Huge bloat on my big Pied female.. Any suggestions?

I recently purchased this female from a respectable breeder. She did give me the heads up that she was off feed since late April, and had an issue that when she ate she would get a gas like bloat. She had a fecal done, and a check up and the vet said everything looked fine.


I've had her for four days and she did refuse a rat and a large mouse. Today I woke up and checked on her and she had the bloat. It's on the last third of her body and literally just feels like gas. There is no hard spots, it's soft to the touch kind of like a balloon.

I soaked her in 82 degree water for 55 minutes and the bloat was still there.


Any tips on this? Here are some pictures:

http://i.imgur.com/6cSAvOA.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/e0QYpc2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3ScZ9zO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uHKqt7p.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/F5hNLeC.jpg




Dislaimer: I did get her at a very discounted price.



Thanks in advance!

Curious, did the breeder of this pied say how long the animal has had this gas "bloating" issue? And did she or he do anything about it? Secondly, i would call the vet and ask even though the fecal float was fine, does he recommend any adjustments in the feeding regimen. Maybe the animal needs to be on smaller prey items or maybe there is a medication he could recommend? :)

Did this respectable breeder provide any paperwork or labwork from her veterinarian? I'ld be highly suspicious someone would let go a large pied female at a discounted rate...unless there were some underlying issues. I always warn clients that if a deal looks "too good to be true", it probably is!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Curious, did the breeder of this pied say how long the animal has had this gas "bloating" issue? And did she or he do anything about it? Secondly, i would call the vet and ask even though the fecal float was fine, does he recommend any adjustments in the feeding regimen. Maybe the animal needs to be on smaller prey items or maybe there is a medication he could recommend? :)

---

She said the fecal came out fine, and right now she's off of feed all together but I did try a smaller rat with her to see if she'd take it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tacticalveterinarian

Did this respectable breeder provide any paperwork or labwork from her veterinarian? I'ld be highly suspicious someone would let go a large pied female at a discounted rate...unless there were some underlying issues. I always warn clients that if a deal looks "too good to be true", it probably is!

---

No paperwork, but I've bought multiple snakes from her 4+ and the only reason she gave her to me at a discounted price was because of the bloating issue. The Vet said it didn't affect eating, or defecation!

Bloating is bad, regardless.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yodawagon

Bloating is bad, regardless.

---

Agreed.

Has this snake been bred? Frankly it kinda looks like an ovulation to me. If so it'll go down in a day or so.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ian.nesmith

Agreed.

---

Just check back with your vet to see if there is anything else they recommend and if they say there is no recommendation then get a second opinion if and when you can. :D

Could be eggs

Never hear of bloat in snakes; dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, but never snakes. Looks like an ovy.

She looks gravid to me.

Brian

I agree with the others, she does look like she has eggs. You may want to prepare for the scenario where she does have eggs.

Sent from my SM-G900R6 using Tapatalk

Given the previous history from the breeder who states after feeding she "bloats", it's less likely she is gravid (doesn't look like an ovulation to me) although it still is possible. Just seems strange that the breeder, who probably has ultrasound and knows their animal well, would sell a possibly gravid large female at a discounted rate.

I'ld still recommend having your own veterinarian perform a fecal since there was no actual paperwork provided. At the time of the exam you can discuss the possibility of taking a radiograph which would help rule in/rule out a dilated gas filled GI tract or eggs, or other abnormalities etc. It's worth it in my opinion to use funds you saved by purchasing her at a discount, to ensure she will be a healthy additional to your collection. In the meantime, I hope you quarantine new arrivals! It's amazing how many infectious diseases are being passed around ball python collections, even among the most respected, big name breeders!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarkS

Has this snake been bred? Frankly it kinda looks like an ovulation to me. If so it'll go down in a day or so.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Just check back with your vet to see if there is anything else they recommend and if they say there is no recommendation then get a second opinion if and when you can. :D

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stickyalvinroll

Could be eggs

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kibbleswhites

Never hear of bloat in snakes; dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, but never snakes. Looks like an ovy.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by For Goodness Snakes

She looks gravid to me.

Brian

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jon14

I agree with the others, she does look like she has eggs. You may want to prepare for the scenario where she does have eggs.

Sent from my SM-G900R6 using Tapatalk

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tacticalveterinarian

Given the previous history from the breeder who states after feeding she "bloats", it's less likely she is gravid (doesn't look like an ovulation to me) although it still is possible. Just seems strange that the breeder, who probably has ultrasound and knows their animal well, would sell a possibly gravid large female at a discounted rate.

I'ld still recommend having your own veterinarian perform a fecal since there was no actual paperwork provided. At the time of the exam you can discuss the possibility of taking a radiograph which would help rule in/rule out a dilated gas filled GI tract or eggs, or other abnormalities etc. It's worth it in my opinion to use funds you saved by purchasing her at a discount, to ensure she will be a healthy additional to your collection. In the meantime, I hope you quarantine new arrivals! It's amazing how many infectious diseases are being passed around ball python collections, even among the most respected, big name breeders!

---

When I got home last night the bloating was gone, and this morning when I woke up she was in her tub and I thought she may have been dead seeing that her last third of her body was so ridiculously flat. She looked like a pancake! She did urinate last night, no urates but the tub was filled with urine. I'm going to contact a local vet and see what I can do and see how much it's going to cost me. I paid $600 for her so I can toss some more out to make sure she's healthy.

According to the breeder she hasn't been bred or with any males at all. I palpated and didn't feel anything, when she isn't bloated her belly around her cloaca is extremely sunken in, she doesn't look thin from weight loss or anything, it's just her second half.