Ball Python rescue help... pics and videos

[gurpgurp]

Hello everyone! So here's my story.....

I am in the process of trying to rescue a BP. He has been to hell and back TWICE due to the irresponsibility of my GF's sister.

It started with another person leaving him behind for my buddy to care for. He doesn't like snakes so he told him that he can borrow is garage and keep him there until he figures his stuff out. Well... I live in Phoenix where the temps get to 120 outside, let alone inside a garage and let alone a closet INSIDE the garage. Anyways.... he was left there with nothing. Apparently he was fed and had some water but that was it. After a while I realized this poor thing was suffering so I started to check on him and get him water at least. At the time I was pretty nervous around snakes considering I have never owned one so I just made sure he had water and was staying on my buddy's ass to get his friend to take him back. Long story short... they ignored him. The last time I went there I opened the drawer he was in in the 125 degree Phoenix garage and found a horrible sight. A regurgitated rat that has been in there for who knows how long, poop, pee, flies, gross stuff, I have NO IDEA what else was in there. Friggin gross tho. I said stuff it and took a chance. I took him out and cleaned EVERYTHING, I demanded someone get him some food and later on the original owner came with two live mice that he ate just fine. I was going to adopt him and just keep him, but then here comes my GF's sister who thinks the world owes her everything and demanded that now that this snake was clean and looking goo and that it was in her garage SHE was going to keep him. I was pretty upset considering all the work I did but said whatever and let her keep it. STUPID..... Long story short it has been probably 3 months since she kept him and up until last week, he has not eaten single thing, and on top of that she moved and left him behind in a closed apartment with no open windows, food, water, light, NOTHING in the middle of summer. SO once again I went to try and help. He is now in my custody and there has been some complications.

I treated what I think was a RI and it seemed to help, he hasn't been prairie dogging and haven't sen any bubbles or anything. He started to do some weird spitting up thing that I have no idea what it was. In a moment I will post a video of this reaction that I shot today that leads me to todays question. The only difference, today he didn't spit up. Just got weird. I took him out in the grass and let him snake around and he looked way more energetic than before. I think maybe I helped.

View My Video Pardon the angle, he started doing it and I just hit record...

Now this... I gave him a small rat last week when I got him, he took it right away no issues. I tried feeding him again yesterday and nothing. Tried again today and nothing.

Ok.. I know I ramble but my brain works really fast, hope I am making sense.... lol

Now... here is my problem... I noticed a swollen belly or midsection. It's squishy. Kinda big. I assume that maybe it's the undigested rat since I havent seen him poop yet, but the lump looks way bigger than the rat. He has been lethargic as well. ( besides today when I took him out ). I am thinking constipation. I just gave him another warm bath and I have been trying to hydrate him with a Powerade bath, nothing so far.

Here are some of the pics I was able to get this morning. You can see the bulge.












So.... as a newb trying his best to safe this poor thing, does anyone have any ideas, tips, tricks, anything that might help me out? The worst thing is that I already own my own BP and I wasn't intending on keeping this one and a vet visit is out of my price range at the moment. I am hoping I can get some of these folks that messed him up to contribute to the visit but I doubt it. I want him to be fine, if I can save him I will keep him, but if I cant or it's something serious that I cannot help with, I would rather find someone or somewhere I can take him so that he can get the care he needs. I am kind of at the final point of what to do for this little dude.

Anyways, thanks for reading my ramble and I look forward to the help. Thanks again!

BM

[ElliotNess]

I am gonna suggest what I would do which is try to massage that lump. I would assume he is not able to pass it for some reason but it appears too far down to regurge or is stuck, which is what the motion appears to be... it trying to regurgitate the feed.

Warm bath and massage, rinse and repeat...

[Derekm951]

now im not a doctor, nor are most people that will see and reply to this, but the video suggests it is trying to regurge it. The lump does look significantly larger than what a small rat would cause in a snake that size. My assumption is he is trying to regurge, but the rat is too far down to be brought back up, and because hes unsuccessfully regurgitating, it is causing his stomach to swell, like if you get a piece of chicken stuck in your throat after swallowing before youre done chewing, it takes a while and a lot of effort to get down and once you do your throat feels funny. My advice would be to take him to the vet, and if you cannot afford to do that in an animals time of need how can you properly care for animals? If you cannot drop 100-300$ at any moment for your animals well being, you may be unfit to care for another being life. I would pursue the previous owners for help, and if all else fails massage it.

[dr del]

Hi,

To be honest I think that really needs investigating by a good reptile vet.

Until I saw the lump I thought it might be neurological damage from overheating but given the position on the body I think it is more likely to be something like a blocked/ twisted intestine.

That's not something I would suggest trying to treat at home.

[albinos_rule]

I think it is idiotic to think that because someone doesn't have a huge bank account that they can not properly take care of an animal.

[Drake Moonslayer]

I have 11 ball pythons and do not have a huge bank account. I have yet to have to take my animals to a vet. If it was needed I would do everything in my power to get the funds needed for the vet billing. But to say that you should not care for another animal if you do not have a lot of money is not right. Yes if needed you should be willing and or able to seek treatment. That is what the OP is doing by reaching out in this forum. He is asking for any assistance from people that may be more experienced with this kind of situation than he is. He has also already stated that if it requires a vet bill that he cannot afford he is wanting to get the snake to someone that can get the nessasary treatment for the animal.

[Drake Moonslayer]

I think that the other suggestions of massage would be my fist try as well.

[alan12013]

Usually bloating is from improper digestion and sadly I haven't heard of the proper treatment for that. Your BP probably has weakend internal organs from spending the summer in that overly hot enclosure and poor husbadry. I would do the following:
1) Give him a bath using water that is exactly room temp. I think it's all too common people use water that is too hot, remember if it feels warm to you the it will be too hot for the snake. While he is in the bath try rubbing his swollen belly bery lightly letting him slither over your hand. Do this for about 5-10 minutes every 4 days or so.
2) Make sure his temps are SPOT ON. As well as humidity. If it is a digestion issue then he WILL need a proper gradient that he can choose to move around in and choose the right temp to digest the meal.
3) Feed him smaller meals for now incase his organs are not strong enough to handle such a large meal. I woul record exactly when I fed him and when I offered food. You can post that info on here too. I would personally only offer food every 5 days and again, small meals.
4) Get him a really nice hide that he will use. Another user made me aware of Boots and Barkely water bowls for dogs at Target and they are amazing, most of my snakes love them. He IS stressed out beyond belief right now. The move, poor care, frequent handling, baths, all of this adds to stress. High stress doesn't help an injured body.
This is just what I would do. I am by far not the most experienced person, this is just what I would do if I couldn't take him to a vet.

[albinos_rule]

I am just gonna throw this out there, and I am no expert, but if the snake is female could it be eggs

[wolfy-hound]

My guess would be that his going without food so long has affected his digestive track. Now he has a big meal that his system couldn't handle but it's down too far to regurge it. If you soak him in warm(not hot) water and see if he can move it, that may help, but if his intestine is damaged or twisted or too weak to move the mass on to poo it out, he may not be able to be helped, short of an enema or surgery.

I would advise NOT to take him out to the yard, nor to handle him much, if at all. Let him relax in his cage with plenty of hides and warm humid spots and leave him alone except for treatment. He's not used to being handled, and ball pythons generally don't like bright open space. Roaming around a lawn will stress him because remember, all his tiny snakey brain is telling him is "Any minute a giant bird will swoop down and eat me!".