Snake digestion question

[Aurora(disabled)]

Hey all. I just got a new ball python 2 days ago. He's probably about 5 months old. His last meal was I THINK a week ago, and I just came home to a really weird issue. I'm very new to this, but from what I've seen, snake poop is pretty small and often runny. I don't think he has pooped in these two days until now. Now there's what looks like an almost intact feeder mouse stuck. It's almost out, I don't want to help him, but it's been stuck for at least 15 minutes now. He went from one end of the cage to the other, then finally into his hole and it's still attached. Does anyone have experience with this, am I overreacting, or is it a real issue? Thanks guys.

[wescoast]

ok first a couple questions where did you buy the snake from is it a captive bred if its from Africa it may have parasites or worms.if you're sure you're seeing is fully formed ratgive it two days if not take it to a vet That is a herp specialist poo shouldnt be runny it should have urine and sperate nuggets and possibly a calcium white nugget

[vangarret2000]

Hey all. I just got a new ball python 2 days ago. He's probably about 5 months old. His last meal was I THINK a week ago, and I just came home to a really weird issue. I'm very new to this, but from what I've seen, snake poop is pretty small and often runny. I don't think he has pooped in these two days until now. Now there's what looks like an almost intact feeder mouse stuck. It's almost out, I don't want to help him, but it's been stuck for at least 15 minutes now. He went from one end of the cage to the other, then finally into his hole and it's still attached. Does anyone have experience with this, am I overreacting, or is it a real issue? Thanks guys.

Snake poop is like other poop. It is generally solid, not runny. Although liquid can come out with it from dropping urates and poop at the same time. Not sure exactly by your post but sounds like what you are saying is there is an undigested mouse stuck in the snakes vent? Is that right? If it is just stuck to his body he probably regurgitated it and it just stuck to him. If it is in fact stuck in his vent that isn't normal. Even if it was regular poop it shouldn't just get stuck in his vent.

[kc261]

This just sounds odd.

A partially digested rat should be a regurge, not a poop. Regurge is bad, so if that's what it is, you need to address it properly. The first step is by not feeding for a couple of weeks, to give the snake time to recover.

Poop should not get stuck in the vent, even if it is somehow only partially digested. If there is in fact poop stuck in the vent, I'd be quite concerned.

Normal BP poop can be surprisingly large, and should be fully formed, not runny. They do use the same hole for both poo and pee (and breeding), so it is not unusual for both to come out at once, which might make it seem like runny poo, but really it should be more like fully formed poo in a puddle of liquid. Also urates can come out, which are basically solid pee. They'll look like a white or yellowish, greyish, greenish rock-like thing, and can be any size from quite small to just as big as a piece of poo.

If there is an almost intact feeder that has been in his digestive system, regardless of which end it came out, that is a fairly serious health issue, and you might want to take the snake back to wherever you got it from. If there is poo that is stuck halfway out of his vent, regardless of whether it is properly digested or not, well... I've never even heard of that but it sounds like it might be a fairly serious health issue, and you might want to take the snake back to wherever you got it from.

Good luck, and please keep us updated!

EDIT: I meant to say... if there is in fact something stuck in the snake's vent, and you want to try to help the snake get it out, my first guess would be to try giving the snake a soak. This often stimulates them to go, so maybe it would stimulate it to finish going. Put it in water that is about 80-90 degrees and is just deep enough to come about but maybe not quite halfway up the sides of the snake. You don't want it to have to swim. Let it soak for maybe 15 minutes, keeping an eye on it.

[ElliotNess]

I am absolutely intrigued. I know my BCI lays in his bowl and makes a mess in there. The soak should definitely help but I want to see a pic. This has me curious.

[Aurora(disabled)]

I'm scared to move him because it's quite large. I may be wrong about it being an undigested mouse, but it is certainly the same size. It has been about 7 hours since I first saw it, slept for 6 hours of it and he's now outside of his hidey hole. Since you all are so curious about it, here's a pic.

[IMG][/IMG]

[ElliotNess]

I would soak him and if he lets you handle him after the soak massage a little and see if that helps. After that you are at the Vet level. I wouldnt recommend trying to pry it out as whatever is causing the hangup could seriously harm it. Soak now and report back.

[Aurora(disabled)]

Boyfriend is on the phone with the seller, so we're starting with that. I told him about a soak as well, thank you.

[ElliotNess]

Was it a pet store or breeder?

**Let him soak while you figure it out**

Wont hurt anything... warm tap water... keep the water warm..

[Aurora(disabled)]

He's soaking. He wouldn't let us pick him up and kept twitching back and recoiling a bit. I've got about 3/4" warm water and he's sitting in it now. Pet store. Called the owner, he's getting info and going to call back.