Help!

[Moofins07]

My 4 month old BP looks like he's filled up with air! From its tummy down to its vent, he looks bloated. What is this, and is there something I can do to help him? I'm super scared for him and would feel like there's no one to blame but me if something happened to him. Is the only option to see a vet?


Some info: For the past 4 weeks, I've been feeding him every 6 days.
His last feeding, this Sunday, he ate 2 hoppers.
He hasn't pooped in almost 3 weeks!
Other than the blown-up stomach, he's acting normal.
I've got the humidity down-pat, but I'm still struggling with the temps a little.

Please, I'd appreciate ANY help right now, and I hope there's something I can do.

[h00blah]

wutr ur temps? where and how are u measuring them? could the "bloating" just be the 2 hopper lumps?

[Moofins07]

The temps have been fluctuating because my house gets very cold almost all the time. I got a digital therm/hygro meter.

The lumps are definitely not the hoppers. Two days after he ate, they were already mush. I've felt him up and down and there's nothing solid. It just feels like a ton of gas.

[Nate]

Your snake could be ready to take a big ol' poo

[CoolioTiffany]

The bloating is most likely the waste your BP is keeping back. Your snake will "go" whenever it wants to. I have a male BP and he will normally defecate once a month, sometimes twice. It is normal for your BP not to go to the bathroom right after it eats, but all BPs are different. I have a female who will defecate 2-4 days after she eats, but my male will only defecate once a month.

[Moofins07]

Your snake could be ready to take a big ol' poo

I would believe that if I could FEEL poo in there though...

He's been bloated like this for a while now, almost a week, actually. Which sounds negligent on my part.

[dr del]

Hi,

You could consider a soak in warm (86f approx) water and see if that relaxed anything loose.

Just remember not to have it any deeper than half way up his side and to keep an eye on him while you are doing it. We did have one poor snake drown itself during a soak so it pays to be extra cautious.

Is he coming up to a shed cycle? That normally leads to a poop and pee party.


dr del

[Dalishar]

My little girl looked like an absolute sausage, and nearly twice her girth!, for about two weeks before she finally poo'd, and now she's back to looking like a normal snake. (Though she's starting to bloat up again ) I have a similar feeding schedule - she's fed every 5 days.

When she was at the vet for her RI there was something said about her being a little gassy (right after she graciously gave the vet a fresh poo for her fecal.) and we were prescribed... some sort of oral thing that wasn't explained, really. It's still sitting in the fridge if you'd like the name.

I was very convinced she was only "gassy" due to the poo, and so chose not to administer the medicine. (I don't like loading my animals up on drugs needlessly) I was right - the next visit she suffered no ill effects from the gas, and it was gone.

Hopefully that little anecdote calms you down instead of bores you silly. I'm pretty confident your boy just needs to poop!

[reixox]

i'd agree with dr del's remedy on this one.
my little Hoobs loves his aqua dumps lol
however if you really dont think its built up waste, why not take a picture to better describe what the problem is?

[Moofins07]

I'd just like to write a little follow-up and inform everybody that everything turned out for the better! Yay!

A couple days ago, I came home after spending the night at a friend's, and my little BP's girth looked SO much better. The next morning, I found a nice log in his hide. Woo! Hah.

I don't think anybody will read this, but, for the record, thanks SO MUCH for ALL your help! It was very soothing to hear all your different stories. I guess it really does depend on the snake. I've figured that he poops about twice a month.

Once again, THANK YOU!