Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Yes, this is a serious question.

Yesterday evening I took my snake out to get some pictures, and as I was handling him, I felt a hard mass in his belly, about an inch or so above his cloaca. It almost felt like a super ball, and caused a very slight bulge. (Just to give a little background, he shed the night before, and hadn't pooped in at least a week. So I knew he needed to go.) I didn't really know what to think, since I never really handled my previous snakes all that much. I gently massaged it a little down towards his cloaca, but then I figured I'd better contact my breeder to get his opinion. (I don't use any fancy substrate, just paper towels, so I didn't see how he could have substrate impaction.) Anyway, within an hour, he did poop.

So here is my question. Is it normal for snakes to have the poop balled up in a hard, slightly noticeable mass within a few hours of releasing it? I just want to make sure there is not a serious problem. I believe my temperatures are fine, and he is acting normally and eating like a champ.

Thanks for any input!

Ed

IMO, probably just the process of eliminating, concentrating into a single mass then out the pooper chute. Timing was reasonable and may have had to do with the shed. Important thing is it's out now. Next thing to do would be to monitor and see if happens again.

One semi yucky question. Did you check the poop itself to see if it really was harder than a normal one? LOL, assuming you know what a normal poop would feel like!!!! I'd be taking a guess at that one myself based on folding up the paper substrate around a load.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Dave,

Thanks for the response. That's a great question, but unfortunately I wasn't smart enough to "touch test" the poop.
I did, however, get a picture (see below), and to me, it looked like what I consider to be a normal snake poop. (While I didn't handle my previous snakes - BCI, BRB, corn and rat snakes- as much as I handle Jack, I did clean up plenty of doody.)

The thing is, if you ask many (most?) Indigo owners/breeders, they will say chronic, frequent, projectile diarrhea is normal for an Indigo. (Not only normal, but sort of an endearing trait.) I don't buy it, at least without any evidence that wild Indigos do that. Anyway, so far I'm happy with my experiment with Jack. On a diet of only mice, he was shooting liquid feces all over the place, it was horrible. Now that he's on anoles (and one goldfish so far), it's like he's a different snake. About one (what I consider) normal looking poop a week.

Anyway, that's the Scoop on the Poop. Thanks for the input, I appreciate it. The other picture is Jack finishing up his dinner last night.

Thanks,
Ed

>>
>>One semi yucky question. Did you check the poop itself to see if it really was harder than a normal one? LOL, assuming you know what a normal poop would feel like!!!! I'd be taking a guess at that one myself based on folding up the paper substrate around a load.
>>-----

Well, gross that it may be, does not look like a hard lump that would indicate a impacted bowel. IMO nothing to worry about but of course, you should keep an eye on him.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

so im looking at those that first picture you just posted, and is that pvc or abs tubing in there? is that what you use as hides for the snakes?? just regular home depot plumbing supplies?

Yes, it's PVC pipe (from Home Depot), and it leads into a hidebox (shoebox size sterilite with some bedding in it.) I tried to simulate a burrow. He hides in both the PVC pipe and the hidebox, probably about equally. He really seems to enjoy being in the PVC pipe and just sticking his head out, I guess to keep an eye out for food. I'll post a picture when I get a chance.

Thanks,
Ed

>>so im looking at those that first picture you just posted, and is that pvc or abs tubing in there? is that what you use as hides for the snakes?? just regular home depot plumbing supplies?

hey nice, thats not a bad idea i like that. i can see where that would make for a good hide, i might do that myself thanks!