Starting to worry...He seems...Puffy

So I'm really starting to worry. The last few days my little guy has been acting...sluggish. He is normal very responsive and friendly when he is out, he'll explore and crawl all over. But lately, he's been slow and just stays balled up. I figured he was just getting ready to shed so I just gave him his space. He became dull the day before yesterday so I let myself relax.
But then last night when I changed his water I picked him up for a second to get a look at him, and he seemed to be...puffy, like he was full of air. He was even more sluggish, and slow. I tapped vvveeerryyy lightly on his belly and he sounded like, well he was full of air. He looks like someone blew him up a bit like a balloon. Both his neck and tail look much to small.
I kept him out for a second and set him on a blanket to see what was up. He seems to be almost burping, and seemed generally very uncomfortable.
He has eaten normally every six days, and the temps are good in his tank. The only thing I have changed lately was I started using coconut bedding.
I'm really worried right now because this just seems really off...
Help?

You should try soaking him in some luke warm water. I'm sure he just has to drop a load.

Or wait until he sheds... He'll most likely leave you a very nasty surrise in his tub/tank.

Either way it sounds like he just has a huge poo to make.

How big is he in comparison to what you are feeding? Like stated above, he's probably waiting to shed and you'll have a huge surprise. Don't soak as it can cause shedding complications.

Cheers,
Mike

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Originally Posted by piper

Don't soak as it can cause shedding complications.

Cheers,
Mike

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I have never heard that? If anything it will help the shed.

My normal is on a poop strike as we speak. She has shed once already without a present. It's been about 1mo 1/2. She will go, don't worry.

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Originally Posted by piper

Don't soak as it can cause shedding complications.

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Please do tell.
What complications?

Check to see if the scales look stretched apart. If so she could have a hardened urate that she cannot pass. I would reccomend a long soak in some luke warm water. Over the years I have recieved some snakes that were a bit dehydrated and had a large urate stuck inside that they had trouble passing. One need a vet to help remove it and another passed a huge urate after soaking on and off for two days. Once again if she looks like a water baloon and the scales look like they are getting streched apart she maybe impacted.

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

Please do tell.
What complications?

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I have heard it said by a number of people that soaking during a shed can actually leach the oils from their skin causing a bad shed. I have never experienced this since I don't soak my snakes though.

There really is no reason to soak your snake unless it is having a bad shed. A snake in shed is usually very scared and on edge. Putting it in a tub full of water probably isn't the best idea.

The only good reasons for soaking a snake are relieving impaction, stuck shed removal, and cleaning a poo covered snake.

Most of my snakes will lay a big turn right around when they shed. The "puffing" you notice is probably the snake holding back all that poo and pee for the grand finale.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

The only good reasons for soaking a snake are ...stuck shed removal...

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Do you not get what you are saying?

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Originally Posted by twistedtails

Do you not get what you are saying?

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...yes? What are you trying to say?

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

...yes? What are you trying to say?

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Do you have any proof of this?

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Originally Posted by twistedtails

Do you have any proof of what you are saying?

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That is my opinion, those are the only scenarios in which I would soak my snake. In my opinion, there is no reason to otherwise.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

That is my opinion, those are the only scenarios in which I would soak my snake. In my opinion, there is no reason to otherwise.

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So if is snake is possably impacted then soaking his snake is a good idea right? It was recommended to soak his snake to relieve the snake of impaction right? You basically piped in to say that it has been "said" that soaking an animal is bad for them while in shed. The recommendations that were given are proven remedies to help with problems stated by the OP. We don't want to confuse people here do we?

I honestly don't believe this snake is impacted. Ball pythons get fat butts around when they poo. Many ball pythons will poo right around when they shed. So why bother messing with a snake that is uncomfortable and will probably be just fine if it is left alone?

as said before, i wouldn't worry too much at all. wait until your snake has completed his shed, because to me it just sounds like he's a little "backed up" so to speak. my male spider went on a 2 month poop strike, and after a shed he has a bit stuck to his tail tip, so into the bathtub he went.

and LET ME TELL YOU, he sure did "go" if you know what i mean! it was bigger than MINE and it just kept coming out, i was in utter disbelief.

so just hang on a bit longer until the snake has shed, and if there is no special surprise for you in the enclosure, then consider a bath for your BP

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Originally Posted by twistedtails

So if is snake is possably impacted then soaking his snake is a good idea right? It was recommended to soak his snake to relieve the snake of impaction right? You basically piped in to say that it has been "said" that soaking an animal is bad for them while in shed. The recommendations that were given are proven remedies to help with problems stated by the OP. We don't want to confuse people here do we?

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The first time my first ball python was going in to shed, I decided to soak her, the shed went horribly.

I think what Kaorte is trying to say is, after the shed process, you can soak if there is some stuck shed.. That's all..

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Originally Posted by piper

The first time my first ball python was going in to shed, I decided to soak her, the shed went horribly.

I think what Kaorte is trying to say is, after the shed process, you can soak if there is some stuck shed.. That's all..

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If you were soaking to help the shed, and it still went bad then you more than likely didn't soak long enough or had some other element putting it off. When I was first attempting to get correct humidity levels with my Pastel, she had probably 3 sheds that i had to give her a good soak to get through good and they all went fine. Her last two were unassisted and immaculate.

So to say that soaking during shed causes problems, well...in all experiences I've seen it's just not true.

Thanks for the advice guys.
I was (and still am) hoping it was something little like being on "Poop Strike" before he shed.
I'll post any updates when I can.

you can cut the tension in this thread with a knife!

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Originally Posted by DeadLegs

If you were soaking to help the shed, and it still went bad then you more than likely didn't soak long enough or had some other element putting it off. When I was first attempting to get correct humidity levels with my Pastel, she had probably 3 sheds that i had to give her a good soak to get through good and they all went fine. Her last two were unassisted and immaculate.

So to say that soaking during shed causes problems, well...in all experiences I've seen it's just not true.

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Shouldn't have to soak... :)

All 6 of my snakes shed fine now.. It's winter time and the humidity levels have dropped to a disgusting level, now I use a humidifier. I've only had to do it once, but maybe if you read through some old threads you would understand a little more.

This is why I have moved to a rack and use tubs instead of an aquarium.

How do you know the shed is going to be bad or how do you know if it needs assistance?

So hows the OPs snake doing? My BP Apollo just went threw his shed looking puffy and being a crank pot. I worried very little about it because he is just terrible during sheds and is a bit of a problem snake. He shed in one piace (first time for everything) and left a nice poop in the shed too. He refused to eat however and was still puffy. I kept the humidity up and within 3 days time of it he left me a mmassiiiivveeeeee poop. Just insanely huge! I think what ended up happening is that he hadn't pooped or peed for me a in the past month, when he shed it just all came out! The little creep is fine and dandy, hungry as hell too. :)