Bloated mid section and bottom?

Hi there, so I have a ball python who isn't that old. I got him in November and he has been fine but about two weeks ago I noticed he was really bloated and squishy from his mid section to his butt. I took him to the vet and she said it was probably a bacteria infection caused by his bedding and gave me three medicines to give him for two weeks. I've been giving him his medicine and I changed his bedding to an all natural carpet for reptiles but he doesn't seem to be getting any better. He hasn't pooped in almost 3 weeks and he won't eat, it's been almost 4 weeks. He's very lethargic lately and his color is very dull. His skin seems to be drying out in certain sections, just along his back though. I keep a water bowl in his cage to soak in and drink from and I keep his humidity between 50 - 60 at all times so I am not sure why his skin is looking so bad. I was wondering if this has happened to any one who can help me out?

Ok do you have a picture of your bloated BP? Belly shot and from the side.

Here is what it sound like to me based on your description

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He's very lethargic lately and his color is very dull. His skin seems to be drying out

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Your BP is going into shed

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bloated and squishy from his mid section to his butt

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This sound like blockage and maybe a combination of gases, trying to soak your BP in lukewarm water and slightly massaging him will help.

Now I am curious about your vet, what is her experience when it comes to reptiles?

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she said it was probably a bacteria

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That sounds like guessing to me, if this is what she suspects what what test did she perform, what were exact conclusion, what type of bacteria were you dealing with?

The reason I ask all that is that many vet actually have no clue, and will act like they do often prescribing various course of treatment that are often not necessary.

And BTW talking about bacteria reptile carpet is one of the worse bedding you can use ;)

best case scenario...

the BP is building up for one of the dramatic events described in this thread:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...RAP!-literally

I have pictures but I am unsure on how to post them on here, I am new to this website and I am not sure how to do it ahah.

I have seen him shed before and it doesn't look the same as when he sheds, I have a picture but I am not sure if you can really tell. But it is random spots along his back that are dry like in between the scales.

I just soaked him about an hour ago to see if it'd help but nothing really happened.

As for the vet I went to one of the only ones that are experienced with reptiles. I live in a little place and we only have 3 very small vet clinics. She was the only one who had an opening that wasn't a month away. She didn't give specifics, she took some x-rays and said that he didn't seem to have a blockage but he did have a lot of built up gas and she said it could be bacteria from the aspen bedding i was using or mites. So she prescribed me 3 oral medicines that I have been giving me but he doesn't really look better, and it cost me a lot for a whole lot of nothing so far.

Really? The reptile carpet is bad? What is a good bedding that is good for them?

And i know this is stupid but how long does it usually take them to poop?

Here's a link on how to post photos: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=173889

Or you can download tapatalk app on your phone and post photos straight from your phone.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

here's some pictures of his bloated tummy

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps57b98334.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps692dcdf9.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps568588d9.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps8fcfddc8.jpg

and then this is what his skin looks like

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...pse07e9f47.jpg

Looks like Sausage Butt to me. When was the last time he went poop? Then again Im no Vet so just my thoughts. As for the bedding, I use Aspen as does alot of people on here. What kind of Bacteria did you have in your Aspen? Quote " she said it could be bacteria from the aspen bedding i was using".

Sausage butt? it's been a few weeks since he's pooped. I was using aspen bedding before the vet told me to change. She didn't give me any specifics, she just said he had an infection from either "bacteria" or mites from the aspen bedding i was using.

I use coco husk bedding. Many people use aspen bedding. This looks like a good case of sausage butt. My male hasn't eaten since the end of November, beginning of December. He just had a really nasty fart last night, and I thought it was my girl regurgitating. No offense to people who use the reptile carpet but I don't like it. I'm sure it's great for reptiles that don't need a higher humidity level. If he has mites look under his chin and in the creases on his belly. You'll see tiny black and spots. Freezing your bedding will help with mites, and SOME bacteria. It's funny how some vets will act like they know about certain speciies when they don't specialize in exotics. Also depending on age he might have gone on the breeding fast. I still try every other week right now, and hope that the nasty fart means he's getting ready to eat again.

Be careful holding him for now. He is likely to unload a major poop all over you! To me it looks like he has a stuck shed and he is about to poop... Btw, sausage butt is when they swell up on their back half, full of poop.