Green Tree Python juvenile that has a swelling of bare flesh just next the rectum that concerns me.

[Lawrence Padcock]

I have a 4 month old Green Tree Python juvenile that has a swelling of bare flesh just next the rectum that concerns me. It appeared two weeks ago - 3 days after shed and has not gone away; but it doesn’t seem to bother the juvenile. The behaviour seem just great, it is alert with flicking tongue but lazy like they all are, feeding with pinkie rats is no problem and I have observed it drinking. Not 100% sure but the raw flesh may have shrunk a little the last couple of days and looks drier. Not a great pic as it is either curled up wrong or moves too much for a better photo, and the bigger bump next to the rectum is just poo ready to pop out. Any advice or accounts of similar experiences.

 

[Shikito123]

That's a prolapse...
Needs more water. Vet would be good. Prolapses can kill the snake.

I haven't personally dealt with it before so can't offer any further help.

If you have Facebook, join the 'chondros in Aus' page. Lots of experienced keepers there

 

[Magic Mike]

yeah looks to be a prolapse to me I have never dealt with this as well luckily tho I wish your python a seedy recovery mate!

 

[GBWhite]

I have a 4 month old Green Tree Python juvenile that has a swelling of bare flesh just next the rectum that concerns me. It appeared two weeks ago - 3 days after shed and has not gone away; but it doesn’t seem to bother the juvenile. The behaviour seem just great, it is alert with flicking tongue but lazy like they all are, feeding with pinkie rats is no problem and I have observed it drinking. Not 100% sure but the raw flesh may have shrunk a little the last couple of days and looks drier. Not a great pic as it is either curled up wrong or moves too much for a better photo, and the bigger bump next to the rectum is just poo ready to pop out. Any advice or accounts of similar experiences. View attachment 332944

Hi Lawrence,

Mate it is definitely a rectal prolapse and unfortunately it seems to be a common factor with young GTP's especially those that are fed pinkie rats or mice.

Unfortunately once it has occurred it often reoccurs during the snake's life but can be addressed by changing the snake's diet.

If your snake can eat a pinkie rat it is definitely capable of eating a fuzzie mouse which is a much more suitable food item as it contains roughage and bones which are very important in a young snakes diet so as to produce well formed faeces. Because GTP's are quite happy to minimize activity and just hang about in or around the same position the lack of roughage in a neonate GTP's diet seems to produce runny stools which irritate the bowel and make it difficult for the snake to retract the the bowel properly after passing the stool. I liken pinkie rodents to protein bars as whilst they provide some protein it is quickly digested and they lack calcium due to underdeveloped bones and they don't provide any roughage.

If it first happened a fortnight ago and hasn't retracted then if you don't know anyone who has the experience, knowledge and competency to treat the critter you're definitely going to need veterinary assistance and you need to get it asap. But, in saying that you'll also need a vet who has had first hand experience in dealing with the problem. The prolapse can be pushed back into the cloaca using a blunt instrument, like a probe and either sutured or bound to prevent it from emerging but this should be done by either a very experienced person or experienced vet. So don't just rock up to some ordinary vet who doesn't have a great deal of knowledge regarding the correct veterinary procedure to treat the problem ask around and find the best one available.

In the meantime it is very important to keep the exposed bowel moist with a saline (salt) solution to prevent it from drying out further.

To minimize the possibility of a reoccurance as the snakes gets older make sure you provide it with a good healthy diet, preferable of fresh rodents as they maintain a reasonable amount of fluid to maintain hydration. As frozen rodents tend to loose moisture over a period of time if you use frozen rodents that have been frozen for some time you may need to inject them with a little bit of water between thawing them and feeding.

Also try and arrange cage furnishings to stimulate the snake to move about the enclosure and climb.

Hope this helps and all the best with your snake.

George.

 

[Taxon]

Hi Lawrence,

Mate it is definitely a rectal prolapse and unfortunately it seems to be a common factor with young GTP's especially those that are fed pinkie rats or mice.

Unfortunately once it has occurred it often reoccurs during the snake's life but can be addressed by changing the snake's diet.

If your snake can eat a pinkie rat it is definitely capable of eating a fuzzie mouse which is a much more suitable food item as it contains roughage and bones which are very important in a young snakes diet so as to produce well formed faeces. Because GTP's are quite happy to minimize activity and just hang about in or around the same position the lack of roughage in a neonate GTP's diet seems to produce runny stools which irritate the bowel and make it difficult for the snake to retract the the bowel properly after passing the stool. I liken pinkie rodents to protein bars as whilst they provide some protein it is quickly digested and they lack calcium due to underdeveloped bones and they don't provide any roughage.

