Ball python no POOP

Derrick · 10-09-03, 08:04 AM

My co-workers ball python hasnt pooped in 4-5 weeks it been 3 times in that period. He says it looks like its swollen up to its butt. He has tried a warm bath soacked it for 20min. Any ideas before he gets it x-rayed?

Thx Derrick

mango · 10-09-03, 09:16 AM

If he has soaked the snake in warm water and nothing happened I would be concerned. That's my opinion and it may be completely different from what the geniuses around here will tell you. If it was my snake I would give it a day or 2 more and if nothing happens I'd take her to the vet. Hope I've helped.

emroul · 10-09-03, 09:37 AM

All my BP's take awhile to poop, even if they eat 5 times. I think it may depend on the size of the food. :-\ If you said it was swollen, I would wait a couple days then take him to the vet. Just my $0.02 =)

Hunter Reptiles · 10-09-03, 10:17 AM

Take it to a vet
I had a large female pluged up took her my vet Dr.Burton
In Aldergrove B.C 604-856-4166 had her x rayed we decided
on giving her 5 mils of pedialite and 5mils of prune juice.
I gave it to her that night and in the morning she let loose
a small piece, the next day she let it all out and it was alot.
Havent had a problem since
Jason Hunter

mykee · 10-09-03, 12:24 PM

DO NOT take your snake to a vet. Snakes will poop when they need to. I don't tell my Son when he has to crap, how can you expect that from a snake? Bottom line, he will poop when he has to. Leave him alone, continue to feed him and let the SNAKE be a SNAKE! One of my males ate 9 mice before he crapped. Don't stress it. No need to soak him in a warm bath, no need to give him prune juice, no need to go to a vet. Just let the snake do what it's going to do.

Tim_Cranwill · 10-09-03, 01:05 PM

If the snake sheds and does not poo, I would look into what Jason said. It's all fine and dandy to "let snakes be snakes" but they CAN have health problems that need medical attention. Just turning a blind eye to the signs would be ignorant and stupid. Better safe than sorry....

If a vet trip is out of your price range, PM and I'll give you some tips on seringe feeding that mixture Jason was talking about. It's a cinch if you know what to do.

Thanks,
Tim Cranwill
www.cranwill.com
cranwill@mts.net

lilyskip · 10-09-03, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cranwill
If the snake sheds and does not poo, I would look into what Jason said. It's all fine and dandy to "let snakes be snakes" but they CAN have health problems that need medical attention. Just turning a blind eye to the signs would be ignorant and stupid. Better safe than sorry....

WORD.

BoidKeeper · 10-09-03, 01:45 PM

Quote:

DO NOT take your snake to a vet.

Why not mykee? It's never a bad idea to take it to the vet. I agree that the snake will go when it's ready if it can, but it may not be able to go. They do get constipated I've had to deal with two constipated balls in the past. A trip to the vet won't hurt a thing.
All that being said 3-4 weeks is normal for a ball. However make sure the temps are correct.
Cheers,
Trevor

sapphire_moon · 10-09-03, 02:03 PM

All my snakes "swell up" around the but area when they are going to go poop. Usually after I notice the "swelling" they go poop within 2 weeks, and the "swelling" is gone. So give it some time, continue feeding. If the snake hasn't pooped in the next oh week- two weeks then take it to the vet....do whatever you think is right.

Big Mike · 10-09-03, 02:46 PM

My BP went through a stage where he would not poop for weeks at a time...and then shed & poop at the same time.

Patience is a virtue

tHeGiNo · 10-09-03, 04:12 PM

With Mykee being the smart guy that he is, I don't think he meant don't take your snake to the vet AT ALL. I think what he meant to say, or this is my opinion anyway, is that you don't take your snake to the vet YET. It is not too uncommon for balls to take that long to deficate. I would say give it a few more weeks before a vet check.

mykee · 10-09-03, 04:51 PM

TheGino, yes, thank you for clearing up EXACTLY what I meant. There's no need to jump the gun. IF your ball hasn't pooped a few days after it's shed, then I would look into a vet. BE CAREFUL with the vet you choose. MOST vets will do more harm than good.

Linds · 10-09-03, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mykee
BE CAREFUL with the vet you choose. MOST vets will do more harm than good.

Agreed! If my animals get sick with something beyond my abilities, then I have to drive them all the way up to Toronto. The "exotics" vet down here frightens the life out of me... he hasn't even heard of many of the newer anitbiotics and tests available... he treats snakes like amphibians (I have yet to meet a snake that can absorb crushed baytril tablets through their skin

)... and he's prescribed some dangerous treatments to snakes before... to top it off the place smells like crap

BurmBaroness · 10-09-03, 10:16 PM

I agree, let the snake have more time. However, one way that's much easier than trying to syringe feed pedialyte, prune juice, etc. is to just syringe it to the dead prey before the next feed. And I do NOT recommend prune juice, all fruit juice has high concetrates of acid, and who knows WHAT that would do to a snake's digestive system. I have used pedialyte and just a little, 1cc of mineral oil syringed into the dead prey item. Syringing it into the dead mouse/rat is WAY less stressful than trying to syringe it into the poor snake. Just my $2

eyespy · 10-09-03, 11:35 PM

Snakes actually tolerate high acid levels fairly well, but the sugars in prune juice or pedialyte might be more of a problem. Plain water, olive or mineral oil is a good first try. The sugars can kill off the colony of beneficial gut bacteria that help herps to break down their food.