iHerp Answers: how often should a red tail boa poop my hasent pooped in 2 months

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how often should a red tail boa poop my hasent pooped in 2 months

Posted By:

critterking1987

hey everyone just a question how often should a red tail boa poop mine hasnt pooped in two months is this normal if not what can i do or should i do to help my boa


Points:	250
Topics:	Digestive
Tags:	Defecation, Impaction
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Accepted Answer

10/9/2008 12:16:18 AM

bwaffa

http://www.iherp.com/Answers/ReptileProblem.aspx?Id=1073

Member Comment

10/9/2008 12:18:19 AM

bwaffa

The short (but incomplete) answer is that it depends on a variety of factors (e.g. how much you're feeding him, how frequently you're feeding him, his temperature gradient, etc.). This came up here not long ago -- check out the above link and see if it doesn't help.

Member Comment

10/9/2008 1:22:53 AM

Katie M

The link doesn't work on this end :) Sorry...

Assisted Answer

10/9/2008 9:50:42 AM

LokisKafka

I would really like to know how often you are feeding him. If your feeding every week then the fact that he hasnt defecated in two months would alarm me. An example of defecation is this. I feed my young burm once weekly on sunday, now the burm is eight months mind you, and she defecats usually within a week sometimes a little more. The digestion changes with age a bit but not alot. It should definitly not be two months though. When you hold your rtb do you feel hard lumps down near the anal vent? I can usually feel it within a day or two of Loki defecating. There are several reasons a snake might not defecate after eating and none of them lead to a happy ending. Dehydration is the easiest to fix. Snakes depend on basking and temprature to digest thier food. If the temp is too low then the food doesnt digest. This can lead to deadly problems for the snake. One thing is that the food can rot inside your snake and release gasses in your snake that swell cause damage and rarely but sometimes burst the snake. Another concern is the rotting food can poisin the snake and damage its digestive system. I see that you feed her a few days ago. I would wait until it has been a week maybe a little over and if you dont see anything then I would take the snake to a vet. During this week make sure that your temps are correct and that your snake is drinking water (if you suspect dehydration its okay give dilluted pedyalyte to the snake in place of plain water). Sometimes snakes dont defecate much. They may use most of what they eat even. Check to see if there are very small white bits sometimes its easy to over look or even miss if you use a pale colored substrate like aspen or that snow stuff. That brings me to another reason a snake might not defecate. Sometimes if a reptile ingests substrate they can become impacted and essintaly unable to defecate. Its something to consider if your feeding on substrate. One last thing to consider and I am not 100% on this so you may want to check it out but I have read some unpleasnt things about it, is that the chemicals in treated water can damage the digestive acids in a snakes system. Are you giving the snake tap water from a water treatment area or bottled water that has the chlorine and flouride in it? Sometimes gallons of bottle water have this stuff in it and we dont even know. Make sure your giving the snake water without these things. Even if none of this seems to be the case, if you dont see something comming out soon, you shouldnt let this persist much longer.

Member Comment

10/9/2008 10:33:07 AM

Sonja K. Reptiles

This is a good example of why you wouldn't want to house your 3 snakes in the same enclosure. You have no idea who's pooping and who's not.

Assisted Answer

10/9/2008 2:24:58 PM

albinoboastore

soak the boa in a covered tub of warm water 20 minutes or so, make sure there is only enough water to cover the snakes body so he can breathe easily, keep an eye on him, this will take care of the problem.

Member Comment

10/9/2008 3:28:33 PM

LokisKafka

The soak in the warm tub is good too and all the suggestions in the link posted are great as well. The link is about one approaching one month but at two months and counting with regular feedings I would be starting to worry. It is a good sign that hes still eating food. Still two months is too long IMO. If you try all you think you can and nothing happens dont wait much longer to see a vet.

Member Comment

10/9/2008 4:05:14 PM

Sonja K. Reptiles

I just have to throw this out there...
We have 30+ boas. For the most part, they all defecate about once/ week. However, I do have one Boa - that was born in Dec. 2004 - that has a much different pooping schedule. It is most commonly ~ 8 weeks between. This last time was 3 weeks, and I believe that to be the least amount of time between defecations. He is very healthy - great muscle tone, no obvious lumps, consistent eater, etc. etc.
Could it just be that some snakes have a different "schedule"? His urates come out pretty chalky, but the feces themself are no different than any of our other snakes - I guess what I'm trying to say is there's some "squish" to them - LOL . The only thing I can figure is that he is really utilizing what he is given. Ya see, size wise, he should be taking a large rat - no problem! But, for whatever reason, he most often prefers to only eat mediums. (We try a large - no interest, leave it in overnight - nothing. Offer a medium - eats it.) Although he did take a large once this last month. Hmmm... Maybe that's why he pooped after only 3 weeks.

The soaking is a good idea. I would put him in your bath tub, though. Water plus some room to swim (exercise) can be a good thing!

Member Comment

10/10/2008 12:37:44 AM

Joseph Jenkins

If it is eating every week, and hasn't defecated in 2 months, then there is probly a problem

Author Comment

10/10/2008 11:50:50 AM

critterking1987

thanks everyone for your help because she pooped last night after soaking her in the the tub fo a half an hour so thanks a bunch =)

Member Comment

10/10/2008 12:00:24 PM

LokisKafka

make sure to assign the points to the tub soak idea! Im so glad you got what your looking for even if thats poop! i know it was alot of stress off your mind!

Member Comment

10/15/2008 10:31:14 AM

jscrick

Defication is a function of proper hydration. I think it's already been said, soak your boa.
jsc

Member Comment

10/5/2009 9:00:35 PM

bwaffa

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