Possibly Constipated?

http://www.petcartoongifts.com/blog/...p-LR-Large.jpg

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Wheatley's first meal was on the 31st of August. His second was yesterday (the 5th.)

I've been watching his cage and I still haven't seen any poops. Thinking that it might help I stuck him in some warm-to-the-touch water to promote some bowel movement.

Has anyone else had baby balls who didn't have a bowel movement for a while? How long should I wait before taking him to the vet? (also, in addition to this, is any vet ok? Or are there specific reptile vets?)

How long have you had him, how big is he, and when was the last time he pooped? What size feeders are you feeding him?

Some ball pythons can hold it for a couple months before letting it go. Usually no need to worry.

It could take weeks before it happens it depends on feeding frequency and prey size.

Unless there is a bulge that does not go away there is no issue.

Young BP utilize most of the prey for growth so it can take several meals before anything happens

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When I first got my little Rooples back in July, she had only pooped a couple of times and they were very small, about the size of a quarter. I got worried but after upgrading her set up last weem, she pooped a big one right after she shed. What are your temps at? It could be that as well since heat helps with digestion.

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

How long have you had him, how big is he, and when was the last time he pooped? What size feeders are you feeding him?

Some ball pythons can hold it for a couple months before letting it go. Usually no need to worry.

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This will be week two. He was hatched late July, I think. He is still tiny. He hadn't pooped since I got him. (Now he has. Yellow poops.) and he's eating Fuzzies every 5 days

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Originally Posted by KingWheatley

This will be week two. He was hatched late July, I think. He is still tiny. He hadn't pooped since I got him. (Now he has. Yellow poops.) and he's eating Fuzzies every 5 days

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Fuzzy what?

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Fuzzy what?

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Mouse fuzzies. He's still very tiny. Rat fuzzies are still too big.

Mouse fuzzies are too small ever for a ball python. Do you have a scale to see what he weighs? I start my young snakes around 100 grams on rat pups for example. Weaned or small adult mice would be fine also.

I am waiting on my little guy to have a bm too. He's about 3 months old and has been feeding pretty regularly on rat fuzzies but has taken rat pups on a couple of occasions. He has had some urine and urates show but no bm. I've given him a few warm water soaks coupled with massage of the lower third of his body. His last meal was a rat pup on 9/4/16. I have had him for almost two months. I am thinking that when he does go it will probably be preceded by a shed. So, right now he has been active, friendly and just a awesome typical ball python. No bulging or discoloration of the lower third. You can however palpate the stool and appreciate that there is something there. I am pretty sure he will leave me quite a present soon. Haha.

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Originally Posted by KingWheatley

Mouse fuzzies. He's still very tiny. Rat fuzzies are still too big.

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Well no wonder, mouse fuzzies are colubrids food even out of the egg they take something much bigger, rat crawler or hopper mice.

Basically at this point your BP utilize the entire prey (which is way too small) for growth leaving nothing to be eliminated.

Start feeding the appropriate size prey equal the girth size until your BP reaches 500 grams and your BP will start to grow, shed and defecate.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Well no wonder, mouse fuzzies are colubrids food even out of the egg they take something much bigger, rat crawler or hopper mice.

Basically at this point your BP utilize the entire prey (which is way too small) for growth leaving nothing to be eliminated.

Start feeding the appropriate size prey equal the girth size until your BP reaches 500 grams and your BP will start to grow, shed and defecate.

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As I said, he is very tiny. He is as big around as the mouse fuzzie. I'm not joking. He has grown a small bit and has actually pooped now. Finally. Today he is getting weighed before I feed him, but as of right now he still looks as big around as the mouse fuzzie. Once he's bigger I'm going to be switching to rats if I can. But my current supplier doesn't have rat fuzzies...

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I feed him every 5 days.

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Originally Posted by GoingPostal

Mouse fuzzies are too small ever for a ball python. Do you have a scale to see what he weighs? I start my young snakes around 100 grams on rat pups for example. Weaned or small adult mice would be fine also.

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Hm... Maybe these are actually mouse pups...? They are as big around as he is, although the box calls them mice fuzzies

What is the weight of your snake? How old is the snake?

For your snake not to be able to take anything bigger than a fuzzy it would need to be smaller than an average hatchling out of the egg.




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As Deb mentioned you really need to try and gauge the appropriate sized feeder that your little guy should be eating. No wonder it took him so long to poop.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

What is the weight of your snake? How old is the snake?

For your snake not to be able to take anything bigger than a fuzzy it would need to be smaller than an average hatchling out of the egg.




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its as big around as he is. Although, judging from the store I got him from, it's both possible that A.) he was starved and not as round as he should have been. And B.) the mouse fuzzies are not actually mouse fuzzies.

they are as long as my pinkie, and as thick as my thumb. And Wheatley has been looking very healthy lately. I got him maybe two weeks old at the very least, 4 weeks as the most. He's growing, and he HAS pooped now and is eating and drinking just fine.

https://goo.gl/images/UjNvcC
the particular size of food mouse in question is the fifth one in the line.

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Originally Posted by ballpythonluvr

As Deb mentioned you really need to try and gauge the appropriate sized feeder that your little guy should be eating. No wonder it took him so long to poop.

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I'm a little worried as I'm always getting mixed advice. I'm shutting out anything I've heard from the store that screwed me over and put me in a money hole with bad advice. But I'm unclear as to what is actually "harmful" versus what is simply opinion... Educated or not.

not referring to what help I've received here, by the way. My adventures on Google is what I'm meaning.

