# Is this snake or blue-tongue scat?



## bushpig angel (Apr 21, 2020)

Hey, please see my pics of reptile scat found at back door this morn. Snake or lizard? Hope someone can help??? We know we have a mature blue-tongue nearby, but think this may be snake. Checked the contents of it, lots of fur so it eats mammals.


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## Chris1 (Apr 21, 2020)

If there’s lots of fur I would assume snake,.....


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## Herpetology (Apr 21, 2020)

Looks like mammal poop to me, no urates

You sure it’s fur and not fibrey greens?


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## Bluetongue1 (Apr 21, 2020)

Is the white object at the top of the same paving brick as the coin part of the scat?

Just from the structure alone it is almost certainly python poop. The fact that it contains lots of fur clearly indicates a snake. The amount of faeces, in particular the length, is indicative of a python rather than a large mammal-eating elapid.

It is most definitely not from a bluetongue. Bluey droppings would have partly digested leaves and bits of snail shell or insect exoskeletons. Given they usually include a fair amount moisture, they tend to be an amorphous blob without clear structure.

Snakes can occasionally void their cloaca of built-up urates without defecating. So the absence of urates, while very uncommon, is not conclusive on its own.


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Apr 21, 2020)

The lack of toilet paper present and a few scattered leaves is indicative of it being human faeces.


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## bushpig angel (Apr 23, 2020)

Bluetongue1 said:


> Is the white object at the top of the same paving brick as the coin part of the scat?
> 
> Just from the structure alone it is almost certainly python poop. The fact that it contains lots of fur clearly indicates a snake. The amount of faeces, in particular the length, is indicative of a python rather than a large mammal-eating elapid.
> 
> ...


Thanks for decent reply. Yes, the white blob of chalky substance is part of it. I suppose it's the from the bones??? So, ok it's most likely a snake, you say python. What about a King Brown? do they have similar scat? (p.s. hoping NOT!). I'm not a reptile enthusiast, just very concerned about the possibility of something deadly so close. Have encountered King Browns before, would rather not again.


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## Bluetongue1 (Apr 24, 2020)

Most importantly, it is not a King Brown scat. They show a preference for eating other reptiles and frogs but will also take the occasional bird, bird eggs and small mammals. Your snake appears to be exclusively a mammal eater (all fur faeces) and of a reasonable size. The scat is almost certainly that of a carpet python. Don’t know your general location so I cannot be more specific.

I used the technical term “elapid” not considering you would not know what that means. The two major group of Australian snakes are the non-venomous pythons and the venomous elapids. There are several other groups but they are not relevant here. While elapids are venomous, the vast majority are not dangerous to humans. Just like spiders, it’s only a few species you need to worry about. 

The white, chalky stuff is termed ‘urates’. It contains the same nitrogen-based wastes that we get rid of in our urine as urea. The only real difference is that reptiles convert most of the urea, which is soluble, and therefore needs to be voided as a solution (which uses water), into insoluble uric acid, which therefore conserves water in getting rid of it. Birds do a similar thing, but that is more about not having to carry the weight of a bladder full of liquid when flying. Hence the white bits in bird poop as well.


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## bushpig angel (Apr 27, 2020)

Thank you Bluetongue1, that's a great relief. Your expertise and information has been greatly appreciated. Have a great day!


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