If it first happened a fortnight ago and hasn't retracted then if you don't know anyone who has the experience, knowledge and competency to treat the critter you're definitely going to need veterinary assistance and you need to get it asap. But, in saying that you'll also need a vet who has had first hand experience in dealing with the problem. The prolapse can be pushed back into the cloaca using a blunt instrument, like a probe and either sutured or bound to prevent it from emerging but this should be done by either a very experienced person or experienced vet. So don't just rock up to some ordinary vet who doesn't have a great deal of knowledge regarding the correct veterinary procedure to treat the problem ask around and find the best one available.

In the meantime it is very important to keep the exposed bowel moist with a saline (salt) solution to prevent it from drying out further.

To minimize the possibility of a reoccurance as the snakes gets older make sure you provide it with a good healthy diet, preferable of fresh rodents as they maintain a reasonable amount of fluid to maintain hydration. As frozen rodents tend to loose moisture over a period of time if you use frozen rodents that have been frozen for some time you may need to inject them with a little bit of water between thawing them and feeding.

Also try and arrange cage furnishings to stimulate the snake to move about the enclosure and climb.

Hope this helps and all the best with your snake.

George.

Many thanks for that George, it's great to hear from someone who has experience with a problem. I booked it in for tomorrow to a vet who only deals in unusual pets and lists reptiles on the website, but I don't know his experience with prolapse in reptiles. I will ask for a referral to a specialist if that seems a better alternative. I have trouble finding live rodents and I couldn't get myself to breed them at home just for feed, but I always inject my pinkie mice & rats with water before feeding. This little juvenile has been perfect so far with a good appetite and I have often observed it drinking, so I had assumed it was properly hydrated. I'll update tomorrow after seeing the vet.

 

[Herpetology]

Many thanks for that George, it's great to hear from someone who has experience with a problem. I booked it in for tomorrow to a vet who only deals in unusual pets and lists reptiles on the website, but I don't know his experience with prolapse in reptiles. I will ask for a referral to a specialist if that seems a better alternative. I have trouble finding live rodents and I couldn't get myself to breed them at home just for feed, but I always inject my pinkie mice & rats with water before feeding. This little juvenile has been perfect so far with a good appetite and I have often observed it drinking, so I had assumed it was properly hydrated. I'll update tomorrow after seeing the vet.

where are you located? Can recommend you vets based on that
there’s about 2 or3 good vets in each state

Just curious how often you are spraying it down? With the hatchies I worked with, we were providing over head heat and spraying and misting daily till everything was absolutely drenched, using sponge or sphagnum moss as substrate to keep a lot of the moisture in, as you will notice they hardly move from their perches when content. I don’t think I ever have seen them drinking from a bowl if that’s what you meant, I would only ever see them drink the water running down their body during a spray

a lot of new keepers don’t realise the constant high humidity they require especially when young

 

[Taxon]

Msny thsnks to

where are you located? Can recommend you vets based on that
there’s about 2 or3 good vets in each state

Just curious how often you are spraying it down? With the hatchies I worked with, we were providing over head heat and spraying and misting daily till everything was absolutely drenched, using sponge or sphagnum moss as substrate to keep a lot of the moisture in, as you will notice they hardly move from their perches when content. I don’t think I ever have seen them drinking from a bowl if that’s what you meant, I would only ever see them drink the water running down their body during a spray

a lot of new keepers don’t realise the constant high humidity they require especially when young

I have a 4 month old Green Tree Python juvenile that has a swelling of bare flesh just next the rectum that concerns me. It appeared two weeks ago - 3 days after shed and has not gone away; but it doesn’t seem to bother the juvenile. The behaviour seem just great, it is alert with flicking tongue but lazy like they all are, feeding with pinkie rats is no problem and I have observed it drinking. Not 100% sure but the raw flesh may have shrunk a little the last couple of days and looks drier. Not a great pic as it is either curled up wrong or moves too much for a better photo, and the bigger bump next to the rectum is just poo ready to pop out. Any advice or accounts of similar experiences. View attachment 332944

UPDATE

Many thanks to all who contributed; and diagnosing it as prolapse was great advice that made the vet know in advance what he was dealing with, and George’s reply helped to calm me down and give it the best treatment. It had surgery this afternoon that went well and I brought it home late in the afternoon. I was advised to apply a water-based lubricant to make sure the lump would not get dry, so I got some from a chemist and applied it with a small paintbrush every hour and a half before the vet appointment. The vet was quite pleased with the state of the prolapse and how well my baby seemed and was quite confident that the surgery would go well. He said that keeping the enclosure box with moist sphagnum moss and constantly warmed at about 30° had kept it from getting dry and going bad.

