Milking a Borneo or Blood Python. - Page 3

Will0W783 · 10-31-11, 06:49 AM

Interesting. Thanks, Chuck.

Although, I do have to argue that bloods and Borneo short-tailed pythons do not have the slowest metabolisms of any snake. Maybe pythons, but not any snake. Arboreal vipers are much slower in many cases. I own a beautiful female Wagleri (temple viper) and she is fed once every 4 weeks. She usually poops every 3rd-4th meal...so we're talking every 90-120 days. This is actually perfectly normal for Wagleri. VERY slow metabolic rate.

CDN_Blood · 10-31-11, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will0W783

...Although, I do have to argue that bloods and Borneo short-tailed pythons do not have the slowest metabolisms of any snake...

I concur. It's not about having slow metabolisms, it's about Active vs. Inactive. While I will say that my brongs seems to have slower metabolisms than my breit, they all get out for regular exercise. I prefer a lean, healthy and fit snake over one that has an unhealthy amount of extra tonnage, so that keeps mine processing and passing food on a fairly regular basis.

Of course, if a snake is left to just sit and do nothing, it's metabolism will gradually slow down. Ours will too if we lead sedentary lifestyles and just sit around all day

Will0W783 · 10-31-11, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Ours will too if we lead sedentary lifestyles and just sit around all day

Don't I know it. Lol....I'm a scientist, so the majority of my day is spent sitting at a desk or lab bench. I've definitely lost muscle and slowed down, but not terribly as I'm still somewhat young. :-p

marvelfreak · 10-31-11, 03:51 PM

I have noticed every since i milked her she been a lot more active than i ever seen her.
When i fed her last night she was more interested in trying to climb out of the cage than eating the rat. Normally i look in her tub and she's always in the same place, but now she always moving around. I will be getting her out a lot more so she can get some exercise.

CDN_Blood · 11-01-11, 05:09 AM

I love all this good news

marvelfreak · 12-31-11, 08:41 AM

Just a quick update she has just left me her third gift since i milked her. She also more active than she ever been. I am so happy she back to normal.

CDN_Blood · 12-31-11, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvelfreak

Just a quick update she has just left me her third gift since i milked her. She also more active than she ever been. I am so happy she back to normal.

It's good to hear. Keeping them active keeps them happy, so don't be afraid to get her moving if you see she's sitting around too much. That'll keep her regular and healthy

unknownclown · 01-01-12, 03:40 PM

ok so my male seems to need to be milked it feels like he has rocks in his belly. So which did you go with warm water that he can chill in or enough to swim in and how long to soak before you try helping him out?

marvelfreak · 01-01-12, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unknownclown

ok so my male seems to need to be milked it feels like he has rocks in his belly. So which did you go with warm water that he can chill in or enough to swim in and how long to soak before you try helping him out?

I used warm water for a couple soak but she never pooped. So i put about 4 inches of warm water in and let her swim still nothing. So then i started the rubbing her belly. You will feel the rocks (dry urine) carfully roll them in your fingers against each other. This will help break them down into smaller pieces. Then slow work them one at a time towards the vent. Then i carefully work them out of the vent till i couldn't feel any more. Not the funnest thing to do, but we do what we have to for our beloved pets.

jaleely · 01-02-12, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvelfreak

I used warm water for a couple soak but she never pooped. So i put about 4 inches of warm water in and let her swim still nothing. So then i started the rubbing her belly. You will feel the rocks (dry urine) carfully roll them in your fingers against each other. This will help break them down into smaller pieces. Then slow work them one at a time towards the vent. Then i carefully work them out of the vent till i couldn't feel any more. Not the funnest thing to do, but we do what we have to for our beloved pets.

I don't know if I would rub them against each other...that could potentially...very slightly but maybe..have intestine in-between the pieces and hurt the snake internally.
Maybe, maybe not, likely not, but I wouldn't risk it. I just gently work them towards the vent. The first time I had to do this was for our rescued ball python, "Ribs". A huge urate ball. Huge! After this there was a huge...HUGE poo *lol*

Just the other day i was feeling around, and decided to "encourage" it again. A lot of smaller urate rocks came out, pee, and then the poop just followed. He is still recovering from being severely dehydrated. I mean, severely. I've just now gotten him to where there is no orange urates (poor kidneys!). I've been injecting the prey item with water, under the skin. I pick a smaller prey item, and them puff it up a LOT with water where it won't leak out. This has really helped with the other rescue. This one still has a lot of help needed! If any of these snakes, low metabolism, or not, have urate rocks, i would suggest "forcing" liquids. Can't hurt if it's in the food!

Caylan · 01-01-12, 04:32 PM

My one brong goes months with out pooing but regularly passes urates, so I think that might be key. As long as theres nothing to block it, a blood will go eventually! Seems they have varying periods of passing waste, from monthly to bi yearly/yearly. But not everyone keeps there snakes the exact same way. I've always thought there's no one way to keep a snake, they are very adaptable! There are plenty of wrong ways still though.... Just my thoughts, I'm still fairly new to bloods, and mine don't seem too typical as it is... ~Caylan.S.~

unknownclown · 01-01-12, 06:58 PM

ok so yeah... that was funny I read your post got him out of his soak started to rub his belly twards the cloaka and darn near shot my husband next to me with urates. The rest came out perfectly not sure if he will eat with all the attention and stress but Im gonna try cause he has lost a bit of weight thru that..
Thank you again for this post it has been most helpful :-)

marvelfreak · 01-02-12, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unknownclown

ok so yeah... that was funny I read your post got him out of his soak started to rub his belly twards the cloaka and darn near shot my husband next to me with urates. The rest came out perfectly not sure if he will eat with all the attention and stress but Im gonna try cause he has lost a bit of weight thru that..
Thank you again for this post it has been most helpful :-)

Your welcome and that why i posted it was to help others. I still wish i had some one their so they could have video taped it. Glad it help!

Jaleely the reason i rub them together was to break them up so they would come out with out hurting or ripping her. The one that was blocking everything was huge. If i had try getting it out in one piece i would have hurt her without a doubt. That's the last thing i wanted. I do agree though if you try it early enough it can be done without breaking them up. I just wish i had heard about it months before.

Shmoges · 01-01-12, 09:00 PM

I have done the same thing for my anery longicauda many times.

Skumbo · 03-04-12, 08:56 PM

heh. snake colonic. lool