Ball python hasn’t defecated in 3 months

[Bweiser18]

I’ve owned my ball Python since early may. He has shed one time for me and left a skid mark with that. I have yet to see a full poo. He eats every week. Except the first 2 weeks of ownership. He’s gone from mice, rat fuzzies, to rat pups. I weighed him about a month ago and he was around 270 grams. He’s now around 380 grams. Going to order some new feeders now. Some rat weaners but I’ve been feeding rat pups around 30 grams. Anyways my ambient temps stay 83-84 on the warm side to around 80-81 on the cool side. Hot spot of 88-89 and cool side spot around 79-80. I keep my humidity 65% or more. Should I be concerned with him not pooping so long? If not when should I be concerned? I figured at least wait until this upcoming shed which should be in the next month. He has been growing and gaining wait tremendously. It’s like I can’t keep up with the size of feeders. Is it possibly he’s using all this food as growth?

[Bogertophis]

When you're feeding young mice or rats, they're more fully digested, so there's less waste that needs expelled, BUT (nearly) 3 months is a long time for no defecation. Does he look bloated? Is he "puffy" on his ventral (tummy-underside) just above his cloaca (aka vent)?

It's not common for a snake to be constipated, but it's impossible either. Also, they can sometimes swallow something that's not digestible* that causes a blockage, & I sure HOPE it's not that.

*Snakes evolved eating animals (protein & fats), not plant materials...& NOT wood chips or twigs, & not fabric etc. Any chance that he ingested such things? Without seeing your snake, it's up to you to see if he appears to be bloated (or have an experienced herp vet check him out)- what some here refer to as "sausage butt" for obvious reasons- not that it's funny, though.

[Bweiser18]

Not sure how to upload an image on here. I mean I don’t really know if he’s all that bloated or not. I mean he seems normal to me but I’m a newer snake owner. It could be quite possible he ate a coco husk chip. It could’ve also been possible that he’s pooped and maybe I just never saw it when I cleaned out the tank. How do I upload a picture on here with an iPhone? It keeps asking for a URL

[Bogertophis]

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-Post-Pictures

[Bweiser18]

They got inserted to Members gallery. Are you able to view them there?

[Bweiser18]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bweiser18]

Okay the first picture was yesterday. The others are from June 30th


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bogertophis]

Yes, it looks like he needs to expel wastes (aka 'sausage butt'). One thing that can happen, especially if a BP has insufficient humidity, is that they can develop a urate "stone" that blocks their vent, & prevents them from expelling the waste that backs up behind it. It's pretty uncomfortable & needs prompt attention. Have you felt (very gently, don't push hard) above his vent (cloaca) to see if you feel anything that's like a hard marble? That could be the problem (a urate "stone").

Whether or not you can feel anything, I'd suggest you run some lukewarm water in your clean bathtub- keep it shallow, about 2" at most, & have your snake "swim" in it for a while. The water should NOT be over his head EVER, & you should be right there to support him (& make sure he doesn't take off), & see if the swimming motion (plus extra hydration of being in the water) might help him to defecate. Take up to 30 minutes to see if you get him to go.

If this doesn't work, I'd suggest booking an appointment a.s.a.p. with a good herp vet. If you need to find one, this may help. https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

And for future reference, do your best to prevent your snake from swallowing any substrate- feed him over a piece of cardboard to serve as a "plate", for example. Or use a real (unbreakable) plate, but keep the substrate out of your snake- don't let him swallow the stuff. Some kinds of substrate can swell up when in their digestive tract- this can even be serious & require surgery if he is unable to expel it naturally.

[Bweiser18]

If he still pees is that constipation? Also I did feel around yesterday and it didn’t seem hard. I also feed him on an empty water dish. Not to say he still couldn’t have ingested some when I wasn’t watching.

[Bogertophis]

If he still pees is that constipation? Also I did feel around yesterday and it didn’t seem hard. I also feed him on an empty water dish. Not to say he still couldn’t have ingested some when I wasn’t watching.

It's possible to be blocked up (as he appears to be) & still able to expel some, but as I said, give that snake a soak/bath- & hope he gets relief. Maybe he's just lazy & about to "go" anyway- I hope?