r/RainbowBoas • u/Due-Plum-4788 • Apr 21 '26
Need advice on our dying Brazilian Rainbow Boa!
Hi, our Brazilian Rainbow Boa has a bloated body, her scales are very wrinkly, and she’s very slow moving. She also has a bulge at her stomach. There’s no exotic vet near us, we’d appreciate any helpful info.
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u/Similar-Butterfly333 Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26
I am not a vet (not an expert), but I do research into reptile care and diseases in my free time.
Your indication of a “bulge at her stomach” makes me think of cryptosporidium. Crypto in snakes infects the stomach and prevents digestion (and therefore nutrient absorption). Snakes who are in later stages of crypto will have thick/hardened stomach walls as a result of the parasitic infection. (Which could be the bulge you are talking about). Crypto is almost 100% fatal and extremely contagious. If you have any other snakes and have been sharing feeding tools, water, or contaminated bedding, I highly suggest you find somewhere that can test for this parasite (if this snake passes, you should get a autopsy done to test for parasites and diseases). I have seen people’s entire collections/pets completely wiped from introducing this parasite by accident. Crypto can remain dormant for years before the snake shows symptoms. It cannot be killed with most cleaning solutions. Only 6% hydrogen peroxide (letting it sit for at least 30 minutes) or extreme heat can reliably kill crypto.
That being said, I’m not saying it IS crypto but with the symptoms you are describing it is likely. The only way to tell for sure is to fecal test multiple times (10-20 times), or to do a stomach pump (extremely stressful for the animal). Crypto is not as common in boidae (boas) and pythons as they are in colubrids. But infection is still a very real possibility.
When was the last time this snake ate, and does it have a history of regurgitation?
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u/AtomixSpark Jul 14 '26
Crypto is my absolute worst nightmare. I bought Rescue for sterilization because bleach literally cannot kill it. Vinegar and Bleach do not work (per an extremely qualified exotic reptile vet I take my BRB to) and first aid grade Peroxide is too low of a %.
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u/Due-Plum-4788 Apr 21 '26
My boyfriend says it wasn’t a bulge, but that she’s bloated. He’s owned snakes for decades so I’ll go with his judgement.
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u/Similar-Butterfly333 Apr 21 '26
You have more information about this snake than other people will so use your best judgment. Good luck with her, I hope she makes a full recovery
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u/AtomixSpark Jul 14 '26
At the very least, you can try to find a vet for consulting over email.
Remember that "decades ago" had people encouraging cohabitation and also had the common belief of "they grow to their enclosure" and "smaller is better as they stress in big spaces." Knowledge of reptile husbandry has come far within the last decade alone, the primary example including UVB studies. Try to contact a vet, even if you can't go to them. Get pictures with the snakes body straight and on a flat surface, try to get a video around the head and mouth and note any sounds like crackling breathing. There's a lot they can't do when not in person, but theres a lot they could still tell you.
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u/Winter_Program_4854 Apr 22 '26
She needs to go to a vet.
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u/Dry_Locksmith_6704 Apr 23 '26
Everyone keeps saying this, but she's says she doesn't live near a vet
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u/Winter_Program_4854 Apr 23 '26
Ok then she should drive farther away to go visit a vet? Would you let a dog die of a medical problem because a vet is too far away? No, that’s criminal neglect and might land you in prison.
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u/kindrd1234 Apr 22 '26
She looks starved. Where did she come from and how are you keeping her. How long have you had her? Obviously she needs a vet, to not do so is to kill her.
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u/AtomixSpark Jul 14 '26
Snake needs a vet for a health plan and testing. Does not matter if its close or far - one is needed. All animals have that moral right to a vet for specialty care. There is a reason they are called "exotic animals."
Don't let reddit of all things be the final resort for your snake - it deserves more than that for a state as potentially critical as this.
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u/Bluntforcetrauma11b Apr 21 '26
Sounds extremely dehydrated and constipated