[Defecation] Strange White Blobs in boa Feces

[ashleywhiteford]

So I purchased a Tara Humara Mountian Boa this recent Febuary from a breeder. He has been very upset that past three weeks, constantly striking at me a hissing. he ha been eating well and taking down appropriate size every week. Today after he bit me I decided to run him under some water and during that time a lot of fecal matter (both solid and liquidy) came out of his body along with a load of small white masses that almost look like clots or masses. The smell coming from his vent area was very vile and almost smelt like death. There are no herp vets around so I was wondering if I could get an opinion of his condition before I give him to a normal vet for a checkup

[Pandorasdad]

Re: Strange White Blobs in boa Feces

Sorry to hear you're dealing with issues. Did you happen to get any pics of the mess?

[Noelle7206]

Re: Strange White Blobs in boa Feces

Have you contacted the breeder you got him from? You should do that A.S.A.P. It would be helpful for the vet who ultimately sees him to see the bad-smelling masses you're describing too...if that were me, I'd

have saved some in a container (well wrapped & sealed & stored in the freezer). It's hard enough for a vet to diagnose problems in snakes...give them all the clues you can. While snake feces are no more sweet-

smelling than that of other creatures (including us), they should NOT smell like something died in there. The urate crystals are normally rather inoffensive & can have a variable consistency...anything from hard

"marbles" to very moist (like thick paint). Sometimes snakes get a little constipated...hard urates can cause some blockage...& when feces have been backed up, they might be smellier than normal when the snake

is finally able to defecate...it's possible that's what happened here, but as already mentioned, pix of the "white masses" would help us to help you. There's other possibilities too...

[bebowebb]

Re: Strange White Blobs in boa Feces

Are you certain the white clumps were not urates possibly mixed with abnormally smelly feces?

It is very possible that the boa, being a relatively new addition, is still adapting to the new prey items and environments. If feeding rats, remember that not all rats are equal. You have to take into account the potential differences of prey differences between what the breeder was feeding vs what you are feeding.

There are more considerations if you really analyze things, but some examples are:
- Live vs pre-killed vs frozen/thawed
- Home raised vs purchase from a breeder vs purchase from a shop
- If purchased, business vs business
- Were the rats fed high quality food vs low quality or dog food
- How the rats were kept

Think of it in the terms of other animals - dogs for example.

I was a K-9 Handler for years. During my tenure, I would do everything in my power to keep a dog on the same food it's entire life and refrain from things like edible treats until the dog reached retirement. Even the slightest change in food could trigger acute gastroenteritis which, in turn, would cause an upset stomach resulting in rancid gas, bloating, horrid smelling diarrhea, and sometimes even vomiting and dehydration. I have an extremely strong stomach as well as an uncanny ability to deal with vile smells, but when I say rancid gas, I'm talking about a stench so strong that it could run me out of my own patrol car. These issues would affect the dog's behavior and working drive until the dog's stomach adjusted to the new food - a process that could take 2-6 weeks.

I do not know if the stomach of a boa is in any way sensitive like the stomach of a dog, but I would venture to say that if a change was significant enough it might result in similar issues.

Just something to think about. Hopefully, if this is the case, your new boa will adapt to the new feeders within the next feeding or two and will do great from here on out.

[bcr_229]

Re: Strange White Blobs in boa Feces

So I purchased a Tara Humara Mountian Boa this recent Febuary from a breeder. He has been very upset that past three weeks, constantly striking at me a hissing.

I can't speak to the problem with his feces but this is typical behavior for a young Tarahumara, they often don't mellow out until they're over 18 months old. I have a two year old female that still hisses every time I open her tub, but at least she has stopped trying to make me bleed every time she sees me.

Even if your local vet isn't a snake specialist he or she should be able to check fecal sample for parasites or crypto.

[weird_science04]

Re: Strange White Blobs in boa Feces

Did you post pictures on Facebook? If those were the same photos as what you are talking about, I am not sure what it is. It almost looked like some kind of mass that came out. I would definitely do a vet check.

Star

[Noelle7206]

Re: Strange White Blobs in boa Feces

I am also wondering if this boa was sexed incorrectly and these 'masses' might be old nasty retained eggs??? Really bad odors may be a sign of infection*...sure hope I'm wrong. Tumors don't usually* fall out on their
own, but it sounds like something strange is going on...a vet would be a really good idea. Some vets not trained for reptiles are willing to consult with those who are (if none in your area)...you want to ask first.
(*but I vaguely recall that happening to someone on another forum a while back? at least part of a tumor...)

Did you contact the breeder? what did they say? (how old is this snake???) *retained eggs have been known to kill the unfortunate snake.