Ball Python Clear object in anus

[Paraball556]

Hello I am new to this site and I am the owner of a young, male, ball python named Jeremy. I've always had issues with getting him to eat so I took him to a vet in march and they said he was probably brumating. I think that might be the problem due to the last time I fed him being in November. Getting him to eat is my main issues overall but I've run into a bigger issue. While I was bathing him I sometimes in the past gently massage his stomach and under belly to help him clear up his insides (I started doing this due to him excreting a small wood fragment, which I presume was stuck in there from his last meal in November). As I was massaging him, the usual things came out (Urates and mucus, no feces due to him having not eaten yet). Then I got worried, As I was pushing on him a small ball-like object popped out of his anus. It was clear and squishy and looked to be part of his insides. After I gently tried to help him squeeze it out assuming it was just more of the same. I noticed blood as well. Today I checked on his cloaca and it seems pink and normal. I dont know what it was and im worried something in his body got messed up. I hope I didint do anything to hurt him. The object almost looked like a marble of some kind.

[Alter-Echo]

I'd see a vet... immediately...

[Bogertophis]

Sounds like a urate stone (aka "cloacalith")...they can block their cloaca making it difficult or even impossible to pass urates & feces, sometimes requiring a vet's
help. It's hard to say if this is related to the difficulty you've had getting him to eat, because (a) ball pythons are KNOWN for being a challenge, (b) it might have
been seasonal -BPs do NOT actually brumate, but a chill in the air & shorter days can put them off eating -in the wild, snakes that get caught with food in their gut
& unable to digest because of chilly weather can die when the food rots in their GI tract, so they rely on instincts even as captive pets...they don't "know" we're
going to keep them warm enough to digest....and (c) we need LOTS more info about how you're keeping him to fully help you...meaning what kind of cage? what
kind of heat? how is it regulated? what are the hi & low temps in his cage? substrate? humidity? -what kind of hides does he have, etc. Pics do help...

You want to feed snakes on a "plate" of some sort (can be a cardboard box lid, etc) so that they do not ingest substrate. While snakes may ingest such debris in the
wild, it's better avoided as these are our pets and they cannot digest wood/plant fiber...if it's at all sharp, they can puncture their insides, causing infection & death.
Most of the time, such debris gets expelled along with other waste, but vet bills aren't fun, & when you can avoid the risks it's best to do so.

Urate stones do look much like a marble**, and the fact that you were "pushing on him" & "massaging" you may have caused the bleeding. Pics of what came out & his
cloacal area, along with his set-up would all be helpful here. It may be that all is fine now...but if you see any more blood you should take him to see a good herp vet*
a.s.a.p. (*have you located one in your area, with experience???) I have a hunch (& hope) that the biggest reason your snake isn't eating has more to do with things
you can & should fix...especially since you've always "had trouble feeding him". Is he fed live or f/t? Rats or mice? Sometimes it's just a matter of improving your
techniques, but also if his cage isn't warm enough or offering enough "security" that's another common reason that snakes won't eat. Also, if handling is excessive.

So you see, there's lots of variables...

**And btw, urate stones do NOT "look like part of his insides"....that part I'm not understanding your meaning. You may have caused a prolapse...and that
requires proper medical attention if so.

[gunkle]

Welcome to the site. Great people in here that are always happy to help. We all love snakes and want them all to be happy and healthy. If you answer everything listed above you will get some great help. It can be a bit overwhelming at times but with these snakes it really can be one small thing that sets them off eating even though you might not know it's off.

[JodanOrNoDan]

Sounds like a urate stone (aka "cloacalith")...they can block their cloaca making it difficult or even impossible to pass urates & feces, sometimes requiring a vet's
help. It's hard to say if this is related to the difficulty you've had getting him to eat, because (a) ball pythons are KNOWN for being a challenge, (b) it might have
been seasonal -BPs do NOT actually brumate, but a chill in the air & shorter days can put them off eating -in the wild, snakes that get caught with food in their gut
& unable to digest because of chilly weather can die when the food rots in their GI tract, so they rely on instincts even as captive pets...they don't "know" we're
going to keep them warm enough to digest....and (c) we need LOTS more info about how you're keeping him to fully help you...meaning what kind of cage? what
kind of heat? how is it regulated? what are the hi & low temps in his cage? substrate? humidity? -what kind of hides does he have, etc. Pics do help...

