proud newbie

edens · 01-21-11, 11:53 AM

Hi i have had my baby royal python for almost a month, no real idea on age, was told she/he is only a few months old ( about 1 foot long)
i have no problems with feeding, but my snake...pandora...has shed badly, and she is also constipated.
her head still has her old skin and her eyes are still cloudy, i have had the temp and humidity regulated for about 2 weeks still not shedding what is left on her head. and she has only pooped once, the first week i had her.
i have given her baths to try to help with both problems but so far no luck.... and she is looking fat, right up until about half an inch from the end, where she goes back to normal.
i will go to the vet next week if i cant help her before then, i just cant afford it right now, and she is the one paying the price :-(
also...on a note that is a lot less worrisome as i know they can be shy snakes.....she hides constantly, once in a while i see her at night out on her perch...but mostly she hides.....and always on the cold side.....
any tips and info would be much appreciated!!!

thanks to all
and heres to hoping i can find my way back to the responses!

again thank you for all tips / help
from pandora and her owner

edens · 01-21-11, 12:20 PM

Hi! i have had my baby python for about 1 month! not sure of the exact age she is about 1 foot long, and as i have told my partner...until its proved otherwise HER name is Pandora :-) i love tempting the fates everytime i open pandoras box hehehe

i have always wanted a snake, i often go by the petshop and look at them. well, the last time i did, i fell in love!

i rushed into it a bit, spent a fortune getting everything she'd need and have been reading what i can!

i was looking for some literary help on the internet when i came across this site!

Pandora has been constipated for about three weeks, she is a good eater, have never had a problem there. i knew from what i read to leave her alone to settle, and except for one refusal, the first time i fed her...or rather tried to, she has eaten every week. the problem is that was goes in is NOT coming out....is it possible shes eating it? i dont think so...i told my boyfriend she is not a dog! but there is nothing to pick up. she seems swollen to me.... from almost half way to the half an inch from the tip. also she hasnt finished shedding....her head still has her old skin, her eyes covered....
i have tried bathing to help with both....and still nothing! any tips and help would be most appreciated! thank you all

pandora and her owner!

infernalis · 01-21-11, 04:25 PM

Marica · 01-21-11, 06:12 PM

If one of my snakes has a bad shed I place them in a plastic container with 1/2-1" warm water and small towel, then leave them for about 1/2 an hour. If they haven't worked off the old skin or it still seems quite stuck, I'll replace the water and let them soak for another 1/2 hour. By that point if they haven't worked the shed off themselves, it's usually loose enough that I can use the towel to gently work it off.

Most snakes that are in blue will hold off on relieving themselves until after they've shed. My little Dumeril's Boas don't defecate after every meal like my Colubrids do - this concerned me at first until I read that some Boas and Pythons, esp. Royals, often consume a few meals before unloading a huge dump.

Lankyrob · 01-21-11, 06:37 PM

My royal has not pooed between sheds the last two times, both sheds had the poo inside the shed skin (great for cleaning up!!)

edens · 01-22-11, 08:21 AM

still no poo today :-( i will try adding the towel in with her bath to see if that helps, thanks! i spoke to a vet yesterday, he said to hold off on feeding for a bit, says it wont hurt to skip a week. since i dont want her to pop, seems like a good idea, esp. since this week she isnt doing her head poke like she usually does. normally i feed fridays, to give her the weekend to digest....and thursdays you can usually see her start to poke out her head whenever i walk by almost like shes saying 'now where is that mouse'?! this week none of it, shes staying curled up...so i am kinda worried.
lanky rob....when your snake didnt poo inbetween....did it look swollen?
thanks again!
pandora and her owner :-)

infernalis · 01-22-11, 09:54 AM

Put about 2 inches of warm (like baby bottle warm only) water in your bath tub, and put your BP in there.

A lot of times, the warm bath will induce a poop.

Lankyrob · 01-22-11, 09:57 AM

It doesnt look swollen in between, with some of my guys you can tell from their shape when they are about to unload but with him there is no obvious sign.

edens · 01-23-11, 06:50 PM

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Tamara_2/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png[/IMG]infernails or lankyrob....or anyone else :-) i took a few pictures i am wondering what you all think. a few of her tail tip to show what i mean about the swollen....maybe its normal, but i cant figure it out for the life of me! still no poop today! thanks for all tips and comments!

infernalis · 01-23-11, 09:37 PM

That looks like poop is going to happen real soon.

Ours sometimes gets a little swollen a day or two before a really big movement.

BP can leave deuces that look like a really big dog got into the cage.

edens · 01-23-11, 10:19 PM

lol well Shes been like that for a few days now, so hopefully you are right! nothing would make me happier than seeing a nasty poo! :-D i have also seen something nobody told me of before....urine balls or something? i see nothing like that in the tank is that normal? thanks again!

Lankyrob · 01-24-11, 04:19 AM

When was the last time he ate? I have a couple of snakes that will "hold" their poop until they eat next and then drop a big 'un. I keep looking at them thinking that they are about to poop but they stay like that until the next feed,

edens · 01-24-11, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

That looks like poop is going to happen real soon.

Ours sometimes gets a little swollen a day or two before a really big movement.

BP can leave deuces that look like a really big dog got into the cage.

I have never been happier to see poo in my life!!!! it does in fact look like my mothers bichon got in there!. one nice long poop awaited me this morning!
thank you thank you thank you! to those of you who took the time out of your day for the tips, thanks for all your help!

PS---I was so happy to see it, that i nearly went a took a picture of the thing! lol

infernalis · 01-24-11, 08:07 AM

It wouldn't be the first poop shot ever posted...

Glad it "went well"

belovedboas · 01-24-11, 09:37 AM

Glad to hear your royal finally pooped lol welcome aboard