Bumps in tail (Not vet advice)

[Cheesenugget]

I want to share my story about a new medical problem with my kingsnake. This may or may not apply to other colubrids or species. This is not a thread to give vet advice or request for vet advice, only sharing my story in hopes of bringing light into health problems like these due to the severe lack of medical literature on reptiles out there.

Background: Nibbler was an adult when I picked her up at the pet store. She was a surrender of unknown age and sex. Based on her size, length, dull coloring of her scales, possible cataract/old injury in 1 eye, how long her tail is, how she is handled, etc... I'm assuming it's more likely an older female. I could be wrong, the physical condition and such could be the result of poor care from its previous owner.

She eats well, great temperament, sheds fine and an overall wonderful pet snake. She never laid eggs and I do not breed her. I had her for over 3 years now with her in good health.

Last week, she started her shed. She pooped before her shed, no food was given during the shed (She won't take it anyway. She used to years ago), and she soaks in her water bowl for days. I attempted to remove her so I can clean the water bowl. She refused to budge no matter what I did. Nibbler is housed in a AP T8 PVC cage, coco husk substrate, with 3 large hides. Temps are at 88-90 F, cool end at 77F, controlled by Herpstat. Humidity is 30-40%, I don't bump it up during a shed because she prefers to soak all day, even when a humid hide or raising humidity is provided.

About 2 days before her shed, I noticed there were bumps around her tail area. I left her alone, thinking I'm seeing things and could be sausage butt. Nope. She shed and pooped. No stuck shed. Upon closer look, there were several bumps of varying sizes on the sides and top in the tail area. They are not near the cloaca. The bumps started about 1-2 inches away from the vent (From what I can feel and see. These things could be growing internally). It's hard to take the photos showing where the vent is compared to the bumps. The bumps were soft to the touch.

I took her to a reptile vet on the same day who initially thought they were abcesses. When she used a needle to get the pus out, there was nothing but blood. She stated it is not an infection. She thinks it is trauma related even though I explained to her that she was in her bowl for days, barely moved, and I have nothing sharp or high for her to climb and fall on. She does not eat live so that rules out bites. There were no signs of cuts or burns. The vet noticed how heavy the bleeding was to the point where she recommended keeping her tail bandaged until morning to make sure it clots.

Otherwise, she is alert and appears to be ok. I have not fed her yet.

Vet provided antibiotics injections for every 3 days for the next few weeks.

Her enclosure was disinfected and everything removed except for the hides and water bowl.

It is at the wait and see stage. I'm all too familiar with these kinds of things. Sometimes we want so badly to think vets, no matter how good they are, can fix everything quickly or have all the answers. Bumps in her tail, she was fine all these years in her enclosure and shed well, I think the shedding was coincidental. I'll post more when I have more information.

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