My Rat Snake May Have IBD?

[Aspen0122]

Tell us more about how he's being kept. Temperatures (highest & lowest), size of enclosure, humidity, substrate, what kind of heat are you using, & anything else that might be relevant.

Has he been dropped or taken any falls? Are there climbing branches in his home- can he hang on to them? What's his appetite been like?

I see you also have a turtle- do you keep your snake away from the turtle at ALL times & always wash your hands thoroughly between handling or caring for them? This is very important, as most turtles carry salmonella, & your snake can catch that or other things (pathogens & parasites) from other pets you have.

Your snake sounds fairly sick by your description & by your level of concern- how long has he been like this? You may need to see an experienced herp vet since there's a limit to what we can diagnose or help you with here, & if you need to find one in your area, this may help: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661 (But just so you know, IBD is scary for sure, but unlikely to be the issue with your rat snake.)

He has not been dropped or taken any falls that I know of. I have noticed though, a small bump on the top of his back and has been there since I have gotten him, so it's not food digesting. I don't know what it is, it may be a causing factor of what's happening. There are two climbing branches in his enclosure. He has had this problem since we got him and we got our turtle a week after we got him. I wash my hands before AND after I handle him and clean out his enclosure. I have researched what to feed him b/c I don't have access to pinkies, so I have been feeding him large insects such as crickets and grasshoppers.