Constipated baby, help?

[Dezoruba]

Hey yall. I have a 90 gram ball python who just shed - he had some stuck on his anal spurs/tail tip so I set him in some lukewarm water for a few minutes so I could get it off him. Well he pooped a little bit, but then seemed to be straining very hard and I noticed a huge 1.5-2 inch lump by his cloaca that he couldn't seem to pass. He looked like he was about to prolapse himself by pushing so hard. The lump is hard and it doesn't seem that he can pass it on his own.

Should I try to help by massaging it? Do i just wait for him to pass it on his own? Does this call for a vet?

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[Gc99]

A picture will help. And sometimes I can tell when my bp are gonna poop because i see a bump like that, and in a couple of hours i have to clean somethig up

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[Craiga 01453]

I'm very interested to hear some more replies on this...

[Albert Clark]

Well firstly, don't stress him too much. I would think that warm soaks and massaging can be a first line assistance for him. It could be a piece of substrate. It will help to raise your humidity percentage too. They are pretty efficient at getting things out of their systems that don't belong there. Keep a close eye on him and i think you will be okay.

[Dezoruba]

A picture will help. And sometimes I can tell when my bp are gonna poop because i see a bump like that, and in a couple of hours i have to clean somethig up

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It's easier to see the lump in person than in the picture unfortunately.

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[Dezoruba]

Well firstly, don't stress him too much. I would think that warm soaks and massaging can be a first line assistance for him. It could be a piece of substrate. It will help to raise your humidity percentage too. They are pretty efficient at getting things out of their systems that don't belong there. Keep a close eye on him and i think you will be okay.

Hmm, he's on paper towel so I don't see what he could've eaten to get stuck in him.

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[Albert Clark]

Hmm, he's on paper towel so I don't see what he could've eaten to get stuck in him.

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Wow, ok. So that's a new bit of information. I would do the warm soaks and massaging then in the meantime. Keep an eye on the swelling and if it doesn't resolve after a few rounds of massaging and warm soaks coupled with a boosted humidity percent consider the exotic vet. Baby balls hold onto fluids and feces to absorb as much nutrition as possible.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

In my experience dealing with similar situation with adult or hatchling, it can generally be solved at home however keep in mind that I have not examine the animal personally and do not know if it is in fact the same issue.

Usually when you have this type of issue what causes the blockage is a large harden piece of urate, now what I do is massage and push it out, obviously it is a lot easier with an hatchling than an adult but it has it’s risk as if done too roughly or fast you could end up with a prolapsed or a tear if the piece of urate is really large.

So the bottom line is that you have to know what you are doing, and realize that yes there are risks, however I have ever experienced a prolapsed doing this but I know other have.

A vet would likely do an X-Ray and follow with an enema if it turns out to be what I believe it is.

[Dezoruba]

In my experience dealing with similar situation with adult or hatchling, it can generally be solved at home however keep in mind that I have not examine the animal personally and do not know if it is in fact the same issue.

Usually when you have this type of issue what causes the blockage is a large harden piece of urate, now what I do is massage and push it out, obviously it is a lot easier with an hatchling than an adult but it has it’s risk as if done too roughly or fast you could end up with a prolapsed or a tear if the piece of urate is really large.

So the bottom line is that you have to know what you are doing, and realize that yes there are risks, however I have ever experienced a prolapsed doing this but I know other have.

A vet would likely do an X-Ray and follow with an enema if it turns out to be what I believe it is.

Thank you Deborah. I think I will leave him be for today and if he hasn't passed the lump on his own by tomorrow I will see if I can soak/massage it out.

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[Gc99]

Thank you Deborah. I think I will leave him be for today and if he hasn't passed the lump on his own by tomorrow I will see if I can soak/massage it out.

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I agree. Soaking makes them poop and pass urates, at least my snakes do

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