Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have a female clown kingsnake, a cross between a gray banded and a nelson's milksnake who used to eat like a champ. over the last 6 months or so she has been progressively refusing feedings. i tried smaller mice and now giving her pinkies. she is about 3 feet long and age unknown. at her prime she was eating small mice, 3 at a time. i noticed that she had a lower abd mass, about 3in from her cloaca. i fed her the other day and i noticed that she vomited the mice. she is in shed and does have bowel movements. she is getting thin , but is still active. i do not know any reptile vets here in nyc, specifically manhattan, many say they are and then they mistake beardies for chameleons and i have certainly seen the worst diagnostic workups for dogs and other common animals. in any case, the mass is nontender, firm and painless. can a non bred, non brumated snake be egg bound as can lizards? or is this possibly a malignant tumor. no rectal bleeding and no evid of a bowel obstruction as stated earlier and it does not have the feel or consistency of a lipoma, soft mobile and nonfixed; it almost feels like a sarcoma, firm almost fixed. any ideas from the panel? any decent herp vets in manhattan?

A Clown King?? Thats is certainly a new one for me!

It sounds like it's time to get this animal to a herp vet.. I am in NY and know a good herp vet on long island if your willing to travel, but i do not know of one in the city..

~ Mike Russo

I am curious to know how you know the difference between a sarcoma and a lipioma on palpation and how you know it's painless.Good luck with your snake and let us know how you make out so we may all learn form it. Any photos?
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Doug L

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Doug L

lipomas are typically mobile, well circumscribed, soft and pliable like a typical fat pad on a human. sarcomas tend to be firm and fixed. sarcomas can arise from muscle, fat, fibrous tissue and are malignant and tend to spread. lipmas are benign, but can grow to large sizes. it is painless because she allows you to palpate it without upseting her. a clown king is a cross between a gray band and a nelson's milk. looks like a milk snake phase of a variable king. where is the li herp vet. the main question here is whether a non brumated and bred female can be egg bound as can happen with lizards.

a personal friend and the only herp vet I would take my animals to. He is not in Manhattan, but in Mount Vernon. It's worth the trip. E-mail me for further info.
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Jerry Kruse

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look to his friends." -- Japanese Proverb

please send me his/her info. as is typical for people in manhattan, it is an act of god to get out of the city. i imagine i could take metro north. i pity her and want to see what is wrong. i will post pics this coming week. my email: rs2051@columbia.edu. thanks, raj