Constipated snake?

[Dev_DeCoste]

Hey everyone,

So I got my snake 2 weeks ago, 3 weeks tomorrow. Other than the Friday I got him, I've been feeding every Monday for the past 2. However, he still hasn't pooped. I know the guy at the store told me they were behind on feeding the snakes so I figured maybe the first mouse was just digested and metabolized as energy and the 2nd would force something out. I just don't know if I should keep feeding so regularly or if I should wait for him to clear his system out.

I replace his water with warm water every morning and often at night as well, and the heat lamp is now over the dish in the center of the tank. I've also read about putting the little guy in the tub and letting him swim around in some shallow warm water. However, livin in a low-income apartment complex I don't trust the integrity of my bath tub :-p Would likely require loooots of bleach.

Anyway, I appreciate any help on this. Thanks everyone!

Dev

[Rickys_Reptiles]

Hello,

They do, sometimes, go several weeks without passing waste. You snake has not pooped - has it passed any urates or liquid waste?

What are your husbandry measurements? [heat/humidity]
Does your snake move around freely, or is it coiled most of the time?

[don15681]

most likely your snake is fine. they sometimes go a while without pooping. and if you're feeding him a smaller rodent than what he should be taking, even longer. when you feed, you should be able to see a slight lump in his belly when he gets the rodent all the way down. if not, next time feed a little larger and check again. if you decide to soak him. get a tub from walmart, doesn't have to be real big. but your snake should be able to move some in it. and the water should be luke warm to you. what's warm to you is hot to your snake. you don't want the water too deep that your snake has to swim. half way up the snakes body is fine. put a few air holes in the lid and place it on the tub. also check and make sure his hot spot is around 88 to 92 degrees F so he can properly digest his food. keep us posted. good luck don

[bcr229]

What size prey are you feeding your snake? Also, how old is your snake, and how much does it weigh? You can use a kitchen scale to weigh him.

[Dev_DeCoste]

I don't yet have a scale and am working hard to get my tank to ideal conditions. Its been tough living in a crappy VT apartment. I'm buying a heat mat thermostat today, it will arrive next week. I feed him small frozen mice. The tank is usually about 82 throughout with 30-50% humidity. I have the water bowl under the basking lamp, aspen bedding, some moss tucked under the water bowl and behind his hide and a medium heat mat, 10G tank. The snake is young. Unfortunately I don't know exactly how old because he's from a pet store and they're clueless. Wish I could've gone breeder. He does move around a bunch, coiled up mostly throughout the day but climbs around at night. Getting a much bigger tank tomorrow, as well. 20G, 36". Want to clean and set this next one up right

[bcr229]

Ok, you need two hides, one on the warm side and one on the cool side, or otherwise your snake will choose security over regulating his temperature.

Also, when you say "small frozen mice" do you mean pinkies, fuzzies, small adults, or ...???

[Dev_DeCoste]

Ok, you need two hides, one on the warm side and one on the cool side, or otherwise your snake will choose security over regulating his temperature.

Also, when you say "small frozen mice" do you mean pinkies, fuzzies, small adults, or ...???

Okay, I'm going to make a small make shift hide for the time being. And he is on pinkies right now

[ballpythonluvr]

Okay, I'm going to make a small make shift hide for the time being. And he is on pinkies right now

That snake NEEDS to be eating something bigger than a pinky. It should at least be eating hopper mice or small adult mice depending on how much it weighs. Heck, even better, get some rats into that snake's belly!

[bcr229]

That snake NEEDS to be eating something bigger than a pinky. It should at least be eating hopper mice or small adult mice depending on how much it weighs. Heck, even better, get some rats into that snake's belly!

Exactly, as soon as the OP said "pet store" and "no poop" I was thinking he got the same bad advice I did when I got my first: feed it mouse pinkies. It wasn't until I did some online research that I learned they could take much larger prey.

So, ditch the pinkies and get the poor thing onto rat pups.

ETA: If you don't have a thermostat for that heat pad (under-tank heater?) then you need one or it can get hot enough to burn your snake.

[Dev_DeCoste]

So I added a second hide to the cool end. Temp is still around 80 throughout. I repositions the hot-hide so that only half the heating pad overlaps it. That way it doesn't just cook inside the hide. Moved the water dish to the center.. Came home and he was exploring the new set up. Have to admit it is pretty cramped in there now.



I'm buying a thermostat for my UTH soon. I'll upgrade his diet my next trip to the store. He's got one left. Also after checking the amount I noticed the packaging actually said fuzzies. It honestly seems pretty big to him when I feed them to him but if you guys are saying he can handle much larger I suppose I should start progressively getting bigger food now.