Snake digestion question

Hey all. I just got a new ball python 2 days ago. He's probably about 5 months old. His last meal was I THINK a week ago, and I just came home to a really weird issue. I'm very new to this, but from what I've seen, snake poop is pretty small and often runny. I don't think he has pooped in these two days until now. Now there's what looks like an almost intact feeder mouse stuck. It's almost out, I don't want to help him, but it's been stuck for at least 15 minutes now. He went from one end of the cage to the other, then finally into his hole and it's still attached. Does anyone have experience with this, am I overreacting, or is it a real issue? Thanks guys.

ok first a couple questions where did you buy the snake from is it a captive bred if its from Africa it may have parasites or worms.if you're sure you're seeing is fully formed ratgive it two days if not take it to a vet That is a herp specialist poo shouldnt be runny it should have urine and sperate nuggets and possibly a calcium white nugget

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Originally Posted by Aurora

Hey all. I just got a new ball python 2 days ago. He's probably about 5 months old. His last meal was I THINK a week ago, and I just came home to a really weird issue. I'm very new to this, but from what I've seen, snake poop is pretty small and often runny. I don't think he has pooped in these two days until now. Now there's what looks like an almost intact feeder mouse stuck. It's almost out, I don't want to help him, but it's been stuck for at least 15 minutes now. He went from one end of the cage to the other, then finally into his hole and it's still attached. Does anyone have experience with this, am I overreacting, or is it a real issue? Thanks guys.

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Snake poop is like other poop. It is generally solid, not runny. Although liquid can come out with it from dropping urates and poop at the same time. Not sure exactly by your post but sounds like what you are saying is there is an undigested mouse stuck in the snakes vent? Is that right? If it is just stuck to his body he probably regurgitated it and it just stuck to him. If it is in fact stuck in his vent that isn't normal. Even if it was regular poop it shouldn't just get stuck in his vent.

This just sounds odd.

A partially digested rat should be a regurge, not a poop. Regurge is bad, so if that's what it is, you need to address it properly. The first step is by not feeding for a couple of weeks, to give the snake time to recover.

Poop should not get stuck in the vent, even if it is somehow only partially digested. If there is in fact poop stuck in the vent, I'd be quite concerned.

Normal BP poop can be surprisingly large, and should be fully formed, not runny. They do use the same hole for both poo and pee (and breeding), so it is not unusual for both to come out at once, which might make it seem like runny poo, but really it should be more like fully formed poo in a puddle of liquid. Also urates can come out, which are basically solid pee. They'll look like a white or yellowish, greyish, greenish rock-like thing, and can be any size from quite small to just as big as a piece of poo.

If there is an almost intact feeder that has been in his digestive system, regardless of which end it came out, that is a fairly serious health issue, and you might want to take the snake back to wherever you got it from. If there is poo that is stuck halfway out of his vent, regardless of whether it is properly digested or not, well... I've never even heard of that but it sounds like it might be a fairly serious health issue, and you might want to take the snake back to wherever you got it from.

Good luck, and please keep us updated!

EDIT: I meant to say... if there is in fact something stuck in the snake's vent, and you want to try to help the snake get it out, my first guess would be to try giving the snake a soak. This often stimulates them to go, so maybe it would stimulate it to finish going. Put it in water that is about 80-90 degrees and is just deep enough to come about but maybe not quite halfway up the sides of the snake. You don't want it to have to swim. Let it soak for maybe 15 minutes, keeping an eye on it.

I am absolutely intrigued. I know my BCI lays in his bowl and makes a mess in there. The soak should definitely help but I want to see a pic. This has me curious.

I'm scared to move him because it's quite large. I may be wrong about it being an undigested mouse, but it is certainly the same size. It has been about 7 hours since I first saw it, slept for 6 hours of it and he's now outside of his hidey hole. Since you all are so curious about it, here's a pic.

[IMG]http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/...psed155c7b.jpg[/IMG]

I would soak him and if he lets you handle him after the soak massage a little and see if that helps. After that you are at the Vet level. I wouldnt recommend trying to pry it out as whatever is causing the hangup could seriously harm it. Soak now and report back.

Boyfriend is on the phone with the seller, so we're starting with that. I told him about a soak as well, thank you.

Was it a pet store or breeder?

**Let him soak while you figure it out**

Wont hurt anything... warm tap water... keep the water warm..

