Impacted Urates - Holy Crap!

[Craiga 01453]

He was squirmy and flighty, which i'm sure actually helped a lot. We kept sorta draping his back end over the side of the tub as we massaged and worked the urates out. Surprisingly, he never struck or tried to bite through all of it. He has always been such a sweet boy...

That's good. I knew he wouldn't "enjoy" it, but I wasn't sure if he fought you the whole way. I honestly believe when you've developed a level of trust with any animal they tend to know we're trying to help them in times of distress. But, of course, that's just a thought I have and there are always exceptions.

[kristan]

Hahaha, yes...prolapsed. I never know what my phone is going to edit next!
Luckily I was able to use prepH and some vet wrap to keep her vent closed long enough for it to heal. I was really nervous the next time she went, but it never happened again. That said, I've seen some completely outlandish turds come out of bloods that hadn't even been holding it...so sometimes they're just huge.

[Bogertophis]

I really glad he didn't prolapse OR "propose" () & Craig, that's been my experience too- they typically sense we're trying to help & don't fight me either.

I had a "rescue" snake that had urate stones (like marbles) that I successfully helped remove, & the swimming motion a snake can do in bathtub of water
really does help, but I also used some KY jelly (lubricant) & there was nothing close to any prolapse, happily. Just an explosion of feces, lol...

Food for thought about this blood python, as far as what happens now or another option for future reference (and PLEASE, ask your vet about this first)-
A little backstory to explain: years back I took in a starving bearded dragon that owner threatened to just dump outside. He was unable to defecate due
to being thoroughly blocked up having eaten an improper diet in desperation (only fed large crickets- large back legs hard to digest, then he ate some of the
wood shavings he was kept on, having no other food offered). My vet had me dose him orally with mineral oil (which is an indigestible petroleum product that
promotes excretion of feces) and I added bathing the dragon in warmish water in my tub also: I was able to save him, he had massive dumps in water for 3
consecutive days, & thereafter ate healthy foods like crazy, made up for lost time growing (he was half-grown when I got him) & lived happily ever after...

So here's my thought: I've never used mineral oil on a snake before, but if it's safe & effective for a beardie, I should think the same would hold true for a
snake. While you really want to get to the bottom of his blockages, I wonder if this is something to consider using if it happens again?

[tttaylorrr]

my word...that snake must have been so uncomfortable!!! thank goodness you noticed and took action.

that photo speaks for itself...that's honestly impressive. glad that's no longer inside him!

[Aedryan Methyus]

I really glad he didn't prolapse OR "propose" () & Craig, that's been my experience too- they typically sense we're trying to help & don't fight me either.

I had a "rescue" snake that had urate stones (like marbles) that I successfully helped remove, & the swimming motion a snake can do in bathtub of water
really does help, but I also used some KY jelly (lubricant) & there was nothing close to any prolapse, happily. Just an explosion of feces, lol...

Food for thought about this blood python, as far as what happens now or another option for future reference (and PLEASE, ask your vet about this first)-
A little backstory to explain: years back I took in a starving bearded dragon that owner threatened to just dump outside. He was unable to defecate due
to being thoroughly blocked up having eaten an improper diet in desperation (only fed large crickets- large back legs hard to digest, then he ate some of the
wood shavings he was kept on, having no other food offered). My vet had me dose him orally with mineral oil (which is an indigestible petroleum product that
promotes excretion of feces) and I added bathing the dragon in warmish water in my tub also: I was able to save him, he had massive dumps in water for 3
consecutive days, & thereafter ate healthy foods like crazy, made up for lost time growing (he was half-grown when I got him) & lived happily ever after...

So here's my thought: I've never used mineral oil on a snake before, but if it's safe & effective for a beardie, I should think the same would hold true for a
snake. While you really want to get to the bottom of his blockages, I wonder if this is something to consider using if it happens again?