Thanks for the offer of recommendation of a vet, but I had already booked at in Buderim, that has a doctor with the right experience to deal with my baby python. It’s not easy to find a vet with the right experience for a problem with a snake on the Sunshine Coast, and I’m very satisfied with the treatment.

The procedure was to inject it with a drug to make it drowsy, then push the raw flesh back in towards the head and use a couple of stitches to stop it from popping out again until it is fully healed. The stitches will be removed in 14 days, and I must keep an eye out for abnormal swellings or infections. I was also advised that prolapse is fairly common in this species (as George indicated); and that there can be a few causes including spinal problems, parasites and intestines, but all I can do to observe and keep it well hydrated. Both the vet and a hobby breeder I know think that this one is amazingly forward for its age and it’s a good sign that it can be seen drinking; as it can be a real problem to get some to drink at all, and this baby has a great appetite. I have only spotted my other one drinking once. Amazingly; the prolapse never seemed to bother it, and it was always alert and has always looked keen to slither around and explore when it wasn’t curled up in a knot resting (like they are most of the time).

I plan to keep both my babies in their30cm x 25 cm enclosures for another two to three months or until they look like they want more space, as Green Tree Pythons juveniles feel safe in small spaces. I use three layers of moist absorbent kitchen paper for substrata with a clump of sphagnum moss I one end. It makes it easy to replace and clean out every day and makes faeces easy to spot. The recent sheds of both my juveniles were in one piece, and I think that indicates that they’re probably well hydrated.

I have joined chondros on FB but more advice would be welcome and I’m still considering changing their diet to hairy mice.

Thanks again, Lars.

 

[Africa RD]

It’s not easy to find a vet with the right experience for a problem with a snake on the Sunshine Coast, and I’m very satisfied with the treatment.

Good to know there is a good reptile vet in Sunny Coast - would appreciate if you can share in a PM...

 

[snakelady-viper]

Msny thsnks to


UPDATE

Many thanks to all who contributed; and diagnosing it as prolapse was great advice that made the vet know in advance what he was dealing with, and George’s reply helped to calm me down and give it the best treatment. It had surgery this afternoon that went well and I brought it home late in the afternoon. I was advised to apply a water-based lubricant to make sure the lump would not get dry, so I got some from a chemist and applied it with a small paintbrush every hour and a half before the vet appointment. The vet was quite pleased with the state of the prolapse and how well my baby seemed and was quite confident that the surgery would go well. He said that keeping the enclosure box with moist sphagnum moss and constantly warmed at about 30° had kept it from getting dry and going bad.

Thanks for the offer of recommendation of a vet, but I had already booked at in Buderim, that has a doctor with the right experience to deal with my baby python. It’s not easy to find a vet with the right experience for a problem with a snake on the Sunshine Coast, and I’m very satisfied with the treatment.

The procedure was to inject it with a drug to make it drowsy, then push the raw flesh back in towards the head and use a couple of stitches to stop it from popping out again until it is fully healed. The stitches will be removed in 14 days, and I must keep an eye out for abnormal swellings or infections. I was also advised that prolapse is fairly common in this species (as George indicated); and that there can be a few causes including spinal problems, parasites and intestines, but all I can do to observe and keep it well hydrated. Both the vet and a hobby breeder I know think that this one is amazingly forward for its age and it’s a good sign that it can be seen drinking; as it can be a real problem to get some to drink at all, and this baby has a great appetite. I have only spotted my other one drinking once. Amazingly; the prolapse never seemed to bother it, and it was always alert and has always looked keen to slither around and explore when it wasn’t curled up in a knot resting (like they are most of the time).

I plan to keep both my babies in their30cm x 25 cm enclosures for another two to three months or until they look like they want more space, as Green Tree Pythons juveniles feel safe in small spaces. I use three layers of moist absorbent kitchen paper for substrata with a clump of sphagnum moss I one end. It makes it easy to replace and clean out every day and makes faeces easy to spot. The recent sheds of both my juveniles were in one piece, and I think that indicates that they’re probably well hydrated.

I have joined chondros on FB but more advice would be welcome and I’m still considering changing their diet to hairy mice.

Thanks again, Lars.

Raw sugar placed on the prolapse will also help it go back