Is this normal? Getting worried.

[bhsurf4]

I had a very similar experience with my neonate boa. I soaked her in lukewarm water for 15 minutes then let her crawl through my hands while I massaged her belly. 12 hours later, like the shirt says, “it” happened!

[Luvyna]

Remember too that snakes conserve water by not excreting stool & urates very often...this is really what they're "designed" for (how they've evolved), whether
or not they're desert species. They are probably still absorbing some nutrients too. We just "feel" like it's wrong because our metabolism is so much faster.

I've been "decorated" a few times myself... I've learned to check for a bulge above the cloaca.

Very true, it's just so different from anything you'd see with mammals. I've been reading up on old threads on this forum about sausage butt cases and there seems to be a pretty even divide between people suggesting to wait until after a shed, and others suggesting to soak.

I guess it's just a part of snake keeping that can't be helped! At least you know the signs now haha

[Bogertophis]

I had a similar experience with one of my girls. Looking back, I honestly think getting the large urates to come out with the soaking is what cleared the way for the poop.

- Charles Eye

You're correct...it often happens that their urates turn into a hard 'stone' that is very difficult for them to expel, & sometimes they require help to do so.

[Bogertophis]

...I've been reading up on old threads on this forum about sausage butt cases and there seems to be a pretty even divide between people suggesting to wait until after a shed, and others suggesting to soak...

Actually, both methods work, because when a snake rolls down their old shedding skin, it gets tighter and (ahem!) pushes things to their logical conclusion.
Shedding requires quite a bit of muscular coordination from a snake...watch them sometime, & try to imagine yourself undressing with no hands or feet...

There's more than one "right answer" for this situation: soaking (especially with swimming motions), handling & other activity (as with cage cleaning), & shedding can
all successfully promote a snake to eliminate wastes. Soaking has the advantage that it promotes hydration, but if your snake really freaks out with water, other methods
usually work too.

[MarkL1561]

My new BCI boa had a little sausage butt going on for a little bit. I simply left him alone and he pooped. Now he’s back to normal I think it’s fairly common to occur with young snakes.


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[FollowTheSun]

Finally, at the 37-day mark, he pooped and peed on his own - very explosively, I might add - after I had just finished deep-cleaning his tub and was about to put him back into it. So I guess the moral of the story is, continue keeping a close eye on him, but also no need to panic yet. The little ones seem to be able to save things up for a very long time.

So what RedRabbit is saying is the best way to make your snake poo is to deep clean the enclosure

[Bogertophis]

So what RedRabbit is saying is the best way to make your snake poo is to deep clean the enclosure

Some snakes do seem to possess a perverse sense of humor. -though realistically, you have to handle your snake to clean their enclosure, so you're partly to blame.

[RedRabbit]

So what RedRabbit is saying is the best way to make your snake poo is to deep clean the enclosure

That is exactly how it works.

[Luvyna]

Update on the situation — after I waited a week, I think Noodle... "deflated"(?) slightly:



Here's another angle, there's still a bulge but not as bad as before:



I'm confused because I looked all over the enclosure and I don't see any poop. Wondering if he is still slowly digesting what's in there? Argh, why don't ball pythons come with instruction manuals? To soak or not to soak?

[RedRabbit]

I'm confused because I looked all over the enclosure and I don't see any poop. Wondering if he is still slowly digesting what's in there? Argh, why don't ball pythons come with instruction manuals? To soak or not to soak?

Hmm, Noodle is going on week 6 at this point, right? Out of curiosity, have you tried feeling around his vent area just to make sure there isn't anything firm that could be a blockage, like a large/hardened urate? I kind of doubt it, since you mentioned he expelled a good amount of pee and urates onto your lap not too long ago, but it's always reassuring to check.

At this point, if you wanted to give the warm water bath a try, certainly I don't think anyone would fault you for it. Sure, Noodle probably won't like it, but it's hardly the end of the world for him, and if it works, you and he will both probably feel better for it afterwards. Just make sure to be attentive to the water's temperature (aim for 85 F, no warmer than 90 F), and supervise him - both for his safety, and so you can "encourage" him, if needed, to keep moving around (the swimming motions should help get his bowels moving).