Hard Lumps?

So, I don't handle my blood python that often because of QT, but I bathe her from time to time when she pees in her hide and then smells bad. So, today I took her out for a little cleaning and when I picked her up, I was running a towel down her body to get most of the water off, and noticed one, possibly two hard lumps within an inch before her cloaca. They feel like stones..I remember reading a recent post about someone's boa having the equivalent of kidney stones as a result of minerals in tap water - would blood pythons have the same sensitivity to this?

Now, remember, this is the snake that I adopted about a month ago I think, and she was very malnourished. I don't remember feeling lumps in her before, but maybe they could have been forming already?

Her temps are 94 on the warm side, 80 on the cool and ambient air, humidity's at 56%. I do use tap water, for all my snakes, because it's easiest for me since both of my rooms have doors straight into my personal bathroom.


EDIT: By the way I just realized I posted this in the general BP's section (because I'm used to only spending my time in the BP forums lol) Could someone move this over to the blood pythons forum <3 sorry about that

When was the last time she went poo?

I can't be certain tbh :( I think about two weeks ago?

I'm concerned, but my first thought was that it's been a little while since she's defecated, and I'm hoping that in a day or two she will and that'll be the end of the problem. But, if not, I wanted a few second-opinions.

Is it possible that you are feeling developing follicles?

EDIT: Nevermind. You said that they are within an inch of her cloaca.

sounds like poop

How big are they in relation to her cloaca? If they seem big enough to pass through, then she should pass them with her next urates or defication.

Wait and see, if they don't pass after her next poo, then consider taking her to the vet.

Also, are these lumps noticeable without you pressing on her body, or do you have to push on her stomach in order to feel them?

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

How big are they in relation to her cloaca? If they seem big enough to pass through, then she should pass them with her next urates or defication.

Wait and see, if they don't pass after her next poo, then consider taking her to the vet.

Also, are these lumps noticeable without you pressing on her body, or do you have to push on her stomach in order to feel them?

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I first noticed em by simply looking at her tail as I ran the towel down her body. I saw a little lump sticking out the side. When I pressed on it, it moved, but it's hard. When I said it's like a stone, I wasn't exaggerating...I would say that it is too big to pass through her cloaca, but I can't really guess the size because I am feeling it through her body. When I first saw it, it looked to be a bump about as thick in diameter as my pinky. And when I feel it, it feels slightly thicker, like my middle finger. At this point I'm going to admit that I highly doubt it's poo or urates, as both are way softer than whatever it is I'm feeling :tears: I've already got a list of SD herp vets, but I'm really hoping she just needs to poop. *sigh* I guess it's a good thing Home Depot closed early and I didn't spend my money on rack materials like I planned.

I thought the same thing, that the hard lumps were way to big to pass threw but they did and they were the size of golf balls!!!!. Bloods dont go very often so it builds up and then you get a big steamy mess. :D Hope this helps

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Originally Posted by Lateralus_Love

I first noticed em by simply looking at her tail as I ran the towel down her body. I saw a little lump sticking out the side. When I pressed on it, it moved, but it's hard. When I said it's like a stone, I wasn't exaggerating...I would say that it is too big to pass through her cloaca, but I can't really guess the size because I am feeling it through her body. When I first saw it, it looked to be a bump about as thick in diameter as my pinky. And when I feel it, it feels slightly thicker, like my middle finger. At this point I'm going to admit that I highly doubt it's poo or urates, as both are way softer than whatever it is I'm feeling :tears: I've already got a list of SD herp vets, but I'm really hoping she just needs to poop. *sigh* I guess it's a good thing Home Depot closed early and I didn't spend my money on rack materials like I planned.

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You might be alright. The urate stones were only noticeable when I pressed on the stomach itself. Bloods probably can pass a lot more than a baby boa, so if it does have a urate stone, it should pass easier.

They are just urates. MY blood has them all the time. First time I felt them i was worried but when I took him to the vet the vet made him defecate and there were just some urates and poo and they were gone.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the reassurance :)

How warm is the hot side of the bloods enclosure if its to low and the humidity is to low then the meals aren't being digested properly and as many have said i believe they are urates but i think if the snake dosn't pass them soon i would consult a vet as urates have been know to get sharp edges while rubbing on the snakes bowels and can cause damage when giving the bathes make sure they are warm and massage her lightly that sometimes help for stuck urates to pass good luck and i hope all ends well

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Originally Posted by Royal Morphz

How warm is the hot side of the bloods enclosure if its to low and the humidity is to low then the meals aren't being digested properly and as many have said i believe they are urates but i think if the snake dosn't pass them soon i would consult a vet as urates have been know to get sharp edges while rubbing on the snakes bowels and can cause damage when giving the bathes make sure they are warm and massage her lightly that sometimes help for stuck urates to pass good luck and i hope all ends well

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Actually, you don't want the hot side too hot. Nothing higher than 85 degrees for your hot spot, as blood's have a slower digestive process than most snakes and if your hot spot is too warm the rat may start to decompose in their stomach. Not a good thing.

