Reddish Vent Area?

So I've made a couple of posts about my new male ball python. He was born on 8/20 and I've had him since 9/17. He's grown from ~100g to ~150 grams in less than a month. He has shed once since I had him but he has yet to poop. He's eaten a LOT since I've had him, eating about once every 4-5 days.

Everything I've read says that it is normal for them to not poop for a while, but today I noticed that he has a reddish tinge around his vent.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...6/img_0364.jpg

It looks sort of engorged and I'm worried about possible impaction. He was only on aspen for a couple of days after I had him and since then he's been on newspaper.

Am I being overworried and he'll poop in the next few days and everything will be fine? Or should I be worried about impaction?

Note 1: He shed on 10/1
Note 2: I looked over the other Redness/Rash thread and this doesn't appear to be a "rash" just a general redness.

Thanks in advance.

Ball pythons rarely get impacted. Looks like he is just ready to blow soon.

If the area around the vent is soft and movable then he is fine.

Thanks, the area is still soft and movable. I'm a little afraid now of when he does blow. He has like nine assorted hopper mice/fuzzy rats in there.

So tonight I check out his tub and still no poop. His vent still has that reddish look to it and in feeling around the vent area I can feel something that feels hard and round. It feels like it is about a small marble size. Should I be concerned?

Hi,

Probably just a urate. :)

Have you tried a soak in 85f water? That can start a poop reaction.

Mind you so can changing their tub so it is nice and clean or handing them to a relative who is unsure of snakes. :rolleyes:

Is the redness still the same or has it moved or changed?


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

Probably just a urate. :)

Have you tried a soak in 85f water? That can start a poop reaction.

Mind you so can changing their tub so it is nice and clean or handing them to a relative who is unsure of snakes. :rolleyes:

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Also doing a photo shoot or putting them on your freshly washed bedsheets... both seem to work with my snakes, LOL. :P

Seriously, though... Sometimes just letting them roam/slither around gets the poop moving!

Dr. Del,

I did try soaking him in warm water, actually twice now. He didn't like being in the warm water and so the baths didn't last real long, maybe 10-12 minutes.

The redness has not changed except maybe very slightly redder.

I have had him out for about 20minutes at a time the last couple of days. I'll keep doing that.

Today would have been his normal feeding day. Should I wait until he poops? or is it okay to feed him, I'm pretty confident he would eat.

You can feed him, he will be fine :)

Some BPs like water, some (like my own) dont care for it.

If you need to give him a soak...help a poop along or remove stuck shed, you can find and adequately sized tupperware container and drill holes in the lid for air flow. Add, warm (85 F) water to where half the height of your snake will be covered. Place him in and snap the lid shut.

Voila! Soakin' time :) Just make sure the water is low enough that he can hold his head above with out straining and it should not be so deep that he has to swim, just a wading pool.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by teebyrd393

Some BPs like water, some (like my own) dont care for it.

If you need to give him a soak...help a poop along or remove stuck shed, you can find and adequately sized tupperware container and drill holes in the lid for air flow. Add, warm (85 F) water to where half the height of your snake will be covered. Place him in and snap the lid shut.

Voila! Soakin' time :) Just make sure the water is low enough that he can hold his head above with out straining and it should not be so deep that he has to swim, just a wading pool.

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Another thing to add to this. If you do choose to soak your snake, DO NOT LEAVE IT UNATTENDED. Once you put the snake in the container, put it right in front of you and do not take you eyes off of it until you take the snake out 15-20 minutes later.

Many snakes have died from careless owners leaving their snakes in a pool of water.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Another thing to add to this. If you do choose to soak your snake, DO NOT LEAVE IT UNATTENDED. Once you put the snake in the container, put it right in front of you and do not take you eyes off of it until you take the snake out 15-20 minutes later.

Many snakes have died from careless owners leaving their snakes in a pool of water.

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Ummmm, leaving a snake in water that comes half way up its back is not going to kill the snake. Not even if you do it overnight.

Provided the snake is otherwise healthy but just needs some hydration or assistance in shedding.

It is also permissible to leave the snake unattended.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Ummmm, leaving a snake in water that comes half way up its back is not going to kill the snake. Not even if you do it overnight.

Provided the snake is otherwise healthy but just needs some hydration or assistance in shedding.

It is also permissible to leave the snake unattended.

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Sorry Wes, I am going to have to disagree with you. :)
Snakes that don't like water will do everything they can to get out of that container and could very well get distressed and drown themselves. I have talked to people that have had this happen. The water was not more than an inch deep and the snake drowned itself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Sorry Wes, I am going to have to disagree with you. :)
Snakes that don't like water will do everything they can to get out of that container and could very well get distressed and drown themselves. I have talked to people that have had this happen. The water was not more than an inch deep and the snake drowned itself.

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How many people have had snakes die in an inch of water? What type and size were the snakes.

Over the years I have done this literally thousands of times and have never had a snake drown.

You can disagree all you want but it will not make your statement correct. It is wrong.

Hi,

Bizzare things happen everyday Wes;

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...hlight=drowned

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...47&postcount=9

I would hardly call it a common problem though. I'd like to hear more on the reported water bowl making a seal with the bottom of the tub - the chances must be hundreds of thousands to one at the very least. :weirdface


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

Bizzare things happen everyday Wes;

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...hlight=drowned

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...47&postcount=9

I would hardly call it a common problem though. I'd like to hear more on the reported water bowl making a seal with the bottom of the tub - the chances must be hundreds of thousands to one at the very least. :weirdface


dr del

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Not enough facts Doc. Was 2 inches really 5?

For the second, it's a rumor. She thought she heard someone talking about it and it may well have happened.

Stuff does happen.

However, I've done this, and I do mean literally, thousands of times. A healthy snake in water deep enough to cover it halfway, will not drown without million to one mishaps.

Have you tried to VERY gently palpate the hard mass out of his vent? I had one female hatchling that I had to do that for last year, and it was a urate that was holding everything else back.

If you try to do this - do it over a trash can, because once you dislodge that, there will be quite a rush of excrement after that.

Thank you all for your replies and posts. I really appreciate it and I'm sure a lot of the newbie lurkers out there get a lot from those that are willing to post and help out us less experienced.

He pooped and peed yesterday and indeed the hard mass was a Urate. I came home from work and the tub had condensation all over it. He lost about 20% of his body weight (from 176 to 143).

I truly appreciate the posts of encouragement and reassurance.

After moving and wiping and cleaning of my snake and his enclosure, he happily ate again.

Yay! Very good to hear everything came out ok! (pun intended) :P