Bloated Ball

Hi everyone I'm new to this site and have a question. Little Moe my ball python is going on 18 years old now and has been eating live food sense he was 6" long. Anyway I feed him a rat no larger then normal for him and now he is very swollen. He sits with his head and about 8" of his body sticking straight up and his mouth open off and on. we just moved and he went a couple days without his heat rock witch I've used for the last 18 years with him with no issues and now he's just really bloated. I have never seen this happen to him and I am a little worried. Any thoughts or ideas of the problem? Thanks

Sounds intestinal, a vet is your best option...ultrasound, x-ray, all that good stuff.

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Originally Posted by Physician&Snakes

Sounds intestinal, a vet is your best option...ultrasound, x-ray, all that good stuff.

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x2

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why are you using a heat rock??


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You have any pics?

If he ate and then didn't have access to heat for digestion, the feeder could be rotting which will cause gas to build up. I thought most snakes regurged before that could happen though.

I'd get him to a vet.

I've always used a heat rock and never seemed to have trouble with it. I soaked him in luke warn water and got him to take a crap but it was real hard. Then about 20 minutes later he vomited up the rat and it was barely digested. He doesn't look as bloated now but now he keeps opening up his mouth like he is burping or maybe trying to puke. Is this normal for a while after they have this happen. I'm going to call a vet tomorrow but your thoughts are welcome thanks.

Sorry I can't seem to get any pictures uploaded using my phone and we don't have a home computer hooked up yet due to just moving in sorry.

Heat rocks are advised against for snakes and pretty much all species on most care sheets. You need to get him an under tank heater regulated by a thermostat and/or an overhead heat lamp. A heat rock isn't going to be enough for his temps, plus they are pretty dangerous. Snakes can and will cook themselves on them. I've seen some pictures of horrific burns on here and you don't want that to be your snake. Here's the caresheet on Bps http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

I hope he's ok and I hope you upgrade his enclosure to make it suitable. Please get him to the vet and keep us updated. Thank you for joining to get help for your snake!

All anyone can do is offer educated guesses until you get him to the vet. Mine is that you are dealing with a combination of no heat while trying to digest a meal, and very likely a respiratory infection. If his only heat source is that rock, I'd bet his ambient temps are way too low during December in Wyoming. Get him to a vet ASAP and please read the caresheet on this site. Also, do not attempt to feed him for at least two weeks so his intestinal flora can recover from the regurgitation.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet