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Hello-I've had my blood python for close to a year now. She's about a year old, give or take a few months. It's been a full three months since she's had a bowel movement!! I've heard that this isn't abnormal. In fact, I've heard that this is perfectly normal-that bloods often have 3 month intervals between bowel movements. I'm anal about the temps. in her cage. It's always between 75 and 90. She has never missed a meal and her behavior is perfectly normal. Her sheds are normal, also. I still don't feel comfortable with the infrequency of her bowel movements, though. I can actually feel a "trail" of feces from her anus to almost half the length of her body. I'm becoming a bit distressed about it.

I had the same concern with mine a couple months ago. She went about the same length of time as yours, then passed just hard urates but no poo. Don't worry, as hard as that is. Your snake will be fine. When it does finally go, it's astonishing how much comes out. But, that's the way bloods are. It was like a small dog had gotten into her tank--and she's barely two feet long.

If your snake doesn't seem to drink much, you may want to soak her in a shallow water bowl for 15 or 20 minutes every so often. Some people say this encourages bowel movements, but mine would take the opportunity to drink. Fluids should also help "get things moving."

Good luck, again, don't worry.

With a recent experience I had with a gravid female I would worry. I'll probably be anal about keeping bloods for some time now but I would soak her alot.
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John Light
JL Exotics
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I wouldnt worry I have an Albino Red Blood, Ive had her since The 2005 Daytona show who goes about once evry 8 to 10 months. When I pick her up she is loaded with poop. I just slow my feeding down if I feel shes getting to loaded and I soak her for about 40 mins every month or so. But even that usally doesnt work for me, so then I put her in a bigger tub then what I house her in (I keep her in a 32 qt sterilite and the bigger tub is a 41 qt sterilite) for about 24 hours and she usally goes. Most of my other Bloods go once every 2 to 4 months, personily I like that they go so little, less clean up time on them, I wish my Ball Pythons did the same!

This is an adult female gravid blood that has gone about 5-6 months without food. She was only eatting medium rats once a month so where all this came from I have no idea. She had been having regular movements so this was unexpected. Because of this experience I will always be soaking my animals and keeping a close eye. I lost this girl yesterday and I'm deeply saddened by it! I would watch her and maybe soak her in warm water and try and keep her moving while she soaks. Good luck.

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John Light
JL Exotics
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Thank you all for taking the time to reply! I'm going to keep an eye on her and soak her a bit. Thanks alot! P.S. Special thanks to JLExotics for the x-rays.

What was the conclusion as to the exact cause of death? The radiographs show fecal material, but not an unusually large amount for a blood python. If she went 5 or 6 months without feeding much, and was metabolically compromised and was gravid in addition to that, she would have been under extreme stress. The radiographs clearly show the ribs very close to the skin surface in the anterior portion of the body, indicating considerable loss of body fat. Another issue with bloods that I have noticed is that if they are under fed, they tend to retain fecal material to a greater degree than if they are fed regularly. If I remember correctly, you only had this female for a few weeks. It is very unfortunate that you lost her.

Kelly

Well she had the fecal impaction and also had an egg burst inside her abdomen. She had infection in the abdomen. She didn't last long after the surgery. I'm not sure of the exact cause but I'm sure it has to do with alot of different factors. Yes I only had this female a few weeks.
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John Light
JL Exotics
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Don't take this the wrong way, but was this the same female that you took a picture with a little while ago? If she was suffering from certain health issues, likely the cause of the egg rupture was from the handling. This would be especially the issue if she had poor calcium transfer to the eggs during shelling. This would leave the shells of the eggs very thin. I have seen this in certain lizards who produced large numbers of clutches in a short period of time like bearded dragons. The calcium gets depleted in the mothers body and the eggs and subsequent embryos do not receive adequately amounts.

Just a thought and something to look out for down the road.
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That wasn't the problem, I asked the vet. We didn't even find an egg that was cracked or what not. It's likely it may have closed itself up? I have worked with gravid animals before...I was more then careful.
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John Light
JL Exotics
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