Similiar to you, the vet was able to take out a lot of the rock hard urates - but no poop. The lump on Jelly is still showing...but the vet suspects that's soft waste...which should soon move down the tail end towards the cloaca area. The urates they were able to get out basically filled up the whole portion below the lump. So Jelly is back in his enclosure now and I'm leaving him alone tonight. The vet said I should try to swim and soak him tomorrow evening...and also massage the lump downwards towards the tail in even strokes.

The vet said the only thing you can really do to try and prevent these urate buildups is to increase the humidity of the cage and soak the snake a few times a week.

Here's a pic of the mess that came out today. I'm just hoping the remaining lump is indeed soft waste and that it makes its way down Jelly's tail end. When I massage and touch that area...it doesn't feel hard...so that's a good sign. Plus...from eating 4 month's worth of rats there must be some waste in there, right?! Jelly must be pretty relieved those urates are now gone!

Here's the pic!

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...ellyUrates.jpg