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I now have a second ball python that has what is believed to be a cloacal infection. The base in the tail is swollen and the vent is swollen. When you apply pressure like you were sexing a nasty smelling pus comes out. It is mostly liquid but does have some chunks in it that look like cheese. I have been keeping and breeding balls for 15 yrs and have never had a problem, now I get this issue with 2 snakes within 6 months. I have changed none of my husbandry. All are housed individually in rhino raxx. I use cypress mulch substrate. Temps and humidity are all in normal range. All are eating fine. Vet gave me baytril injections to treat infection. My question is what is causing this infection around the hemipenes and cloaca. Thanks for any replies.

It happens, I have had several last year and this year. Keep extra males.

It does happen, although for me its females who seem to develop a slight prolapse. The cloacal area swells, bleeds a bit and animals usually stop feeding. I give them a soak in tepid water with a small amount of betadyne added for an hour or so and then put her back in a cage with newspaper. Treating with Baytril injections for 7-10 days usually takes care of the problem.
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Susan Sentman
SSNAKES Reptiles
susan@ssnakes.com

I have had something similar happen with a couple males this season. In my case it was due to them dragging some aspen into the hemipenes after breeding. I caught it early and they recovered without any meds after I popped out the aspen. Now I pop every snake when I am separating them after breeding.
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John Vandegrift

Yeah, I agree! I phased out most of the wood substrates and have gone w/newspaper!

Is this more of a problem for males? If so, why do you think this is. Does it have to fo with there being more space, a hemipene pocket, at the cloaca. My cases have both been males of breeding size and one 250 gm male. Does morph have anything to do with it. Mine were 2 mojaves and now a bumblebee. Any more insight would be great. Is this just a hush hush accepted aspect of keeping ball pythons. I am just having a hard time getting over the fact that in my many many years of breeding I have only had this problem within the last 6 months. Thanks again.

Joe

If it is a infected hemipene then it only happens in males because females do not have them. The male everts his hemipene into the female. If a piece of substrate, fecal material or anything with excessive bacteria causes damage and it enters the hemipene, it can cause a infection. This is not a guarded secret and it can happen in any species.
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Best regards,
AlanColesReptiles