Is my BP constipated? Are there any cheap methods of treating it?

Hey, I was wondering if anyone can tell me if my BP is constipated. I remember reading somewhere that they usually poop every 3 weeks roughly and Hurcules hasn't pooped for at least 7. I'm not sure aif he is or not. And if he is, are there any cheap methods of treating? I don't have any money (I'm 13) and spend my $140 savings on my last vet visit and a new heat lap. The vet told me he had and RI infection (which was why I had him there in the first place, I suspected something) then charged me $54.50 for the 5 minute inspection, $15 for a vitamin A injection, $23 for another injection that I can't remember what it was, and $35 for some Baytrill, which i was supposed to give via the mouth but he managed to reguratate it all the time, so I paid another $20 for a new drug, without getting a refund on the baytrill. Any how, sorry I went off topic but I was wondering if there are any cheap methods of curing the constipation, if he has it.

I've never heard of a BP being constipated...has he eaten much in that time?

JonV

Yep they do get constipated sometimes.....or "backed up" from ingested substrate, etc.

A nice soak in lukewarm water helps. But only enough water to submerse the snakes vent area and slightly above when the snake is in it. I use a smaller sized rubbermaid with a lid and place the snake inside. Usually that helps "loosen" things up.

Hope that helps.

In order for snakes to poop, or heck for anything including us to poop, there needs to be three thing going on......appropriate intake of food to create a need to pass waste products, appropriate intake of liquids so that dehydration is not an issue, a healthy digestive tract doing it's job.

Is the snake dehydrated? How big is this snake weightwise? What size prey is it eating and how often (how many prey) over the past 8 weeks or so?

2 adult mice every 2 weeks, I have a bowl of water in there that I change every 2 days he is 665 grams. (or was 2 months ago) He is 5 years old and i believe he is fully grown. I'll try the bath thing though, thanks for the suggestion. Oh, and does the water have to be conditioned? I heard somewhere it does.

He's 5 years old and only 665 grams? My male is not even a year old and already 450 grams.... That weight doesn't sound right to me, but what do I know ha

First of all, what are his temps like? Snakes cannot digest without heat. This also may explain his RI and slow growth.

2 mice every two weeks seems like he is underfed. I personally would switch to small rats or feed him more often.

I think he doesn't have much to poo!!
Feeding every 7 days is good for these snakes. I have 4 males who are a year old and all weigh more than your guy. They get a small rat every 7 days and pee and poo regularly.

Well, to start off, I sort of adopted him from a friend who was moving away and thought that they were not allowed to take snakes over the boarder. (I live in Canada) He knew nothing about taking care of snakes. One day his dad showed up at the door and had a ball python and a tank and some substrate, a hide, a bowl, and a moulding vine. Before I got him 2 month ago he was kept with no humidity and no heat, even though it is a tank espcially design for reptiles were you plug it in and one side heats up. He was having problems shedding and he didn't really care. My parents did not want Hurcules, not that their afraid but because of the bills and time they would have to spend, thats one of the reasons I don't go every week, also, my pet shop owner said that two mice every two weeks wkould be good enough for a 3 1/2 foot snake. I keep him in a 30 gallon tank. 3'x1 1/2'x1' So his RI wasn't extreme but it was there, so i got rid of it. As for his temperatures, it's 80-85 degrees every day, and i trun off the lamp at night, but leave the heated tank on so he goes and hides in his hide rock and stays warm. The thermometer says id drops to about 70 in there at night and i read somewhere that that is fine. I keep the humidity up at about maintained 60 with wet cloths, and the humidity sometimes peaks to 90 percent. He shed about 3 weeks ago so I know thats OK. There are no stores in the area that sell frozen small rats and he used to be fed live mice 1 a week and i changed it to 2 frozen bi-weekly. He seems fine, i fed him yeaterday and he ate quite willingly so I'm confused. I think that it his weight was 665g i could check again if i can find a scale anywhere in this house that can do that kind of weight, so I'll get back to you on that, so I'll give him a bath tomorrow after he has finished the digesting period. I was wondering when I give him the bath, should I give him something to crawl out of the water onto or should I just put him in. Thanks again everyone, I'll keep you posted. He pooped when he was in my care before, I was just wondering how often your guys' poo, and how often you feed them. And when I give him his bath how long should it be? 10, 20 ,30 minutes? P.S. I couldn't stand feeding live, i no it makes me sound like a baby, but i couldn't do it, if you do are there any tricks that you use to avoid guilt...if you have it?

My normal bp is over 700 grams and is less than a year old. He eats every 7 days. He gets a small rat, and sometimes an additional adult mouse if one of the others does not eat. He passes waste about every 3 weeks or so. Guaranteed to go like clockwork when he sheds.
Let him soak for about a half hour or so in some warm (not hot) water. It may take a couple of soaks to work. Also if you handle him after the soak he may go for you (or on you) LOL. Exercise always seems to help them go in my experience. I think the biggest problem is that he is not fed often enough or enough food. Try a small rat every 7 days, or a couple of adult mice. Good luck!

I excercize him quite often, usually about 8-10 hours a week i have him out of the cage So I guess I'll try feeding him 2 more mice next week and maybe the week after, and I will give him some baths to morrow and the days following if it does not work than i will get the mice, and what if he does not poop. Wait, let me guess, serious illness, hundreds of sollars of vet bills, and no allowance for years? Another reason why i can't buy 2 adult mice every week is because it takes up my full allowence each time I buy. So after he poops, I will feed him 2 mice every 2 weeks, twice(didja get that;)) and then two mice every week twice, just too make sure he gets enough food. Does anyone know of a good cheap online pre-killed frozen rodent website that I could order from, preferably around vancouver, that maybe has Cash On Delivery Policy? Chances are slim, but i was hoping, because the place i currently buy from sells frozen mice for 2.69 each little tiny adult mice that are no more than 2 inches. How big would a snake have to be to eat a small/regular sized rat? Just curious. Maybe it would be cheaper to get a rat once a week, and it would prbably keep the snake healthier too.

I am in canada too!! I pay $1.25 i think for small frozen rats and $1.70 for mediums... I am from ontario but there has to be some place in bc..

Annie B Mice is in langly bc, check out this site:
http://www.annies-rodents.com/

Also, try posting an ad in kijiji.ca.. you will probably be able to find someone for sure. Also check for local expo's..

70 degrees is a bit cool for a ball python.. I keep my snake room heated to 80 degrees unless i am cooling them in breeding season.
but since he is in the warm hide i dont think its a big concern but perhaps you can get a heat bulb for night time like a ceramic heat emitter of just a regular old red bulb from the dollar store.

Thanx Somed00d! That place is more than a dollar cheaper! That will realy be helpful in the long run!:bow::gj:

Hey guys, just an update

He pooped, not alot but he did, so I'm gonna start feeding him more every sunday, with the annie's rodents place. Thanks a million again to everybody!