Thank you for the reply. I'm not a breeder, just a guy with a snake. I've owned it about six years now. This snake was thought to be a male by the person who gave it to me, and it has never given any hint otherwise. It was just under four feet then and hasn't grown much, if any. It has never had any problem of any kind until now. Eats and sheds regularly, even now he's active. I've provided an extra hide in case he's a she and wants a nest. I palpated the area; there was no indication of pain, and the area is soft, not turgid. I agree that a vet visit is in order, but finding one with herp smarts may be a tough assignment

chris