Problem Boa occidentalis from Naples Italy

corso · #1 (**permalink**) 01-01-2006, 08:05 PM

Hi
My newly aquired female boa occidentalis has a strange soft lump about the size of a tennis ball at about the level of the intestine.
I have just got this snake (for free) because I felt sorry for her and as I live in Italy not many vets here have a clue about snakes, I thought maybe somebody here could help out.

This is her profile

She is 7 feet long and apparently eats rabbits regularly.

She is safely in quarantine where she wil stay for 6 months (policy)

She is in good condition and is a little aggressive but she seems not to be in pain from the swelling

She is in shed

She has been mated by the previous owner, but I do not want her to give birth or go through with a pregnancy this year because of this problem (correct?) but if she is actually pregnant how do I stop her?

She has not been in this condition for very long

Any help would be very much apreciated Thanx

unluckyseventeen · #2 (**permalink**) 01-01-2006, 10:43 PM

If she's already pregnant or "gravid" as they call it, then there's really nothing you can do. That doesn't look like anything to do with pregnancy though... almost looks like a puss pocket.

Do you know if she was fed live before you got her? It could be a bite from a rat, then the wound got infected and gave her a big lump full of puss and gross stuff like that! That's my best guess. I would still have a vet look at it... possibly see if he can drain it.

Then again, I'm not the best of the best here. Someone else probably knows more about this than I do.

All_American · #3 (**permalink**) 01-01-2006, 11:00 PM

Not sure about the problem, though it would be best to see a vet.... Look around the best you can or see whats avail with keepers in your area. The only thing that I read that was of concern to me is. That the snake was feed rabbits... by the size of the snake in your hand there..... Does not apear to be a good size feeding prey.....also, if the snake is in deed 7' and that thin. I would come to believe that the animal is not eating as said. The previous person probably dumped the animal to you do to not wanting to take the neccesary steps in the animals health... IE "Vet"

Hope you get some answers quickly on this problem....

Have a great New year!
Ed

corso · #4 (**permalink**) 01-02-2006, 10:53 AM

No let me re-assure you that the snake is neither thin and rabbits over here are small, only a little larger than rats. Your impression is because of the photo not being very good. If sombody can tell me how to make a jpeg smaller I can post another photo so you can see it a bit better.

She has been power fed thats for sure (small head fat body) and that is bad news, so I was thinking intestinal flora might have failed....
Last night I was hearing noises like gass movements or farts from the snake, is that a clue for anyone?

And just a quick note: I am fully aware that the animal has been offloaded but on the other hand if I had refused It would have died and that is not fair either. Also if she lives I can breed her to my male next year or the year after, so its not a compleatly red-cross mission

I would like to wish you all a new year and thanks for your help I will let you know what the vet says tonight.....
ciao

JuliusSqueezer · #5 (**permalink**) 01-02-2006, 02:20 PM

She either has a severe intestinal blockage, egg/slug bound or a really bad lymphoma. When was her last bowel movement? How many meals has she had since she last pooped? How long ago was she bred? Has the lump moved down her body or did it just develop where it is? There is a herpetologist living in Italy that seems to really know his stuff. He ordered some snakehooks from me about a year ago. If I can track down his email address, I will post it for you. Good luck.

Reptscue · #6 (**permalink**) 01-02-2006, 02:31 PM

Looks to me like it's a mass.....I hope not for your's and her's sake.
We just had a JCP brought in with the same swelling and it was a mass.

JuliusSqueezer · #7 (**permalink**) 01-02-2006, 02:33 PM

ahh here it is... He should either be able to help you directly or can point you towards the best vet. Tell him Brett the snakehook guy from ebay sent you to him. He's a super nice guy. I think we passed back and forth about 100 emails or so before during and after his hook purchases.

Mario Marconi
Museo di Scienze Naturali Univ. Camerino
Piazza dei Costanti 1
62032 Camerino
MC
Italy

email address - surucucu62@libero.it

JuliusSqueezer · #8 (**permalink**) 01-02-2006, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reptscue

Looks to me like it's a mass.....I hope not for your's and her's sake.
We just had a JCP brought in with the same swelling and it was a mass.

Yeah...seems a little high on the side to be a blockage of any kind. Mass, lymphoma..we sure are scared of the C word aren't we? Then again...it could be a benign tumor. Seems to be growing too fast for that though and if there is no blockage, there will be because that thing has to be kinking stuff up inside. There is going to be no way around finding a vet for this girl. This isn't likely going to be one of those do it yourself fixerupers.

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