More than likely it's just urates, these animals tend to really let things build up before they let it go. I rarely see our blacks pass urates or defecate between sheds.

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Originally Posted by m00kfu

Actually, you don't want the hot side too hot. Nothing higher than 85 degrees for your hot spot, as blood's have a slower digestive process than most snakes and if your hot spot is too warm the rat may start to decompose in their stomach. Not a good thing.

More than likely it's just urates, these animals tend to really let things build up before they let it go. I rarely see our blacks pass urates or defecate between sheds.

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Thanks I should have included the Temps i was referring to. I did dabble in Bloods before I turned to Ball's

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...12-29-07-1.jpg
My first Albino produced from a het to het Breeding

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Originally Posted by Royal Morphz

Thanks I should have included the Temps i was referring to. I did dabble in Bloods before I turned to Ball's

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...12-29-07-1.jpg
My first Albino produced from a het to het Breeding

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It's all good, man. Just wanted to make sure the numbers were mentioned. :gj:

That's a good looking albino, too!

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Originally Posted by m00kfu

It's all good, man. Just wanted to make sure the numbers were mentioned. :gj:

That's a good looking albino, too!

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Yeah Chris he was I had to pass him along to a friend as i got out of Boas and Bloods. But i will get back into them again soon maybe when we get a bigger house lol. How are things with you guys?

I'd say a hot spot can go up to 88, but bloods really prefer to be in the mid 80's.

If you are concerned about the urates becoming a block, you can give her the option soak in a tub of water in the enclosure.

If I can find the post, I will show you what happens when urates really do block up a snake. It's not pretty, but it does end well.

Here we go...
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ighlight=urate

adults can handle higher temps, up to 90 if it is a small spot and not the entire cage....babies in smaller locations usually don't deal with it so well.

A lot of people over feed their bloods. they are not created like most other snakes. They push and push food down them, thinking that a big snake that looks like a sausage is what they are suppose to have.

And when you combine this with the fact that bloods do not poop that often and store it up...they freak out and want to do all kinds of weird and crazy things to their snakes.

a lot of vets do not understand how blood pythons work. so what they tell you about their habits may not actually apply.

good luck w/ your snake.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

I'd say a hot spot can go up to 88, but bloods really prefer to be in the mid 80's.

If you are concerned about the urates becoming a block, you can give her the option soak in a tub of water in the enclosure.

If I can find the post, I will show you what happens when urates really do block up a snake. It's not pretty, but it does end well.

Here we go...
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ighlight=urate

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Haha...before I clicked on the link I wondered if it was the post on Jelly! :)

Yes, all does end well. Since then, Jelly's lump near the last 1/4 of his body is still there. But he's otherwise fine, has pooped a few times since my last post on this topic, looks great, and of course has an amazing appetite! :D

I don't have any bloods, but my fire ball python had a strange sort-of hard lump in the same area you said the lump in your blood is. A few days later it turned out it was just a urate. :)

Definetley get your hotspot down to no higher than like 86 or 87 degrees. And the humidity to around 65%.

What can happen in too dry/too hot of an environment is they can kind of "dry up" inside and you can cause rock hard urates which can cause problems. As well as other skin and respiratory problems. Too warm of temps will also lead to a grumpy animal which can rub on its cage in efforts to get out causing even further problems.

You should be fine though. I see my bloods build up a few urates "back there" that feel like the golf balls mentioned before. But they pass em with ease.

I usually see my animals "go" every 3 to 4 months if that helps in any way.

Get your husbandry straightened out and keep an eye on him, you should be fine.

HTH

Ah I didn't know about the lower temp, thanks guys. She actually doesn't use her hot hide though. Neither hides, come to think of it. She likes to burrow right in the middle of the tank, it's cute. So she usually stays at about 85 degrees. But I'll get it down anyway.

I *personally* think having her humidity at around 56% is fine. She shed fine for me, and what info I had gathered, 50-60 normal humidity is fine. I'm not trying to say you're wrong, but that's just my 0.2

Anywho, she poopied and there's no more hard lump so yea :D It was nice, she was burrowed and I went to pull her out, but I grabbed the hidden poop instead, lovely!

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Originally Posted by Lateralus_Love

Anywho, she poopied and there's no more hard lump so yea :D It was nice, she was burrowed and I went to pull her out, but I grabbed the hidden poop instead, lovely!

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That's some good news! I bet there could be a better way of finding out your snake is OK though :8:

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Originally Posted by Dvas_Romeo

Haha...before I clicked on the link I wondered if it was the post on Jelly! :)

Yes, all does end well. Since then, Jelly's lump near the last 1/4 of his body is still there. But he's otherwise fine, has pooped a few times since my last post on this topic, looks great, and of course has an amazing appetite! :D

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Jelly's face hasn't been around here for a while! ;)