Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently began volunteering at an animal sanctuary and I am trying to take over taking care of the snakes!!! None have temp or humidity gauges and it is all way to dry!! Anyway, my concern lies with a red-tail boa. He is young perhaps 2-3 years about 4 ft long. He has a fleshy (what looks like a penis) hanging out of the cloaca. I poked around a bit and another one came out, looked the anus flipped inside out. Anyway it does not look good, one is scabbed over. He hasn't eaten in 4 weeks, I am not sure if old enough to breed or not, or has been bred in the past by previous owners. I am sorry for the little info, but I have never seen this before. Can someone tell what is going with this poor guy and what I can do??? Thank you.

It sounds like a rectal prolapse(exactly what you thought, anus flipped inside out).
This snake needs to get to a vet asap. I had a baby retic that had the same problem. The vet pushed the tissue back inside and then put a stitch on either side of the cloacha, making it smaller temporarily to keep the tissue inside.
Obviously, I couldn't feed the snake for several weeks until the stitches came out and then it was a very small meal for a few feedings to make sure the food was passing without causing the prolapse again.
Since the boa in question hasn't eaten for 4 weeks already, you need to get him in soon. Don't worry that much about the food issue. Boas can go a very long time without eating without a problem.
One other thing...it could be the hemipenes as well. Either way get him to a reptile vet.

the vet is the best thing but as far as I can tell that is the only thing you can do. It sounds pretty serious since it sounds a bit infected.