Bloated Sand Boa

[jkrob]

I’m going to preface this post with this fact: I’m a worrier. I always jump to the worst case scenario. So... I’m looking for some advice or similar stories to help talk me off the edge.
I know these forums aren’t a substitute for a veterinary exam. I do have an appointment, but it’s not until Monday.


I recently (2 months ago) acquired an albino Kenyan Sand Boa from a breeder. He’s 2 years old and about 60g. Since I got him, he’s been active and healthy, with a good appetite. He’s not turned down a meal yet.
He ate a good sized pinky rat on Sunday. On Thursday, I noticed he still had a good sized food lump present. I didn’t think much of it, because it was a hearty pink rat. On Friday, the lump wasn’t as obvious, but I noticed that he seemed quite bloated from about midway down to just above his tail. He sort of feels like a balloon.


At first I thought constipation, but I also noticed he seemed a bit weak, starting where his bloat does. He’s still able to move his body completely, but it seems that he doesn’t have the same strength as before. This morning his bloat is still present, but he seems slightly stronger and more active.


I’ve given him a 15 minute, warm water soak on both Friday and today. No poops though...


Of course, I googled. Most of the posts talked about “sausage tail” and constipation. But Dr. Google also talked about IBD and now I’ve convinced myself he has it...That his constipation and bloating is due to weakness and neurological changes due to this disease.


He’s bright and alert, shows no other neuro changes. Just gassy and slightly weak.


He’s in my quarantine rack, with 3 other sand boas who appear to be fine. Sani-Chips substrate, with a warm spot is between 90-95 and ambient is about 83. He does have a water dish available to him.

[Bogertophis]

If there's an internal blockage perhaps, what he ate can be spoiling inside his body. Ever see a dead creature? As they spoil, bacteria makes them bloat up...and it sounds like that's what is happening with your snake. Cannot tell you why, though...I hope your vet can. Don't "panic" but DO get some help for your snake...this is NOT normal. (It's very unlikely to be IBD though, btw.) There might also have been something wrong with the feeder you gave him...try a different source in the future. (if the rodent ate something bad & it was still undigested, that might make it so your snake cannot digest either)

Another thing (& I HOPE I'm wrong!) that can cause a snake to bloat up is serious & life-threatening but not contagious: gastric torsion. Some kinds of animals are more prone to this than others, but even where it's rare (like in snakes) a given individual might have an imperfect digestive tract that lends itself to this predicament. If this is suspected, you must feed only small meals (and NO handling until digestion is complete), and that's IF your snake survives this. (often surgery is needed to untangle their twisted GI tract)

[Bogertophis]

BTW, I do hope that all this (poor digestion?) just works itself out before you take him to his vet appointment...I have no "crystal ball" & from where I sit I cannot tell you
whether or not this is serious. Only that it might be. Hoping for the best for you & your snake. Let us know what happens?

[jkrob]

We had our appointment today.

Radiographs showed that he was not bloated, like he feels. In fact, there was very little gas in his GI tract. There was a slightly radio opaque bit that looked like it could be the partially digested pinky skeleton... so perhaps he's not digesting well.

They gave him an enema, which successfully produced a stool. They'll send that to the lab to look for parasites. He also feels less balloony now that he's pooped...

Beyond that, they can't tell me why he seems weak in his back half. He can feel, but he doesn't have the same muscle as he does in the front.

He remains bright and alert.

[Bogertophis]

...Beyond that, they can't tell me why he seems weak in his back half. He can feel, but he doesn't have the same muscle as he does in the front...

Glad you're getting some help & some answers; as far as his lower half seeming weak, the one thing that occurs to me is it could be neurological...ie. a "back injury".
You might ask your vet about that possibility. Has he always seemed weak in his lower half? Has he ever fallen or was he ever dropped? How about over-heated? (that has also been known to cause neurological damage)

[jkrob]

Glad you're getting some help & some answers; as far as his lower half seeming weak, the one thing that occurs to me is it could be neurological...ie. a "back injury".
You might ask your vet about that possibility. Has he always seemed weak in his lower half? Has he ever fallen or was he ever dropped? How about over-heated? (that has also been known to cause neurological damage)

The weakness is new. He was normal when I fed him on Sunday (10 days ago). The weakness and bloating seemed to come at the same time when I checked in on him last Thursday (4 days post rat)

He's not been dropped or pinched in his tub. He shouldn't have over heated; his basking spot is regulated with a thermostat.

I'm still weirded out by the possibility of IBD. Though none of the other snakes in quarantine are showing symptoms... The vet seemed to think that it was a low probability, and he's only ever seen 2 cases himself.

[Bogertophis]

The weakness is new. He was normal when I fed him on Sunday (10 days ago). The weakness and bloating seemed to come at the same time when I checked in on him last Thursday (4 days post rat)

He's not been dropped or pinched in his tub. He shouldn't have over heated; his basking spot is regulated with a thermostat.

I'm still weirded out by the possibility of IBD. Though none of the other snakes in quarantine are showing symptoms... The vet seemed to think that it was a low probability, and he's only ever seen 2 cases himself.

I agree with your vet...IBD is very unlikely. You can't rule it out based on your other snakes showing no symptoms though, as all snakes don't progress with the illness at the same pace. Maybe he just had a 'tummy ache'? I really hope he gets back to normal.

[jkrob]

I agree with your vet...IBD is very unlikely. You can't rule it out based on your other snakes showing no symptoms though, as all snakes don't progress with the illness at the same pace. Maybe he just had a 'tummy ache'? I really hope he gets back to normal.

Update!

Cairo is doing great! He is completely back to normal.

I fed him a newborn pinky rat last Wednesday, which he took with great enthusiasm! He defecated normally a few days later. When I checked in on him last night, he gripped me tightly with his back end! No weakness or difficulty moving through my fingers!

I am quite relieved! I wish I knew what it was, but I am so glad to see him back to his normal self.

[Bogertophis]

Update!

Cairo is doing great! He is completely back to normal.

I fed him a newborn pinky rat last Wednesday, which he took with great enthusiasm! He defecated normally a few days later. When I checked in on him last night, he gripped me tightly with his back end! No weakness or difficulty moving through my fingers!

I am quite relieved! I wish I knew what it was, but I am so glad to see him back to his normal self.

I can only hazard a guess...maybe he had a "back-ache"? Maybe even from "growing pains"? Snakes have a long spinal column & unfortunately they cannot tell us what they're feeling...we can only deduce it by their behavior, including what goes in & what comes out. ("I & O")