So my girlfriend was just checking on her black blood Optimus and she called me in there because he is really bloated right now. It just feels like gas or maybe liquid to me but I'm wondering if you guys who have had bloods for a while have ever noticed anything like that before? He ate a small rat on Monday. Could it be that he's just not digesting it properly?

She's all freaked out so she wanted me to ask you guys about it :lol: I've got him in a luke-warm soak right now so maybe if it is just backlogged poop he'll go after a nice swim :D

That's something I haven't run into yet. Hopefully someone else will have a more useful answer for you. :p

Which Monday did you feed him? Today or last week's Monday?

That's something I haven't run into yet. Hopefully someone else will have a more useful answer for you. :p

Which Monday did you feed him? Today or last week's Monday?

OH I meant I fed him on Saturday lol. I don't know why I said Monday :D

I just took him out and kind of let him run through my hands and I could feel a sort of crackling almost, which makes me think that it may be a rat that's not digesting properly or it's just in the process of being digested :dunno:

is it all the way near the tail like a bulb right before the tip?

is it all the way near the tail like a bulb right before the tip?

There is a bit of bulging right before the vent but he seems swollen through most of the lower half of his body.

There is a bit of bulging right before the vent but he seems swollen through most of the lower half of his body.

Make sure when you are holding it that points in the other direction...:cheers:

I know that with my bloods, they don't poop very often, and I can sometimes feel "rocks" of urate grinding and banging around in there.

~Bruce

Mine don't go all the time but when they do they can let out alot...

I think my little ones keep some of that in them as a defense mechanism since they still think I am evil and out to get them...they haven't learned what the older ones know that I am the slave that cleans up their crap and brings them the rats....

I do hope that all it is Adam...post up some shots or mess with the tail a bit and see if she blows...

Is this the first time you've noticed something like that? And what kind of temps has he been at? I've heard of bloating caused by a rat starting to decompose before it's digested due to temps being too high. Hopefully that's not it, but up here the past few days have been the hottest we've gotten all summer.

Is this the first time you've noticed something like that? And what kind of temps has he been at? I've heard of bloating caused by a rat starting to decompose before it's digested due to temps being too high. Hopefully that's not it, but up here the past few days have been the hottest we've gotten all summer.

That's actually what I'm leaning towards. I just got home from work and checked on him and he was coiled up with his belly up like you see pictures of girls sitting right before they lay :dunno: I know temps in the room have been relatively high, the ambient temps have been around 80 in there...... His hot spot is set to 85 and I don't imagine the heat tape is having to work to hard to get there. I'll try lowering the temperatures and see if that makes any difference.

I wouldn't think those temps would be high enough to cause decomposition. I keep my snake room at an ambient of 83, and it will get as high as 85 on those really hot days during summer.

Any idea what we could do if it is a decomposition issue?

Any idea what we could do if it is a decomposition issue?

Talk to a competent herp vet. Thats the best advice and source of information you will find.