He's soaking. He wouldn't let us pick him up and kept twitching back and recoiling a bit. I've got about 3/4" warm water and he's sitting in it now. Pet store. Called the owner, he's getting info and going to call back.

He has been soaking and it cleaned off a little bit of stuff but hasn't helped it come out. It's ALMOST out like it was this morning but it's not budging.

Possibly a final update for you all. After soaking, it absolutely looks like snake insides. We both thought we saw a mouse leg last night though and I don't see any poop in the tank. He just left to take him back to the store and to the vet. Might get him back, might not depending on what's actually going on. Either way, him and I are complete snake novices so this is just too much. Our first snake died from IBD after 18 days of owning it. What a start to my bday :( Thanks for the help guys

First off Happy Birthday.

Now whether you get him back or not, I am sure some of us can help you get situated. I haven't had snakes in a decade so I am relearning but I can at least try to help you get situated.

Here are a couple things I would do. First make the enclosure as minimal as possible. Lose all of the substrate and run paper towels. Its easier on you and the snake. Second if you only have the one snake for now and really want to make life easier than get one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/IRIS-Narrow-Un...nderbed+drawer

Thats the size of a 32 or so quart container and they cannot get out of those and they are stackable. You can have a couple and have a little rack setup. This will get you into a more sterile environment and easier to learn with.

Also I would get with members here and pick up snakes from breeders and not pet stores. It will benefit you in the long run.

Im sure others will chime in.

Good Luck

No wonder you guys hadn't seen anything like this before. That picture from this morning was of the snake's insides (outside his body). We were told today that it happened to this snake before and he survived it. The vet had to make an incision last time and basically stuff it back inside.

As to not buying a snake from a pet store - it just seems like there aren't many other options in Southern AZ. I've seen some posts from breeders in Phoenix (2 hrs away) but one of the only other reptile stores in my town is known for their uncleanliness and I wouldn't trust them based off of what I've seen and heard.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, we DID see a leg last night. That means he passed it and maybe ate it again.

***WOW***









No other comments I can think of. The pet store obviously didnt disclose this info I take it.

They sure didn't. The manager is now aware that the girl who was feeding the snake stopped updating the feeder sheet at the end of May. I guess the manager wasn't aware that they were selling the snake either, he wanted it to be adopted for free to anyone who was willing to take care of a snake with an issue like that. They suck at communication.

Thats sad and it probably was fed too large a mouse/rat and that caused the organs to expose themselves. Good luck.. What is the course of action.
Vet and keeping it? Returning it?

Please find another place for your snakes though. The drive now I am sure seems worth it.

There is a reptile show in Tucson in late September I believe. There are plenty of breeders that vend there that you can get a good snake from.

I would demand my money back, and then buy a snake from a breeder. Look around and find one with a good reputation. Be willing to pay for shipping, because it probably isn't any more than the pet store mark up anyway. I haven't looked recently, but I know I used to see BPs in stores like Petco and Petsmart for around $80. You can get a normal or maybe even a male pastel for about that price even by the time you pay shipping. A lot less for a normal if you are able to pick it up in person.

Prolapses (in general, I don't really know about this particular kind in BPs) are things that tend to recur. That animal should NEVER have been sold or even given away without disclosing its history.

Don't give up on snakes, if you really want one. They really aren't hard to keep beyond the initial steps of getting the setup done properly, and they aren't prone to health issues.

Yes most likely a prolapse. I had my brother handke my snake and it made a large poop while tail was hanging. Snake pushed a lil too hard an# after dedicating and peeing a clear blatter like sac exposed itself about the size of a quarter or nickel in diameter. I was alarmed but it did pee so I rinsed the snake off and returnedit to a small tupperware so it wont walk much. Lined with paper towles and left alone for a ahile. Checked back after half hour or so and sac had lessened. This was good. Finnished eatinf (me) and went back prolapse has corrected its self.
Moral of th e story is too much presure and body position can cause a prolapse just like humans it is correctable by nature. Snake has been fine since. Best plan of action is to wash snake. Put in a very small area so it doesnt move and damage itself. And uses paper towels. Substrate and tanks can cause impaction and thats very bad.

Im sure if u check craigslist there is a nice ball that needs adopting or local breeders with surplus or normals. GOod luck . And pet stores are normally crap ran by kids. Dont go there but for supplies