Ball python rescue, underage, underweight, carrying eggs

[Doortech9]

I recently took on two unwanted ball pythons this weekend and the female of the pair is extremely emaciated and carrying eggs. The previous owner reports she only eats live and seeing as he was unable to find hasnt been feeding her for months. She was cohabbed with poor living conditions, leading to her current state. She has trouble holding her head up and moving around and is limp and listless. She is roughly a foot long and in her current weight about the size of of a dollar coin. One egg is directly at the vent and is easily moved around, with at least 4 other eggs higher up in in the tract. I cannot find live feeders either and she has refused a steaming hot brained fuzzy and i have decided to leave her rest for now instead of pressing the issue and stressing an already stressed animal. Her husbandry is up to snuff otherwise as I am familiar with corns and kings and have researched proper bp care. Any advice as to the next step to take with her is greatly appreciated, I am willing to do anything to save her and her eggs if possible. Thanks in advance, Josh.

[dr del]

Hi,

We really need pics and weights on this one as a foot long BP is usually about 2 weeks old.

Could it be urates you are seeing and not eggs?


dr del

[JLC]

No way she's only 12 inches long and carrying eggs. Even if she had somehow managed to survive at that size for the two years it takes to reach sexual maturity, such severely stunted growth would not allow her to be sexually viable. Of course, it's very common for folks to underestimate the length of a snake because they don't exactly slither up still and straight against a yard stick for us to measure.

As Derek points out, it could be urates or some other blockage that are not eggs.

If it IS eggs...gravid ball pythons rarely, if ever, eat. So no matter whether the prey is live or not, or how tempting it may be, she would likely still refuse it.

Once the eggs (or whatever is blocking her up) passes, she may very well be hungry enough to eat whatever is put in front of her, live or otherwise. But make sure if you are heating pre-killed/frozen rodents, that you are reaching a proper temp and not overheating. I'll assume that you were speaking metaphorically about the mouse being "steaming hot" because if literal, that would be wayyy too hot for the snake to recognize as something edible.

Based on what you've described so far, it sounds to me like this poor snake seriously needs to see a vet...one who is experienced and competent with snakes.

[Doortech9]

Unless urates/fecal matter can become perfectly uniform in size and shape, and be perfectly smooth i doubt thats what it is. Here are some pictures, you can see the bulges around the eggs/impactions in a few of them.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...ortech9/bp.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...rtech9/bp2.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...rtech9/bp3.jpg

*Edit: A qualified herp vet is hundreds of miles from me at the moment and I cannot afford the trip and treatment as of right now. I havent a scale at the moment so i cannot help with that but hopefully the pictures can give you a rough idea what im dealing with for size of animal. I know the responsibilities of taking a sick animal require me to give them all the help they deserve but for right now I have to do what I can on my own. Thank you for your replies, I need all the help i can get

[pamby13]

Unless urates/fecal matter can become perfectly uniform in size and shape, and be perfectly smooth i doubt thats what it is. Here are some pictures, you can see the bulges around the eggs/impactions in a few of them.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...ortech9/bp.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...rtech9/bp2.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...rtech9/bp3.jpg

*Edit: A qualified herp vet is hundreds of miles from me at the moment and I cannot afford the trip and treatment as of right now. I havent a scale at the moment so i cannot help with that but hopefully the pictures can give you a rough idea what im dealing with for size of animal. I know the responsibilities of taking a sick animal require me to give them all the help they deserve but for right now I have to do what I can on my own. Thank you for your replies, I need all the help i can get

OH MY GOODNESS! That poor momma Odds are the eggs wont be fertile... i had a rescue who was gravid as well... she looked alot like her... not quite as thin. Eggs were not fertile and she was eating the moment after she laid all the eggs. she is doing great now... just keep her husbandry up to par and give her a nest box. lets hope she makes it through this... you have any idea how far along she is?

[rabernet]

I agree with Judy - I seriously doubt she's gravid and my money is on urates. Have you tried to gently palpate them out of her?

Urates are not fecal matter. They are hard and they can be uniform. Eggs are very soft when you feel them. Almost giving like marshmallows.

If what you feel is solid, it's most likely urates.

[Doortech9]

Unfortunately no, the previous owner was more of a fish guy and had started with a cornsnake and these two, and had a terrible attitude towards them. He couldnt give me straight answers as to when they last shed, ate, how long he had them, anything.... he didnt seem to even think she was unhealthy! I had thoughts of stickin him In his 200 gallon to think about how he treats his reptiles . Will she be able to lay being so weak? She has trouble with locomotion alone, I would think laying requires some strength, no? I will give her a lay box tonight and direct her towards it, so far she's pretty stationary so hopefully she is comfortable there and can work on getting them out so she can eat. I'll continue to research the species and the breeding process so I can properly inform everyone thus keep recieving pertanent advice. Thanks

[Doortech9]

Rabernet: I tried to massage the blockage toward the vent but she didnt cooperate in passing it. I'm afraid im going to injur her as she seems very delicate. They seem to be quite firm but I cannot say for sure without further inspection, I will have some more information this evening as I cannot check on her untill after work.

[Homegrownscales]

Dehydrations can cause a blockage of urates. They may literally be impacting her. I think she's way way to small even to have become Gravid and on a snake that small you'd be able to see every egg. I think because of her poor conditions that caused her to become constipated/ impacted and that's what you are feeling.
And I thought the two rescues I took in this week were bad. Jesus
I'll also add that if she is gravid or isn't gravid, she needs to see a vet immediately no matter what. If she is, that could be confirmed with an X-ray. And if she is the vet very well might have to drain the eggs so they are easy/ small enough to pass. Otherwise if she already is having issues with strength or nutrition she could very well pass away bc of the extremely system taxing eggs.

[jsmorphs2]

Definitely not eggs. She looks to be backed up as others have said and what you are feeling is urates. Keep her hydrated and try offering a small live meal. Also, keep meals small for a while so her system can recover. A trip to the vet would be best. If she's not eating due to parasites then she might not recover since she's in such a poor state but if she's just malnourished due to neglect then she should bounce back after a few meals and soaks. They are very resilient animals. Good luck with her and glad she found a good home.