Snake's "part" hanging out after hatching... advice?

Tim_Cranwill · 06-09-04, 05:51 PM

Some bad news with the good.....

I just went to get any new hatchlings setup in their enclosures and I noticed this little anery with some body part hanging out of her/his cloaca...

Does anyone know what this is or if it will correct its self or how much of a problem it is?

ANY info would be great!

Thanks...

ReptiliansDOTca · 06-09-04, 05:55 PM

Tim, it looks like a prolapse. Make a saturated sugar solution and soak the area in it, the sugar may help it contract itself. The area has to be kept moist at all times, as so it does not dry out. You may end up having to push it back in yourself, or getting a veterinarian to do it. Should you decided to do it, go to your local drug mart and pick up a tube of KY Jelly. Wear gloves, and gently push it back in.

If the prolapse retracts, is not allowed to dry out, and does not become infected, the risk is minimal. However, if the area does dry out or become affected, problems will arise and you will need to seek medical assistance. Often times, a prolapse is the result of lacking hydration - just something to think about.

Recovery institutes ceased feeding for at least a month, and the snake should be kept well hydrated. Again, if the problem does not correct itself in a short period of time, you will have to either try pushing it back in yourself, or go to your local veterinarian. Pushing it in yourself, you risk rupturing the hemipenes (if it is a hemipenal prolapse) or damaging tissues (if it is an intestinal prolapse, for example). In addition, a veterinary may wish to suture the area. If funds are available, I would go to the veterinarian first thing tomorrow, during their hours, so that you do not have to pay the outrageous emergency fee. Again, keep the area moist, and place the tail into a saturated water and sugar solution.

Good luck!

marisa · 06-09-04, 06:01 PM

That looks far worse than any prolapse photo I have ever seen. Then again I have not seen any IN PERSON so I am not one too say.

Marisa

Tim_Cranwill · 06-09-04, 06:05 PM

Dave... the snake JUST hatched..... I am keeping it on wet/moist paper towel in a deli cup.

Thanks for the advice.

ReptiliansDOTca · 06-09-04, 06:06 PM

Marisa, if you think that is bad, you should have seen the one here I experienced with a albino burmese python while holding it for a friend. Upon seeing it, his words were "Holy **** this snake has a prolapse the size of a leopard gecko!" Anyhow, it was much bigger then that of the photos above. For interests sake, this case did not retract by itself.

Taking a second look at the pictures, that is quite a large prolapse for such a small snake, and I doubt it will correct on its own. Nonetheless, try the sugar water.

ReptiliansDOTca · 06-09-04, 06:09 PM

Weird, it just hatched eh? Often times, a prolapse occurs when the snake is trying to defecate, and either is dehydrated or the path is obstructed. That might not make sense in this case though...

Tim_Cranwill · 06-09-04, 06:11 PM

I just checked on the snake and the "prolapsed" part has since detatched..... it fell off!

Not sure if this is worse or what.... ????

BoidKeeper · 06-09-04, 06:16 PM

Could it have been part of the yolk sack that just got stuck under the anal scale?
Cheers,
Trevor

gonesnakee · 06-09-04, 06:20 PM

Tim are you sure it was from its vent? Reason why I ask is because I have had a few snakes hatch before with parts of their umbilical still attached to the bellybutton area slightly up from the vent. Thats right folks from the bellybuttons LOL Not sure if there is an official term for them in snakes or not. In all cases they fell off in the first day or two though when kept in wet towels as most hatchlings are at first. Had one keep it until the first shed as well. Kinda freaky when ya see this big ugly fleshy blob still attached thats for sure. The pic looks similar to how theirs appeared too. Hopefully the little one will turn out just fine. Mark
P.S. you folks don't ever want to see a major prolapse, trust me it ain't pretty.

Tim_Cranwill · 06-09-04, 07:08 PM

Marc and Trevor, it may have been the umbilical (sp?) but the snake was draging the part around when it moved and I payed extra close attention to see where it was coming from. Maybe it was just stuck in the vent but that's definitely the "dragging point" ... or was, anyway.

snakehunter · 06-09-04, 07:10 PM

Wheni took my bp in for a checkup she said that the slit (that was healing, when i took her she was about six weeks old) was a cut, and that snakes dont have a 'belly button'..................i dont go to that vet any more

ReptiliansDOTca · 06-09-04, 07:13 PM

What about that bulge at the end? Is that gone too?

Stockwell · 06-09-04, 08:35 PM

Hey that is not the cloaca, nor is that really a prolapse.. that is simply some yolk sac that wasn't absorbed.... no big deal
Just cut it off with scissors... I've seen that dozens of times... Usually it happens when they emerge form the shell a bit too soon. Usually it breaks off, but there is some danger in them dragging it and pulling out the entire absorbed yolk, which can be fatal as it's hooked to the intestinal tract..
When the tissue between the umbilicus and the yolk reminant is whitish, with little blood present its safe to simply cut it off... I've done it many times with lots of species.

Tim_Cranwill · 06-09-04, 09:54 PM

You know what? When I looked at her in person, I would SWEAR it was hanging from her cloaca but after looking at the pics again, I MUST have been wrong... I'm not sure how I missed that. But you're right Roy, That DOES look like exactly where the umbilical chord attaches.... Thanks all!

I wouldn't have even posted if I had seen that it wasn't from her cloaca...

Stockwell · 06-10-04, 01:36 AM

Tim, when this happens, you can put the neonate in a shoebox with a very low level of tepid water 1/8 inch.
That will keep the yolk moist and in some instances they will continue to absorb it.
Once the yolk sac is exposed to air, it generally never gets absorbed and is best removed before it gets caught on substrate and pulls more out.
Your case, as illustrated is very minor. I've had snakes "jump the shell" before absorbing any, and that leaves weaky babies that sometimes die.
The factors contributing to this, is often too much distubance from over curious keepers,higher than ideal temps , and occasionally sibling clutch mates simply jar other eggs and spook the pippers into jumping the shell.
In your posted photo the cloaca is just below where the white yolk mass is, some inch or so posterior to the umbilicus..
that snake appears to be a male
regards
roy