Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know this is a common issue with bloods, but I've had my little one since mid November and she still hasn't pooped. She was pretty thin when I got her, and she's eating about every 5-10 days now. Starting to thicken up and seems generally okay. I can feel some hard lumps forming in front of her tail, probably about 2 in. worth (lengthwise) on a snake that's maybe 2 ft. long now.

Soaking her periodically for 15 minutes to a half hour hasn't helped. She just wants out and doesn't really seem to like that. I try it a couple times each week in a container with a closed lid.

Does anyone have other tips I could try? So far, she's still eating regularly, but I don't want her to get "backed up" to the point it becomes a problem.

I read in a book "What's Wrong with My Snake" that a small amount of mineral oil (I don't know how much) injected into the feeder animal may help the snake along, once it ingests it. Has anyone tried that?

Thanks for any suggestions!

I can only offer my lowly experience. I am way new to this game.

But when my snake had to soak for the shed, it absolutly HATED the container, so I tried again with the spare bath tub. Dint have any problems with her in there. She calmed alot and just wandered around curiously. So maybe with the stress of being in the little box she might not go. I know its kinda gross to let it deficate in the tub but we have cleaning tools for a reason!

Just my thoughts.

Clint

I've only had bloods for about 2 years but I would say dont worry about it. If it were my snake I would not be worrying. When you see the amount of poop that comes out you will know why it took so long to brew.
Kim

Ive had success using mineral oil as an adjunct to get a couple of my snakes to defecate when they get backed up... there are two routes of administration.. you can inject 5 CC's of mineral oil into the abdominal cavity of a dead prey item.. or you can try to give is a pseudo enema by using an eye dropper to squirt some mineral oil into its vent.. 3/4 of an eye dropper full usually will do the trick.. once you get the mineral oil in there gently massage the "rocky" feeling areas to help distribute the mineral oil in the intestinal tract..

this lack of pooping is common with bloods, it's just how they are, accept it, and appreciate it.

i personally would not inject anything into it...but when she poops, she'll poop...and it will be a big one.
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The New Redpython.net

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I think I'll just hold tight and not do anything more than I already am (which is pretty much nothing) until she decides to let it all loose.

These message boards are great!

bloods, especially older ones poop 4-12 times a year...enjoy your snake, because not many others will give you that.
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The New Redpython.net

My yearling blood hadn't pooped for a couple months until recently. But once she did, it looked like a large dog got in there and dropped it... They don't go often but when they do, look out.

Hey,
Don't worry about her not pooping. Soak her on her next shed, just days after she has cleared her opaque state by placing her in a plastic shoe box with some water coming just over her sides on the day you anticipate her shedding and she very likely will poop along with the shed. Works everytime for me.
-Angel
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Have you hugged your Blood today?

Angel,

Thanks for the advice. That's exactly the way it works with my ball python. She poops when she sheds. Well, she poops every week like clockwork, plus at shed time, which is why waiting for my blood to go is harder. Also, my blood doesn't have a strong feeding response as it is, so this is just one more variable I can never quite rule out of that.

So far, soaking hasn't gotten me very far--although it did help her shed the first time.

I'm just figuring that maybe she's just packing on the weight, and so doesn't have a lot to poop yet. The fact that she doesn't eat a ton may make it take even longer.

Thanks again.

Hey,
Not a problem! The only real time that bloods and stp's are actually active at least for me, is when they are either hungry, or are ready to drop a load, or have urinated and are then looking for a way out to escape their own mess. They hate lying in it and go nuts just after soiling their cage and actively seek for a way out. Once clean they are calm as a kid with a changed diaper and a fresh bottle.
-Angel
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Have you hugged your Blood today?

I'm surprised nobody has suggested the simple way to avoid them holding poop. Keep them properly hydrated and you won't have any problems. I kept a group of WC Medium-large Red adults, and one thing I noticed is that they wouldn't touch water that was 10 hours old. When I first acquired them I would change it every 2-3 days to minimize stress, but when I would change it they would literally drink for close to a hour. So I started changing it more frequently, and finally found the magic number. After 2-3 months of them having fresh water, they would poop a few days after feeding and have perfect sheds without any kind of humidity boost. When they are de-hydrated they let their systems try to extract any kind of water they can get, and in this case they hold onto their stool to do so. They are water sensitive animals and do seem to lose it pretty quick, unlike some other pythons

I'm glad frequent water changes works for you. But honestly, I don't know what could possibly change in water that's only 2-3 days old that would make snakes less likely to drink it. Maybe unchlorinated water would start growing bacteria, but not treated "city" water.

There seem to be a lot more posts from people saying these snakes just generally don't defecate as much as other snakes. I've got to think they're all not ALL dehydrated. I think your experience is the first I've read where bloods poop often.

Thanks, though. I'll try changing water more often and see if that helps.

Look at where they come from. Water doesn't sit for more than a day, before fresh is available. It isn't natural for any kind of animal to hold their stool for any length of time, though they have seemed to evolve to where they can hold it in adverse conditions to extract moisture from it. See what I'm trying to say? You'd also be surprised what grows in water ( even chrolonated, flouridated, etc. ) after a few hours of sitting. Obviously these animals are more sensitive to it and won't touch it. Try it and see. Look at the posts where they inject water or mineral oil into a feeder. What does that do? Helps hydrate them and they finally pass what they are holding because they don't need to hold it any more. Like I said above, holding stool isn't natural so listen to what( or why ) the animal is trying to tell you., Alot of people don't notice these simple observations, but along with some reasearch, they can tell you a whole lot more about an animal than a paper or caresheet can.

From what I've read, blood pythons lay in stagnant rice paddies and swamps of Borneo and Malaysia. Probably not the cleanest water, and definitely not a fresh-flowing lake or mountain stream. I would guess the water sits around there for quite a while, and the snakes have to deal with it.

But, I bet you're definitely on to something about keeping them hydrated. Probably, the more water, the better. However they get it--from drinking, ambient humdity, fluids they get from what they eat or all of the above--is a good thing.

I asked my wife, who got her doctorate in microbiology, about what happens to tap water after a couple days of sitting. She says, if the water is treated with fluoride and chlorine, it should actually get better after a few days, because the chemicals start to leech out and evaporate from it. So, sensitive snakes should probably like it even more with fewer chemicals in it. Potable water shouldn't start growing bacteria in just a few day's time unless it's tainted to begin with.

But, in the end, hey, your method clearly keeps your snakes happy, so that's really the only important thing. And, at least you know your snakes have good, clean water at all times.

Thanks for the suggestions.