Help! Carpet Python has had it's 2nd prolapsed rectum

About 4 or 5 months ago, my 06 carpet python had a prolapsed rectum. I took him to the only reptile vet in the area (well, he wasn't even really in my area, and he seemed to not get many reptiles), and he put it back in and put a stitch in him. $130 later, he said to just give him smaller meals and hope that it doesn't happen again.

2 or 3 weeks ago, it did happen again. I put him in a bucket with soaked paper towels and added sugar to the water. I also put a heat pad under the bucket to keep the water warm. His rectum went back in, then a week later I fed him and everything seemed fine.

Now, it happened again this morning, and it hasn't gone back in. I put him in the same setup as he was a few weeks ago. I can't get a hold of the vet either. Should I try to put it in myself with some sort of lubricant or hope that it eventually goes back in on it's own? Thanks for any help or suggestions.

I don't know how to edit my first post, but I have a couple of questions.

Since it seems to be reoccurring, is there really even anything a vet can do? I can't even get a hold of the vet, so I'm prepared for the worst. Any ideas on what keeps causing this? Thanks.

What are you feeding it, and how often? (and how big is the prey in comparison to the snake).
It happened again, and resolved, pretty recently...how soon did you offer food again? (if it was me, the snake would probably still be waiting).
You might want to look at your set up - focusing on size (does the snake have enough room), temperature, humidity. Does the snake have water available at all times? And does it drink regularly?

Originally Posted by hhmoore

What are you feeding it, and how often? (and how big is the prey in comparison to the snake).
It happened again, and resolved, pretty recently...how soon did you offer food again? (if it was me, the snake would probably still be waiting).
You might want to look at your set up - focusing on size (does the snake have enough room), temperature, humidity. Does the snake have water available at all times? And does it drink regularly?

I've been feeding him large fuzzies/small hoppers (mice) that are only slightly more round than he is.

After it happened the first time, the vet put the stitch in, then I took it in 5 days later and he said to feed it right away. The second time, I waited about 1.5- 2 weeks to feed it again.

Of those things you listed about the setup, I think it could be the humidity. After it happened the first time, I completely changed his setup, but the humidity might not have been raised enough.

My internet isn't working, but I'm using my grandmas right now.

After a little research, it looks like the vet was wrong. It looks like both hemipenes are out. If that's the case, I read that it can be amputated. Since it's both of them, he wouldn't be able to breed, but it would be great if I could save him.

I got a hold of the vet, and he said that there's nothing he could do. After calling around, I found a reptile vet even closer, right near where I work. I'll have to call them tomorrow. Does anyone with experience know how much this might cost me? The last time, it cost $130 to put what the vet said was it's rectum back in, put a stitch in, and give it antibiotics.

There really isn't much reason for a snake that size to have prolapsed hemipenes, but I haven't seen it so I will accept it at face value. Vet costs are as individual as anything else, so I wouldn't hazard a guess...especially not knowing what exactly is wrong, or the current condition of the animal.

Well here's an interesting story.

I couldn't get a hold of that reptile vet at all. I called another reptile vet, and they said they weren't accepting any new patients.

I was getting desperate, so on Wednesday there was a fair and rodeo by my house, and I knew of a vet that would be there. I couldn't find him, but I was talking to a guy that I haven't seen for 8 or 9 years. It turns out, he became a vet, and he worked with the vet that I was looking for. He was deathly afraid of snakes, but he worked with a vet assistant that owns 11 snakes. I got his number and I was getting ready to call him this afternoon, but he ending up calling me. I don't even know how he got my phone number.

I drove up to his house, about an hour away. He looked at the snake and confirmed that it was a prolapsed rectum. He brought out a bag with vet supplies, then sedated the snake. While I held it, he put the rectum back in and put 2 stitches in.

Before I came, he even read part of his book about prolapsed rectums and also called a reptile vet that lived far away. He thinks the snake should be ok. If it isn't after 2-3 weeks, he's going to try amputating the prolapsed part and stitching the rectum back to it's tube shape, which will be tricky.

You're going to let a vet assistant "try" that? Or did you mean that the vet he talked to is going to try it?

The vet assistant *did* do it. There is no reptile vet around me. He has been doing these kinds of things for years. So it was either let the snake die or let him try to help. He did an excellent job.

Good luck, hopefully everything goes good. He sounds to be above the norm for a vet assistant. I know several that I wouldn't let do anything close to what he did. But a sharp assistant sounds better then nothing and could even be better then an average vet, especially if he likes snakes and takes the extra added interest.