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8 Long Months
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by emtnurse on October 11, 2006
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Finally, this morning, my gaboon finally had the biggest crap I had ever seen a snake have. 8 Months!!!!!!! Wish me luck cleaning this mess up. Bryan
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RE: 8 Long Months
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by Snake18 on October 13, 2006
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Sounds like my puffies. I`m not sure which one, but one kept its crap inside for about 3-4 months :)
Somebody should tell these snakes about laxatives :)
Best regards,
Alex S.
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RE: 8 Long Months
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by Cro on October 13, 2006
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Bryan, 8 months seems really excessive.
How often did you try soaking the snake during that time?
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: 8 Long Months
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by emtnurse on October 13, 2006
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My gaboon was soaked once a week in the tub, sprayed him and the enclosure every other day, and offered water every 3 days. I know, 8 months is a long time. The gaboons I had in the past pooped like clock work. He is a beautiful male, the past 8 months, he ate well, shed great, and his body never looked bloated or distended. Got some nice fangs out of his stool. Bryan
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RE: 8 Long Months
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by Cro on October 13, 2006
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I have to wonder if, when soaking does not work, and a Gaboon is retaining waste for many months, that some other action should not be taken?
One would think that while soaking, water would be absorbed through the vent and would loosen things up some. 8 months sounds like a serious blockage.
Has anyone ever looked into tubing and gently palpating a plugged up snake? Or perhaps giving it mineral-oil to help get things mooving? Or perhaps a tad of ExLax inside of a rat?
Retaining waste that long is surly not good for the snake.
In the past when laws in GA were different, I kept many Gaboons, Rhinos, and Puffs. None of them ever had a problem retaining digested food items that long. I can remember maybee a month after feeding maximum.
Just some ideas to see what others think.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: 8 Long Months
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by idioteque4444 on October 13, 2006
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I don't think 8 months is that excessive for a Gaboon to wait between defecations. I have had many Bitis species that have gone up to 6 months without defecating. You can do a search and find a few articles where people have posted about some Gaboons going a whole year without a good "crap". In Bryan's case, his Gaboon did pass alot of calcium, just nothing solid. I do agree that 8 months sounds like alot. You're first instinct is to think that something is wrong. I know if I go more than 8 hours I'm about to burst, LOL! But, when you look at the science behind why Gaboons actually do hold their stools back for long periods of time, its really not that hard to believe. I have had Gaboons go every other day, shooting out a little at a time. And, some go alot longer. I believe that if a Gaboon is fed and hydrated correctly, and shows no signs of sickness or discomfort, There would be no reason to be alarmed. I know Bryan takes great care for all of his animals (not saying that anyone has suggested different). I have done several trades with Bryan, and every one of his animals were A-quality animals. This is all just "my opinion". Let me know if anyone disagrees with me. The more input, the better the knowledge for all of us. When the time is right, the Gaboons will POOP!
Here is a link to the Gaboon that is the star of this topic: http://imageevent.com/wncherps/animalssold?p=79&n=1&m=-1&c=4&l=0&w=4&s=0&z=2
SAL RICCO
WNCHerps
www.imageevent.com/wncherps
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RE: 8 Long Months
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by Cro on October 13, 2006
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Perhaps it is not a problem with hydration, but of lack of exercise. I have watched vidios of wild Gaboons who were strolling through the jungle, going over logs and rocks, and around objects in their way. These videos showed their motion to be remarkably fluid and fast for a heavy bodied snake.
We tend to think of them as sedentary animals, and they do tend to stay long times in one place as ambush feeders, but we also see them often confined to cages that are rather small compared to the acres of jungle they might roam through in the wild.
Perhaps crawling over things in the jungle produces exercise and helps keep food items loosened up and mooving through their digestive systems?
How many folks keep Gaboons in captivity in an enclosure that allows them to climb over logs and rocks? I used to keep 4 1/2 foot Gaboons in cages that were eight feet long and three feet wide, so they had some room to moove about.
Just some more ideas to think about.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: 8 Long Months
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by idioteque4444 on October 13, 2006
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Hey John, I agree that movement will probably help with the loosening of stools. But, here are a couple of things for everyone to keep in mind. It is a little unfair to compare the actions of a Gaboon in the wild compared to the actions of a Gaboon in captivity. I'm sure most people who keep Gaboons in their own private collection deal with mostly CB species, seeing as how they are very easy to obtain.
1) In the wild, with Gaboons being ambush predators, you usually see them buried in the forest floor waiting for a meal. Being buried will help to anchor the snakes for a more powerful strike. I know in my collection, I have never had a Gaboon bury itself in the substrate. They usually just lay there. I believe most CB Gaboons will utilize holding their stool back to work as an anchor, instead of having to be buried. The reason I believe is...
2) The difference of having to hunt for its food in the wild, as opposed to having a f/t food item brought to it in captivity. Captive Gaboons, I believe, don't feel the need to move around as much because of this.
SAL RICCO
WNCHerps
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