain or a darkk vein within the object. I'm leaning towards it being a fibre, a fibre, though.
Second photo: I attempted to flip it over with moderate success. Unsure of size, but I'd estimate a half-inc or less, but no smaller than a quarter-inch, I'd say. I think there is a dark area that appears to be suggestive of some sort of internal structure, but I am uncertain about that as well.

For me looks close to pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis). Cannot see the size from the photo. If it's from an untreated W/C animal you can find several types of intestinal parasites with a better fecal exam.

Pinworm? Looks a little flat for pinworm. I know snakes can get flukes, which can inhabit the urinary tracts.

Ripa said:

Pinworm? Looks a little flat for pinworm. I know snakes can get flukes, which can inhabit the urinary tracts.

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Pinworm flattern than roundworm, but looks bit damaged too. Can be fluke, but better to send out a fecal sample to the vet

Thanks for the input. I had always thought pinworms were tiny, but honestly I don't know too much about internal parasites, particularly those that infest reptiles. I've always kept an eye on stools, but not a close eye, really. I will examine the next deposit and see if I see anything similar. I have tried to clean up messes as soon as i spot them in the hopes that after a couple years in captivity, any parasites would eventually cycle through due to a lack of sources for reinfestation, but again little knowledge of parasites could mean that it does not work that way.
I don't think the local vets here deal with exotics very much. Like I said, there are some difficulties so it will have to wait until next month, but I will call, I think a simple fecal examine would not be beyond their scope. Not sure about how good their treatment would be.

Needless to say, I am totally squicked out, especially after looking through images trying to find a match. Does anybody know if pinworms are readilt detectable via naked eye. I wish i would have added something for scale, but the thing was easily noticeable. It would seem that most reptile internal parasites are not zoonotic. At least that is kind of the conclusion I want to hold on to!

Tim Benzedrine said:

Thanks for the input. I had always thought pinworms were tiny, but honestly I don't know too much about internal parasites, particularly those that infest reptiles. I've always kept an eye on stools, but not a close eye, really. I will examine the next deposit and see if I see anything similar. I have tried to clean up messes as soon as i spot them in the hopes that after a couple years in captivity, any parasites would eventually cycle through due to a lack of sources for reinfestation, but again little knowledge of parasites could mean that it does not work that way.
I don't think the local vets here deal with exotics very much. Like I said, there are some difficulties so it will have to wait until next month, but I will call, I think a simple fecal examine would not be beyond their scope. Not sure about how good their treatment would be.

Needless to say, I am totally squicked out, especially after looking through images trying to find a match. Does anybody know if pinworms are readilt detectable via naked eye. I wish i would have added something for scale, but the thing was easily noticeable. It would seem that most reptile internal parasites are not zoonotic. At least that is kind of the conclusion I want to hold on to!

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Well, you have managed to get most of this backwards, no offense intended. Parasites do not need a continuing source for reinfestation. They can quite capably establish an independent colony. You are trying to match a specific organism to a couple of specimens that may be anomalies, at stage X in their growth cycle or co-infestations, and yes, most internal parasites are not visible to the unaided eye.

To deal with the beast, you take one or more samples to any lab. A human hospital will do as the procedure is the same. You may get lucky on the first crack or you may need to submit a series of samples. Anyway, once found, parasites be they non host specific or that of a certain family, will turn up eventually. I would also not bet serious money on the beasties not being zoonotic either. Cross fingers and hope for a full ID from micro and not just 'eggs present'.

Nah, no offense taken. I freely admit to not being familiar with parasites and their life-cycles. The concern comes at a rather bad time, my finances are not that free-flowing right at the moment. But that is part of the responsibility of keeping animals such as this, so I'll squeeze it out somehow. I can call for an estimate on the fecal float, which should not be THAT much, but if I have to have the snake treated by a vet-ouch! The only other option would be a release, which wouldn't be very responsible after holding it for nearly two years already. Plus I just bought a supply of frozen feeders for it a few days ago. that wouldn't be that big of a deal, I'd just write it off as money lost, but the idea of turning out a snake no longer adapted to the wild is bothersome. And it is a good snake.


I was basing my hope that the parasites are not zoonotic on a paper I read that said "most" are not. But my hopes were not high, to be honest. My squick level has been raised accordingly. I try to be fastidious about cleaning and handling, but there is not a lot of room for error in matters such as this...

Somebody that saw the picture said they did not think it looked like a parasite, but I am not sure I agree. Looks pretty wormy to me. Bleh. really, it probably went without saying that a WC snake would come with a parasite load of some sort.

Been researching as much as I can. If it is a fluke, I am under the impression that they require an intermediate host. the same goes for tapeworms as far as i know. So i guess I can cross those two off as potential zoonotic organisms. I'm ready to stand corrected, though.


Not sure if it could be an ascarid or not. I am unfortunately very familiar with the ones that infect mammalians, having had dogs. But not reptilian ones.

Hookworms are small, would not present as something that large, I think. I'm just trying to eliminate the possible health threats at this point until I can do something about it.

Well I've been out of the loop for so long I'm not sure how hospitals handle lay person lab requests now. I just act like I know what I'm doing, hand a sample in at the lab, give my name and tell them I'll check back. Eliminating a physician knocks the cost way down.

I wouldn't even attempt to guess what it is. Get a ballpark and the anti parasitics they have now days are very broad spectrum.

As for zoonotic, while rare, keep in mind certain eggs go airborne. That's actually common transmission in dogs as they sniff any fecal material they come across.

Some flukes require very long term treatment. Certain kinds can lodge in the liver and be a friend for life. But that's just wild guessing. Get the facts,.