Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ever since i got my MBK the area around its vent/cloaca has been pink but not distended. it will distend if musking. but is normally smooth and even with the rest of the snakes belly. its as if part of a belly scale is missing. the snake was pretty frisky, and a musk machine when i first got it, so i chalked it up to that, but now that it has settled down the pink area is still there even when the snake is relaxed. so now i am wondering. BTW snake is approaching first shed (with me) if it makes any difference.
thanks
Mike
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..1 Jayne "The Hero of Canton", Ball Python
..1 Edmund Slackbladder, Mexican Kingsnake
..1 El Diablo "They haven't built a cage I can't get out of" Pueblan Milksnake
(Currently serving 25 to life in a Maryland Supermax
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Me; And finally monsieur a wafer thin pinkie
El Diablo: blaggh
Me: ah sir its only 1 leetle pink one
ED: ahh, sod off! I'm full
Me: ah sir hmm? its only wafer thin?
ED: bah! i couldn't eat another thing I'm absolutely stuffed. bugger off!
Me: ah sir, sir just ...just one......?
ED: ok just one
Me just the one.
Me: voila!
Me: bon appetite!.......

Ahhhh, the bane of diagnosis. Can you get a pic of this condition and throw it up for us to see? I'm still laughing about the "Me and El Diablo" dialogue below -- very funny.

Jerry Kruse

It sounds like his vent is still slightly opened when your handling the snake. Snakes that are new or just don't take to handling, will often leave the vent slightly open, even though they are not musking all over you. I see it as more of a sign of the snake being nervous than anything else. That's the only thing I could conclude from your description. A picture would really narrow it down.
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El diablo, thats a funny little thing at the bottom there,lol. Anyways, your MBK, new to you....size? Sex? History? If you just got HIM and he was brumated maybe he is a bit horny,been known to happen. The greater likelihood(per our past conversations)is that it hasnt been a PET. Alot of people(most??)here keep ALOT more than the requesite 1-2 snakes and dont name them or treat them as pets. Most of us have trained the snake not to bite the hand that feeds it, but many times if you open the cage some food better be coming in....
If this is the case, I would kind of "manhandle" him a bit. Let him out, let him crawl around knowing he is supervised. Pick him up, put him down a BUNCH of times. I wouldnt do this around his cage, its spring, outside could be "fun".Dont baby him, caryy him non-chalant, and he will eventually calm down. If you treat him special and precious he will own YOU, not the other way around.Jeff

ahh Jeff my personal Iago. i don't know the sex, not gonna breed it, so don't really care. Was not brumated as far as i can tell. History? Had it for about three weeks bought from a reputable pet shop, eating two fuzzies at a time per week. Handle the snake every day (except after feeding) for around 1/2 an hour, let it explore a bit, but haven't taken it outside, too cold here. Snake has not been aggressive no biting or striking poses, very mellow except for the musking, usually when first picked up. OF COURSE i feed it outside its enclosure as most of us are encouraged to do. a nice newspaper lined sterilite box covered with a towel usually after 9PM. Its a snake jeff i don't think it feels any sense of entitlement by the way i carry it around, as long as i'm not scaring the crap out of it.
not sure what you mean by manhandling, but i'm not gonna start pimp slapping it and smacking it on the butt. your a weird dude man
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..1 Jayne "The Hero of Canton", Ball Python
..1 Edmund Slackbladder, Mexican Kingsnake
..1 El Diablo "They haven't built a cage I can't get out of" Pueblan Milksnake
(Currently serving 25 to life in a Maryland Supermax
______________________________________________________

Me; And finally monsieur a wafer thin pinkie
El Diablo: blaggh
Me: ah sir its only 1 leetle pink one
ED: ahh, sod off! I'm full
Me: ah sir hmm? its only wafer thin?
ED: bah! i couldn't eat another thing I'm absolutely stuffed. bugger off!
Me: ah sir, sir just ...just one......?
ED: ok just one
Me just the one.
Me: voila!
Me: bon appetite!.......

LMAO! Man but that was funny! I think jeff was saying that the snake eventually will get used to you handling it but may take any.....wimpy type handling as a you fear the snake reaction and may continue the musk routine. i know that all my snakes forget all their "lessons" after waking from brumation, but the older ones settle back in to the ol' routine. [bleep] slap the snakes @$$ shut! LOL!

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Todd Hughes