he he...went to look it up on google, and look what I found on a site detailing Vietnamese medical practices:

"Snake's gall is highly valued in the traditional medicine of the scholars. There are three kinds of snakes whose gall is used combined in drugs: the Cobra naja-naja, the Bungarus fasciatus, and the Ptyas-mucosus. The extraction lakes place in winter, from all three snakes together. It is advisable that the snakes be left without food in a closed basin for a few days; the gall is unusual in being hardly bitter at all. It leaves a sugary after-taste in the mouth, reminiscent of liquorice. It is also to be noted that snake's gall is not in the least toxic. In traditional medicine, the three snakes' gall combined with old tangerine skin make a very efficacious remedy against coughing. Snake's gall is also used for its anti burn properties, in the treatment of rheumatic pains, and amenorrhoea."

I didn't find it specifically, but if they have a gall bladder it stands to reason they could form stones, too? do you have a vet you can email and ask?

A vet trip may ensue after this most recent meal is passed. If there's no change, then I'd guess it's not in the tract. Or it may be normal and what I'm feeling as a lump IS the gall bladder. I don't know.

It's just a hard bump in there, and not sure what it is.

What is the species and age of the snake? Have you tried running a tub of luke warm water and encouraging him/her to swim to see if you may stimulate some movement? If it is the matter of hard urates, that could indicate some dehydration, and the soak may prove beneficial, or upping the humidity some. 

+1 bka mama

what's the species?  pics of the animal possible?  WC or CB? 

six month old boelens, who was empty upon arrival... it's not the typical hard urate anywhere near the vent or lower tract, this is up much higher.

I had a baby ball python with this very issue a couple weeks ago. I soaked her twice for like two hours each time. I did not see a giant urate come out but there was a big wad of hair/fur. Since that is the only thing they can't digest it is possible that its the same thing. After she passed the wad, the lump was gone. I would say that if you soaked it and the lump did not go away, to try increasing the heat a few degrees. I know you are not a vet person so I hope something homeopathic works out.

where was the lump?

Is it possible that it could be a granuloma? They can be caused by a severe bacterial infection, for example, and the lump/mass is where the infection has walled itself off? 

I had an experience with this (young Boa) - the lump was between half way and two-thirds of the way down from the head.

The lump on my ball was pretty much the same place as you are describing. Towards the top of the two thirds mark. Like below the stomach but before the lower intestinal area.

Aaron,

It sounds like the region you are describing is the region of the snakes body where the gallbladder is located and though it is possibly a gall stone, I have yet to see this condition in any of my patients. This is not to say that it isn't possible. In a patient with Gall stones, one might expect to observe aditional hepatobiliary abnormalities such as icterus and/or other symptoms consistent with the obstruction of bile flow (termed cholestasis). Mucoceles can also form (though rare) and can have a similar feeling on palpation.

There are also two other significant organs located in close proximity to your snakes gallbladder and those are the spleen and pancreas and in many snakes they are often closely associated within the same connective tissue (termed a "splenopancreas"). Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) can also cause a firm nodule in this region of the body and can arrise from inflammation somewhere in the body, blood parasites and tumors such as hemangiosarcoma. Pancreatic cysts can also form in the surrounding pancreatic tissue and can also become quite firm and enlarged. I would also be suspicious that your snake may have an abscess forming in its coelomic cavity as well as the possibility of tumor formation. All of these are possible.

The truth is that we can speculate all day long about what the unknown mass in your snakes coelom may be, but for best results it is better to reach a definitive answer because if it is something serious, the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to manage and likely, the more expensive it will be to treat.

I would recommend that you take your snake to your local exotic veterinarian without waiting. They will recommend the appropriate diagnostics to determine what the mass is and if it is something that should be concerning to you. Home remidies are ok to try first, but ultimately, if it is medical you snake will require professional therapy. Please feel free to contact me at my office 630-627-7090 if you have any other concerns regarding this individual or questions concerning the appropriate diagnostics to pursue with your veterinarian.

***Jason Olech, DVM

I've felt such lumps in young BRBs. They moved down the intestinal tract as expected. If your little black treasure has not moved the lump, its probably worth finding a vet who's opinion you can trust. Of course if its suggested that you put it down and have it tested for IBD, I expect a youtube video of the ensuing beat down. :)

Hope the little dude is ok. Please chime in and give us an update.

I'm having the exact same problem with my rosy boa. Please can you tell me, did you ever find out what it was?