Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How do you get a gaboon to defecate?? Warm baths aren't working and he drinks regularly.....I am definately appreciating this learning oppurtunity!

Try to relax. Gaboons are slow to do everything except strike.I have a 14 y/o pair. When the female was young and had gone 3 months without a BM I tried longer and longer warm soaks, then got panicky and made her swim in the bathtub and even massaged her belly. She waited a week after I gave up and quit all this before having a BM after a total of 4 months, as if to say,"you can't make me poop!". In later years both snakes have gone as long as 6 months between BMs. It has been suggested that retaining feces is a natural strategy to help anchor their feeding strike. Of course there is a possibility that ingested aspen shavings, which I seem to see in your photo, could result in an impaction. But if this ever occurs I'm not sure there is anything that can be done.
Good luck,
Ian Long

That is quite a relief! You are correct, I am not exhibiting much patience. I am a long time rattler keeper(about 10 years) and most of my knowledge is of the faster metabolisms of these specific pitvipers, but I suppose I am considerably less experienced in the keeping of exotic vipers. But I have always been fascinated by gaboons and finally felt I was ready to get one and he is putting my skills to the test, but, I guess I gotta start somewhere....and the aspen chips were a temporary arrangement, he's in douglas fir bark now. Thanks a million

Have you ever had a gaboon that regurgitated everything it ate? I think I have a problem....