abnormal bowel movements/temp help?
I got my BP Link about 2 months ago now, and he seems to be really healthy and comfortable in his new place after have some time to settle in and get used to it. He is approximately 2 years old, not sure what weight he is at as I haven't had the chance to weigh him yet. During this time I had some adult mice given to me from the old owner but ended up changing from 3 adult mice (frozen/thawed) every 7-10 days to a 150g chicken (frozen/thawed) every 14-18 days. He transitioned seamlessly from the mice to the chicken and I haven't had any regurgitation since i started the chickens.
I'm a little concerned however because he has taken anywhere from 10-15 days to poop, yet i've found urates as soon as 2-3 days after a feeding. Right now I have a IR heat bulb and a ceramic space heater to keep the temps up for him (75-78 cool side 83-88 hot side), I change his water every 2 days, mist his tank as needed (just enough for the substrates to hold form but not drip). I have ordered a UTH and a rheostat to more accurately control his temps in the hopes of that making a difference but have yet to receive them.
Is it normal for a BP to go that long without a bowel movement or could there be something wrong with his digestive tract? His temps have dipped a little low one night (70-72 cool, 76-78 hot) but i had that corrected and brought the ambient room temp up with the above mentioned ceramic space heater.
He hasn't been as active as I have heard or read they should be after having digested his meal, usually just hanging out under his hide that's set in the middle of his enclosure. I rarely see him on the hot side of his tank and have only seen him balled up in the corner of his tank behind one of the fake plants on the cool side, not in his second hide on that side.
Is any of this abnormal behavior I should be worried about and if so what would be recommended to help him have a better quality of life?
Re: abnormal bowel movements/temp help?
Nah, it seems as though you have the temps ok. However it would be good and helpful to get the uth and rheostat hooked up bc bp's require belly heat to really aid digestion. I didn't get your humidity number? Maybe I missed that. Snakes have a tendency to hold on to feces at times for various reasons. I wouldn't worry about that right now though.
Re: abnormal bowel movements/temp help?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sensei345
Also, how many days do you usually wait after a poop to feed or is it safe to feed even though he hasn't pooped yet but its later than the normal wait period between feedings?
I offer weekly.
A digital hydrometer in the enclosure will be accurate, it doesn't need a probe.
You also want to measure temperature UNDER the substrate not on top.
Re: abnormal bowel movements/temp help?
One of mine poops 3-4 days after eating. The other will go 3-4 weeks without pooping. I just co continuously offer food according to my schedule, when they have to go they will.