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Originally Posted by KingWheatley

I'm a little worried as I'm always getting mixed advice. I'm shutting out anything I've heard from the store that screwed me over and put me in a money hole with bad advice. But I'm unclear as to what is actually "harmful" versus what is simply opinion... Educated or not.

not referring to what help I've received here, by the way. My adventures on Google is what I'm meaning.

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The easiest way is to weigh your snake, calculate 15 to 20% of his weight for the proper sized feeder.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

What is the weight of your snake? How old is the snake?

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Last night was feeding night. He pooped again, just before feeding, and the poop was brown this time. Which is less worrying.

Since I got him, he has noticeably grown in girth and in length. He was as big around as the mouse fuzzie all the way up to the second feeding (12 days after I got him).

Last night's feeding, I gave him two mouse fuzzies. I held it up to his middle, and the mouse was smaller this time than his middle... And lacking any means at that time of night to run to a store and get a frozen rat/mouse big enough for him at that point, and also because what you said was worrying me that he was still not being fed enough, I made a quick decision to thaw and feed him two... I really hope this wont be detrimental for him.

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Originally Posted by KingWheatley

Last night was feeding night. He pooped again, just before feeding, and the poop was brown this time. Which is less worrying.

Since I got him, he has noticeably grown in girth and in length. He was as big around as the mouse fuzzie all the way up to the second feeding (12 days after I got him).

Last night's feeding, I gave him two mouse fuzzies. I held it up to his middle, and the mouse was smaller this time than his middle... And lacking any means at that time of night to run to a store and get a frozen rat/mouse big enough for him at that point, and also because what you said was worrying me that he was still not being fed enough, I made a quick decision to thaw and feed him two... I really hope this wont be detrimental for him.

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Again what is the weight of your snake?

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Again what is the weight of your snake?

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Ah. Sorry, I haven't answered this. I got so caught up answering the other stuff.

The short end of it is that I don't know. I don't have a tool to measure his weight accurately. And while this may be the most accurate way to measure the proper food, going by the girth and not feeding them anything larger than the widest part of their body is actually a good method that I've seen tested and done by successful BP owners with content snakes.

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Originally Posted by KingWheatley

Ah. Sorry, I haven't answered this. I got so caught up answering the other stuff.

The short end of it is that I don't know. I don't have a tool to measure his weight accurately. And while this may be the most accurate way to measure the proper food, going by the girth and not feeding them anything larger than the widest part of their body is actually a good method that I've seen tested and done by successful BP owners with content snakes.

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only if you are capable of properly gauging the size, again hatchling out of the egg take preys much larger than fuzzy, so again that would mean your snake that hatched several weeks ago (at the very min) is dramatically smaller than an average BP out of it's egg.

Here is a common mistake that newbies make they cannot gauge prey size and underfed their animal.

But hey what do I know about feeding hatchlings :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Deborah

But hey what do I know about feeding hatchlings :rolleyes:

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:gj:

Attitude is unnecessary. I wasn't arguing with you. But again, lacking equipment like a scale and a proper temperature laser gun due to circumstances outside my control. However they are going to be a purchase soon. Again, the fuzzies were as big around as he was at the widest point in his body for two feedings. His third feeding I fed him two at the same time. He's getting bigger now, but like I've stated before, he was quite thin. I suspect that he was starving in the pet store when I got him. Now he has a nice chub building up and next feeding I suspect I'll be switching to rats.

ill reiterate. The box calls them fuzzies. But from your description, I seriously think they are not actually fuzzies. Because they are big enough to feed him one. Just because someone is on the Internet posting a thread doesn't mean they are completely incompetent.

I've been keeping a 5 day regime, and he seems to be quite content. I haven't yet put him on an exact schedule.

He does, however, have a vet visit coming up to do a check up on the little guy. Nothing wrong with him, but I do want to make sure I know what to look for for illnesses or discontent. Other than obvious signs like stargazing, and congestion.

Im not stupid, nor ignorant to his needs.

No attitude here... But.. I will repeat..

Weigh your snake, figure out what 15 to 20% of its body weight is, and just get feeders sized within that range..

Keep in mind you shld be weighing regularly and checking to see if its time to up its prey weight items...if you dont you will be feeding under sized prey before you know it.

Debra is right though, newbies tend to have a hard time judging proper feeder size...

So to not end up doing this... See 1st paragraph.

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It sounds like whoever packages the rodents you buy does not know what size feeder they are putting in box.

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Go to one of the rodent vendors online and look at their charts for rodent sizing, however, if you look at several, their sizing varies. This is why its also important to know what weight prey item to feed your snake.

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Originally Posted by Jeanne

Go to one of the rodent vendors online and look at their charts for rodent sizing, however, if you look at several, their sizing varies. This is why its also important to know what weight prey item to feed your snake.

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Noted. Like I said, the scale is going to be my next purchase.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

only if you are capable of properly gauging the size, again hatchling out of the egg take preys much larger than fuzzy, so again that would mean your snake that hatched several weeks ago (at the very min) is dramatically smaller than an average BP out of it's egg

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here: this might make things easier

https://i.imgur.com/upAu3Wq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/u2W5eu8.jpg

As has been told to You before. Just get a scale and avoid a bunch of issues... A scale is the ONLY way you will truelly know if you are feeding proper sized prey.

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On the right is a starved normal rescue I was given that weighed 29g in this picture next to a 67g hatchling literally out of the egg. (Took pic to show previous owner that didn't see how starved it was)

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...904_150910.jpg

And here she is taking a rat pinky bigger than most mouse fuzzies.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...911_131743.jpg

Don't over stress yourself on this. What you've been feeding didn't do any long term harm, just a slower growth the last couple weeks. Just give him 2 of the fuzzies you have at a time until you've used them up since it sounds like you have a bunch. I'm also curious on an accurate weight.