You want to feed snakes on a "plate" of some sort (can be a cardboard box lid, etc) so that they do not ingest substrate. While snakes may ingest such debris in the
wild, it's better avoided as these are our pets and they cannot digest wood/plant fiber...if it's at all sharp, they can puncture their insides, causing infection & death.
Most of the time, such debris gets expelled along with other waste, but vet bills aren't fun, & when you can avoid the risks it's best to do so.

Urate stones do look much like a marble**, and the fact that you were "pushing on him" & "massaging" you may have caused the bleeding. Pics of what came out & his
cloacal area, along with his set-up would all be helpful here. It may be that all is fine now...but if you see any more blood you should take him to see a good herp vet*
a.s.a.p. (*have you located one in your area, with experience???) I have a hunch (& hope) that the biggest reason your snake isn't eating has more to do with things
you can & should fix...especially since you've always "had trouble feeding him". Is he fed live or f/t? Rats or mice? Sometimes it's just a matter of improving your
techniques, but also if his cage isn't warm enough or offering enough "security" that's another common reason that snakes won't eat. Also, if handling is excessive.

So you see, there's lots of variables...

**And btw, urate stones do NOT "look like part of his insides"....that part I'm not understanding your meaning. You may have caused a prolapse...and that
requires proper medical attention if so.

I have never seen anything like is described here ....

"Then I got worried, As I was pushing on him a small ball-like object popped out of his anus. It was clear and squishy and looked to be part of his insides."

...come out of a reptile. It would be helpful to know what it smelled like, I know gross but it could point to something that shouldn't be in the digestive tract (parasite/virus/bacterial). I hope the op kept it so someone can take a look and a sample of it.

[Bogertophis]

I have never seen anything like is described here ....

"Then I got worried, As I was pushing on him a small ball-like object popped out of his anus. It was clear and squishy and looked to be part of his insides."

...come out of a reptile. It would be helpful to know what it smelled like, I know gross but it could point to something that shouldn't be in the digestive tract (parasite/virus/bacterial). I hope the op kept it so someone can take a look and a sample of it.

I've dealt several times with urate stones over the years keeping snakes. However they were white-ish, not "clear"... & though some "squishy", most were hard.
One big problem is that people do not all describe colors the same way...there was also a mention of mucus, & while a little may be normal, much more is NOT, & it's
also relevant what color it is.

So yes, I agree with you, while most of this matches up with a urate stone, the information is lacking, especially the "visuals".

My comments were NOT intended to be a firm diagnosis as that's asking too much of a forum that's not seeing the snake or the "evidence".

Truly best if the OP takes snake to an experienced herp vet, along with everything expelled by the snake...but the fact that they are asking here suggests that they
may be unable or unwilling to do so.

[Paraball556]

Thank you all for your advice. I am sorry I could not get back sooner as I am on mobile and it is very hard to navigate as well as just general business. I can't provide pictures at the current time but I will try to as soon a possible. For now I can tell you I keep him in a 20 gallon long cage with aspen bedding. He has two hide boxes on either side of the cage so he can regulate his temp while still feeling safe. The hide on the hot side is a cave-like structure and the other hide is a half log on the cool side. I have a water dish he can use on the cool side that is big enough for him to fit in and I have fake plants for him to explore on should he want to at night. Heating wise I have a small heat mat under about a third of the cage. it's temperature ranges from 88 degrees to 92 degrees Fahrenheit, and is regulated by a temp controller attached to the heat mat. The cover for his cage is also a screen but overall that's it. Ill try to post pictures as soon as I can and once again I apologize for the delayed response

[Paraball556]

here is a picture of the unidentified object , his rectum looks swollen in this picture but I assure you it’s just me pressing on it. It goes back down and everything looks normal after a few minutes

[JodanOrNoDan]

here is a picture of the unidentified object , his rectum looks swollen in this picture but I assure you it’s just me pressing on it. It goes back down and everything looks normal after a few minutes

no pic

[Paraball556]

[IMG]2019-04-2414.16.55.jpeg[/IMG]There we go now where’s the pic