Post Compaction Advice

[GarField000]

I saw a documentary ones where they cut open a died anaconda. They found birdbeak's and more stuff that didn't digest.

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, beaks too. They don't digest.

[kimbosaur]

Those are snakes that naturally eat a lot of rodents but even they are not completely immune to the problem: SAReptiles • View topic - Reticulated Python with food blockage

That's how you know you love your snake - when you're willing to grease up your finger and stick it up its butthole to dig out its dried up poop.

Sorry, I had to.

Really though, I can't believe how much he got out! Crazy.

[Invisible Snake]

Anyone have post compaction advice on a baby snake that ingested a significant amount of carefresh for its size? I have placed the said animal in qurantine for close observation.

[Eight]

I hadn't really thought about the issues of hair in the digestive tract before this thread. I knew hair didn't digest, and I often see it in the faeces of my snakes that eat an all rodent diet and just assumed that in a healthy animal it just passes through. It's interesting to think of their diets in the wild, and as mentioned above garters have no means to kill rodents. I haven't seen a garter constrict yet anyhow.

As for the small garter with the care fresh, could you try bathing it in warm water to encourage it to defecate and see if it passes it?

[Light of Dae]

Warm water baths. Did he just ingest it? or has it past already? Either way some long warm water baths and some time in a warm shed box. Avoid food for a while, and then only feed easy to digest stuff like worms or fish fillet.

I'm not expert but I cannot see any of these things hurting. I believe keeping them warm is good, heat heals. Moister helps poop.

Best of luck.

[guidofatherof5]

Allow access to plenty of water and watery food(worms) Keep that digestive tract as moist as possible.
Warm water soaking can stimulate bowel movements.
Do you see signs of a blockage?

[Light of Dae]

... Wonder if you could inject(yes with a needle) some safe oil like ... vegetable or canola oil into a worm and that would REALLY help lube him from the inside. Any thoughts on that? I'd say maybe castor oil for babies when they get constipated?

Just a thought that came to mind.

[guidofatherof5]

A good thought at that. I can't see where it would be a problem.

[ConcinusMan]

If you use anything, it should be mineral oil. It has a better chance of passing right through and lubing the problem area. Mineral oil is a very light, clean byproduct of petroleum. In fact it's sometimes called liquid petroleum or paraffin oil. Vegetable fats may be absorbed and metabolized before they reach the obstruction. BTW "canola" oil is vegetable oil. As are soybean, corn, olive, sunflower, coconut. I suppose that any oil from plants which remains liquid at room temperature can be loosely referred to as "vegetable" oil. Vegetable fats that turn solid at room temp are commonly referred to as "shortening"

I still think this may be a case of confusion over what is the cause, and what is the effect. A snake that has a bowel injury, irritation, or infection, is going to be highly prone to the formation of an obstruction. In fact, the obstruction can be a result of the digestive system or bowel not doing its job because it can't. Because of an infection or injury.