Red-tail constipation/defecation

Question
My 3ft red-tail was having trouble defecating. He finally did so today after about 1month. When I went to remove the feces, I noticed that there was a mucous-like substance around some of the urates and feces. Is this a concern for him?

Answer
Hi Lexy, All mucous memebranes, like those lining the digestive or repiratory tract, naturally produce some mucous. A light coating on the stool would be just the normal amount produced to lubricate the bowel and help with the passage of the faeces. When a large amount is produced it can indicate an irritation or inflammation of the membranes. The constipation may have triggered a bit of inflammation with the membranes being exposed to the faeces for a prolonged time. Parasites tend to produce malformed, off-colour stools, if the faeces appeared normal otherwise then I would suggest just keeping an eye of the next bowel movement.
Constipation in boas is often related to low humidity which triggers sub-optimal hydration levels. It can be a common problem in winter, along with shedding problems. If your enclosure can accomodate a large water dish that is big enough to soak in then that helps, also regular misting. If not then try to provide a moist hide for the winter. It's just an enclosed plastic container with a small entry hole that is kept with damp moss inside.