Please help!! I'm really worried about my ball python!

[Stealth]

Hi guys,

I've searched through a couple "my ball python isn't pooping" threads on here and honestly at this point I'm just freaking out and need someone with more experience to help.

I'll keep this as short as possible but at the same time I want to keep it detailed

I got my Ball Python on 22/12/18. The place I got her was unable to tell me age/weight/sex/feeding schedule or anything about her previous care (Yes I know, major red flag but I was already in-love with her)



This was the day I got her, it may be difficult to tell but she had lose skin and could definitely tell she wasn't the right weight. She also had stuck shed. I took her home and waited a few days to feed, I decided to start her on a 5 day cycle of small rats to help her regain some weight. Since then she is looking much healthier and has never refused a meal. She has eaten 5 times since I picked her up and she shed for me yesterday and it was a PERFECT shed, probably one of the best shed's I've ever had.

This is where my problem starts..... Since I took her home she has not pooped once.... I know it is not uncommon for Ball Pythons to save it for a month or two, but my issue is that she is now sitting with a minimum of 5 rats in her. I was expecting a nice present after her shed yesterday but when i saw nothing I got worried and bathed her this morning. After her bath I went to work and when I came back I found a HUGE piece of urate but still no poop. I've tried massaging her and feeling for lumps and she does feel slightly lumpy but I can't feel any big hard masses.

I wanted to know if I should start to worry? I'll attach some pictures of her to help judge her situation, she ate less than 24 hours ago (I normally wouldn't handle so soon afterwards but she is not stressed at all and I knew she would be okay with me)

This baby is my world right now, I don't want to worry for no reason but at the same time I would go to the ends of this earth to keep her happy and healthy. Thanks in advance!


This image is directly after she shed yesterday.






All of the above are from today! After her bath.

[Craiga 01453]

She looks fine. She'll go when she needs to. I see no signs of sausage butt, so no need to worry.

How much does she weigh? And how much do the rats weigh?

[Stealth]

Unfortunately my scale went flat a week or two before getting her so i haven't been able to monitor growth rate, I love her endlessly but I do wish she came from a better source.

The rats are a decent sized meal for her, same size as the largest part of her body and normally take 2-3 days to digest properly. The reason I'm worried is because 5 rats worth of waste seems like a lot for her size!

They couldn't tell me anything about her, but out of all the snakes I've handled over the years she has the most incredible personality I've ever come across and I just couldn't resist. It's hard to explain but she really does enjoy handling, where most only tolerate it and get used to it over time.

[Jellybeans]

She's beautiful!
Soaking in warm water might help.

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[KevinK]

Babies will often absorb a LOT of that rat protein and then leave you with a pretty large deuce. But yeah, Craig nailed it, she looks perfectly healthy.

A half hour soak in some shallow (the height of the snake deep) lukewarm water can often produce a bowel movement. Fill the pail/tub to about the height of the snake (probably about an inch or more) and let her soak. Try it out, it works a lot of times.

Edit: Damn, Jellybeans beat me to it lol.

[Jellybeans]

Haha!!!

Babies will often absorb a LOT of that rat protein and then leave you with a pretty large deuce. But yeah, Craig nailed it, she looks perfectly healthy.

A half hour soak in some shallow (the height of the snake deep) lukewarm water can often produce a bowel movement. Fill the pail/tub to about the height of the snake (probably about an inch or more) and let her soak. Try it out, it works a lot of times.

Edit: Damn, Jellybeans beat me to it lol.

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[Stealth]

So I bathed her for about 20mins earlier today, luke warm water and made sure to keep the temp just right for her and kept her as calm as possible. She let out a MASSIVE chunk of urate after he bath but still no poop, I guess I'll just keep an eye on her and keep feeding on a 5 day cycle and if she starts showing any signs I'll escalate

P.S Will update thread when she has finally gone haha

[Jellybeans]

So I bathed her for about 20mins earlier today, luke warm water and made sure to keep the temp just right for her and kept her as calm as possible. She let out a MASSIVE chunk of urate after he bath but still no poop, I guess I'll just keep an eye on her and keep feeding on a 5 day cycle and if she starts showing any signs I'll escalate

P.S Will update thread when she has finally gone haha

Yeah, and take a picture. Lol!

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[JRLongton]

Sounds like you're right on top of things.

Isn't it amazing how stressful keeping snakes can be? My cats have never caused me so much anxiety.

Any snake that can be forced to bathe and not tag the keeper, is a great snake.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Considering how extremely skinny the animal was, when youn got it, and how it looks now which is a lot more healthy, the prey offered were essentially used toward growth leaving little to nothing to be wasted hence why the animal did not defecate for you.

Stop bathing your snake they can go a long time without defecating especially if they were underfed or not eating for a long time prior, as long as there is no persistent bulge you are fine.