Starting to worry...He seems...Puffy

[Arzus]

So I'm really starting to worry. The last few days my little guy has been acting...sluggish. He is normal very responsive and friendly when he is out, he'll explore and crawl all over. But lately, he's been slow and just stays balled up. I figured he was just getting ready to shed so I just gave him his space. He became dull the day before yesterday so I let myself relax.
But then last night when I changed his water I picked him up for a second to get a look at him, and he seemed to be...puffy, like he was full of air. He was even more sluggish, and slow. I tapped vvveeerryyy lightly on his belly and he sounded like, well he was full of air. He looks like someone blew him up a bit like a balloon. Both his neck and tail look much to small.
I kept him out for a second and set him on a blanket to see what was up. He seems to be almost burping, and seemed generally very uncomfortable.
He has eaten normally every six days, and the temps are good in his tank. The only thing I have changed lately was I started using coconut bedding.
I'm really worried right now because this just seems really off...
Help?

[twistedtails]

You should try soaking him in some luke warm water. I'm sure he just has to drop a load.

[Sarin]

Or wait until he sheds... He'll most likely leave you a very nasty surrise in his tub/tank.

Either way it sounds like he just has a huge poo to make.

[piper]

How big is he in comparison to what you are feeding? Like stated above, he's probably waiting to shed and you'll have a huge surprise. Don't soak as it can cause shedding complications.

Cheers,
Mike

[twistedtails]

Don't soak as it can cause shedding complications.

Cheers,
Mike

I have never heard that? If anything it will help the shed.

[spitfireashlea]

My normal is on a poop strike as we speak. She has shed once already without a present. It's been about 1mo 1/2. She will go, don't worry.

[snakesRkewl]

Don't soak as it can cause shedding complications.

Please do tell.
What complications?

[West Coast Jungle]

Check to see if the scales look stretched apart. If so she could have a hardened urate that she cannot pass. I would reccomend a long soak in some luke warm water. Over the years I have recieved some snakes that were a bit dehydrated and had a large urate stuck inside that they had trouble passing. One need a vet to help remove it and another passed a huge urate after soaking on and off for two days. Once again if she looks like a water baloon and the scales look like they are getting streched apart she maybe impacted.

[Kaorte]

Please do tell.
What complications?

I have heard it said by a number of people that soaking during a shed can actually leach the oils from their skin causing a bad shed. I have never experienced this since I don't soak my snakes though.

There really is no reason to soak your snake unless it is having a bad shed. A snake in shed is usually very scared and on edge. Putting it in a tub full of water probably isn't the best idea.

The only good reasons for soaking a snake are relieving impaction, stuck shed removal, and cleaning a poo covered snake.

Most of my snakes will lay a big turn right around when they shed. The "puffing" you notice is probably the snake holding back all that poo and pee for the grand finale.

[twistedtails]

The only good reasons for soaking a snake are ...stuck shed removal...

Do you not get what you are saying?