Please help

[Ballzdeep710]

While handling my new female I noticed as she slithers through my fingers her genitals are pushing out should I be worried? I have 4 other balls and I have never had this happen before? Could something be wrong or am I just looking to deep into a natural acurance?

[DVirginiana]

First of all, a picture would really help in showing us how serious the situation is.
Has she been bred at all or recently laid eggs or anything like that? If not, I have a feeling you may be looking at a slight prolapse of the intestine rather than the reproductive organs.
Also, is there any swelling or hard-feeling tissue around the vent/tail area? (that can be a sign of infection)

Does it go back inside after you're not handling her? If it doesn't, you can make a sugar/water paste and apply it to the area to reduce swelling; for minor prolapses sometimes it's enough to get them to go back in on their own (honey/water could also work. Honey/water soaking is primarily what people recommend for frogs with intestinal prolapse).

Regardless, it would be a good idea to put her in an enclosure with just plain paper towels, a hide, and a water dish. That way if it happens when you're not handling nothing can stick to or injure the prolapsed area. You can also monitor any discharge like blood/mucous/poop better that way.
If it were me and it happened more than once, I'd go to the vet. If a snake is prolapsing, there's a good chance the problem will continue to happen and eventually the prolapses will become more severe or not go back in on their own (and that can turn into an emergency really quickly).

[Ballzdeep710]

To be honest it happens so fast that taking a picture would be very difficult. And no she has never been bred. She is only a couple months old. It does go back in almost instantly. I have her in a rack on paper towels and there is no sign of bleeding exc... I have had her for a month now. She eats readily every 5 days and has yet to have a bowel movement

[Ax01]

oh no!

i think another former is going through something similar isn't now. Here's the thread, pix is toward bottom of page 1: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...on-tail-no-vet

here's his follow-up thread: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ed-from-my-vet

lots of good advice in the thread (including from DV above) on how to clean and prep until I can get her to a vet, hopefully soon.

[DVirginiana]

To be honest it happens so fast that taking a picture would be very difficult. And no she has never been bred. She is only a couple months old. It does go back in almost instantly. I have her in a rack on paper towels and there is no sign of bleeding exc... I have had her for a month now. She eats readily every 5 days and has yet to have a bowel movement

How long have you had her? Just trying to figure out how long it might have been since she had a bowel movement. Sometimes that can happen when they've been straining too hard. I have a feeling that's what you're seeing. It doesn't sound super serious at the moment though. After she does go to the bathroom, keep an eye on her and if it keeps happening IMO it'd be time for a vet visit (or if it gets worse before then).

[Ballzdeep710]

I have had her for a month almost exactly. I checked on her today and she seemed fine. I appreciate your comments. Your first one scared me a little lol. But I did find a good vet that is fairly close if the situation gets worse. Thanks again

[DVirginiana]

I have had her for a month almost exactly. I checked on her today and she seemed fine. I appreciate your comments. Your first one scared me a little lol. But I did find a good vet that is fairly close if the situation gets worse. Thanks again

Didn't mean to scare you lol. It's just that prolapses can either be no big deal like what you're describing or life-threatening within a matter of hours. (Plus, I had the pictures from the other recent thread with the hemipene prolapses in my head; that's a pretty serious one)
Hope the problem resolves itself!