I have a customer who has a large adult female corn snake that looks and feels like it is inflated with air. At first we thought it might be egg retention (he was expecting a clutch) but I don't feel any solid bumps when I run my fingers along it. When he was describing it to me (before I saw the snake) I thought of an impaction and backup and suggested a soaking or two but when I saw the snake I didn't feel anything solid that would indicate impaction plus he said she has defecated recently and there was no change. Its been a week or so since I have seen it but basically it looks like she might be gravid but her body is the consistency of a very soft marshmallow. I've seen and handled gravid corns before and they don't feel like this. My thinking now is that she did have a clutch of eggs and they were bound up somehow and now they are decomposing and producing gas. I know a trip to the vet is in line but I'm just looking for ideas as to what might be causing this.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
