6 Month Old BP Heath Questions

I will preface this by saying I plan to take him to our herp vet soon... but the COVID situation has made things difficult because everything is running on limited hours and it’s hard to get an appointment. So I am asking here to see if there’s anything I can do in the meantime.

I have posted about Jupiter before, most recently asking about his breeder, XYZ Reptiles. I am actually attaching photos this time because I’ve figured out how to LOL.

Jupiter is about 125g. He’s kept in a rack system with belly heat 88-92° thermostat controlled hot spot. Humidity hangs out between 70 and 80. He’s on Reptichip bedding and has fresh water provided daily. Currently eating live rat pups and has not missed a meal until this week... but he’s in shed.

When little dude came home, he was 74g and looked like a pencil. He had loose skin and this weird “dimpling” on his sides.
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I have gotten about 8 meals in him and he’s now up to 125g and looks like this.
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So, he looks a lot better. Now. Obviously I know the refusal to eat was likely due to his being in shed. However, he’s got a lot of the weird dimples and creases back in his skin. His humidity is good... but I have him in a soak right now just in case. Does anybody have any idea what the heck that could be?

He also hasn’t pooped in about two weeks, and his lower belly looks a little puffy. Not insanely so, but somewhat noticeable. I’m not sure if I’m being overly helicopter mom with him because he was so tiny when I got him, or if it’s just that he’s my first light colored snake from a baby, or if there’s something actually wrong.

Like I said, I plan to get him to a vet as soon as I can, but advice in the mean time is appreciated.


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Update: Just took him out of his soak and ran him under some water and he dropped the biggest poop I’ve ever seen come out of that tiny of a snake. Well formed, not weird looking or anything. Just a TON of it.


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He's likely fine then. If I had to make an uneducated guess, he was probably maintenance fed before you got him, hence his condition. You got a few meals into him which helped fill him out and rehydrate him.

Also rat fuzzies are mostly digested so there won't be a whole lot of waste from them.