Need Serious Opinions on STRANGE "object" that my male ball python "passed"

[angllady2]

Update?

Did you see a vet ? What did they say ?

I'm leaning towards it being an undeveloped egg, but what if it's more serious ?

Gale

[jsschrei]

OK, here we go:

The vet first probed the ball, and said male. Then popped. Looked like a hemipene on the right, couldn't get one on the left, and got what looks like a sperm plug. The vet got photos of what looks like the hemipene (reason I say "what looks like" is because it seems a bit smaller than normal, but does not look like a female scent gland either) and will e-mail them to me, but for now, here's what looks like a sperm plug (it is in a wee bit of isotonic solution):



The vet also drew fluid from the sac thing and is sending it off to the lab. We are also doing a fecal sample. Finally, x-rays. I had to leave the ball with them overnight because I was unable to pick him back up before closing and couldn't stay until the x-rays were complete. So I'll report on that stuff tomorrow.

I also took the sac thing to the lab at the school I work for and put a small section of the lining under the microscope. Here's photos under two magnifications:




Those look like vessels to me, I don't know. One thing I am pretty sure of is that it isn't the wall of a hydatid cyst of the life cycle of a particular species of tape worm. You'd see the asexual structures adhered to the "wall" and there aren't any of those. The vessel things make me think unfert. egg, but lab results will confirm that.

I'll get "hemipene" photos up as soon as I receive them for everyone's judgement.

All this is just CRAZY. If this IS a hemipene and plug, and the lab reports come back as "egg", I've got a hermaphrodite. That might explain the smaller hemipene, as most hermaphrodites in nature have reduced sexual structures. They are also usually sterile We'll see.

Thanks to everyone following this story and providing feedback!

[jsschrei]

I caught one of my females scenting her cage about a week ago when I put her mate in and got a photo. Here's female scent glands. What we saw at the vet's today did not look like this.

[PrettyInInk87]

Hey, what happened? I swear I felt like I was reading a VERY interesting suspension book and all of a sudden get cut off. Lol! Can't wait to read more...

[jsschrei]

Hey, what happened? I swear I felt like I was reading a VERY interesting suspension book and all of a sudden get cut off. Lol! Can't wait to read more...

I think I was typing the results from today. See the two posts above you!

[PrettyInInk87]

Yes I read those but still a little confused I guess... So "he" is a he after all? Your still waiting on the lab results, right? Just wanted to keep reading to get to the good part at the end. Lol!

[lk_holla]

I agree i'm very interested to know the results lol

[BPelizabeth]

Wow....when this is all said and done it may need to be a stickie....this is so interesing!!!

[jsschrei]

Personally, I think it's a "he" and a "she". Key word is "think" and not "know". Lab results should confirm if it is an egg- hence female. I've got the photos of "hemipene" to be uploaded as soon as I get them, and I am pretty sure the verdict on that will be "hemipene" from the viewers. I've also got an experienced person willing to pop tomorrow just to double, double confirm hemipene- hence male. Both

[jsschrei]

Wow....when this is all said and done it may need to be a stickie....this is so interesing!!!

Hahaha...a stickie! I might get him/her published I'd love to see my little maybe hermaphrodite immortalized on BP.Net!