Yes... I have read that mineral oil is a natural laxative, which can be given to snakes. When syringed into a frozen/thawed rat it is referred to as "Ratlax"... I've also read that vets will often try to treat impacted snakes with an enema concoction of Milk Of Magnesia and mineral oil before electing to do surgery. We were just researching all of this last night, actually and happened upon a somewhat funny and ridiculous article about a guy in Canada being charge with animal cruelty for giving his impacted Blood Python an enema... lol

Here's a link:

http://www.vancourier.com/news/you-c...ema-1.23356945

[GoingPostal]

My borneo girl was peeing, but getting more and more bloated on the back end not popping out urates or feces for quite a long time, which they do. I figured eventually a meal would push it all out, I've had young ones hold it almost a year before so wasn't overly concerned. But I decided a couple months ago that it was getting to a point of looking uncomfortable. Put her to soak in a tub for a few hours (3+ seems to be the magic number) and yowza, huge rock hard urates and so much poop. So much. I wish I had been thinking and weighed her before and after. Since then she's been holding in nothing it seems so idk.

[Bogertophis]

My borneo girl was peeing, but getting more and more bloated on the back end not popping out urates or feces for quite a long time, which they do. I figured eventually a meal would push it all out, I've had young ones hold it almost a year before so wasn't overly concerned. But I decided a couple months ago that it was getting to a point of looking uncomfortable. Put her to soak in a tub for a few hours (3+ seems to be the magic number) and yowza, huge rock hard urates and so much poop. So much. I wish I had been thinking and weighed her before and after. Since then she's been holding in nothing it seems so idk.

My understanding is that snakes are thought to absorb some water thru their skin, but also when they soak they're apt to drink some too. I think wild snakes
often do this naturally when it rains...that is, take the opportunity to soak & drink & expel wastes. A swimming motion while in water also works on most snakes.

[Goode05]

It’s normally there’s no reason to work them out. They will come out on there own in time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Skyrivers]

Poor snake. Happy everything came out ok. I know snakes typically don't move around much in captivity but in the wild they move around from time to time. Even swim and explore at night from time to time. I wonder if they need this exercise to keep things moving in the wild. Would he have gone swimming on his own to work things out? Does he move around some trying to get exercise and simply not have enough room? Not an expert but just asking simple questions that come to mind. I play with all my animals a few times a week. I wonder if this helps with healthy BM? Always looking to improve my husbandry to keep my animals and the biologist at heart in me makes me think about these things. If anyone has thought on this would like to hear them.

A couple nights ago I discovered that one of my Blood Pythons - "Dexter" had severely impacted urates that were poking out against the sides of his tail. So, last night one of my local breeder friends and I soaked/swam him in warm water while trying to massage the hardened urates out of him and after about an hour they finally started working their way out. I couldn't even believe the amount of crap that ended up coming out of that poor little guy's behind! Here is a photo:



There was even more hardened urates, which dissolved in the water. Two terds, which were about the same size as the urates shown in the photo also came out, but they weren't hardened. This poor fella must feel sooo much better now!

Can any of you guys possibly tell by looking at the photo about how long these urates might have been being backed up? This snake hasn't taken a dump since clear back on 12/09/17 and as some of you might recall, I had started having regurgitation problems with him back on 12/05/17. I would say it's pretty obvious that all of this backed up urate must have been the cause of his regurgitation issues, wouldn't you guys? Can you guys tell me what causes urates to become impacted and how it can be prevented?

Just to give a little more history... This snake came into my possession on 5/10/17... Since then he has only defecated 4 times - On 9/14/17, 10/23/17, 12/09/17 (massive) and a tiny little bit on 12/26/17.

[Skyrivers]

That's good. I knew he wouldn't "enjoy" it, but I wasn't sure if he fought you the whole way. I honestly believe when you've developed a level of trust with any animal they tend to know we're trying to help them in times of distress. But, of course, that's just a thought I have and there are always exceptions.

I think so as well. Monty with his rage with a toothache relaxed when I was opening his mouth to helped him. I expected an angry fight from him. It was like he knew I was trying to help him. Yes I know is reading to much into it. He has calmed back down. On the fence about returning him to his new owner. We both learned some that day. LOL.