Pooping and shedding question

[Amara]

I have a 6-7 month-ish ball python, she is in a 36"X12"X20"high tank with mesh top. Hot side at 86F cool side at 77F humidity 52%. She is on aspen bedding and her last weigh-in was 155.6 grams on December 6th (yes, I keep a snake log, sad, I know lol)

She eats 2 rat pups a week. I got her in August and she's only pooped 3 times since then. I find urates regularly but only 3 poops. She doesn't show any signs of impaction, she's not swollen, eats really well and is active.

Also, she can't seem to shed on her own. She can get the whole head clear no problem but after that I have to bathe her and help her out. When I do that she gets the rest of it in 2-3 pieces (in my hands). When I see her in blue I add a 3rd water dish in her tank and mist her but she still can't shed properly. What am I doing wrong??

I know balls are different than corns but I have 3 corns, they eat on Sundays, poop on Wednesdays (pretty much on the clock!) and always shed in one piece.

What more can I do?

[lewis13]

you could switch to cyprus bedding which holds much more humidity then aspen. You could also use a moist hide with moist moss inside to help with shedding. As far as the pooping is concerned I don't think you should worry yet. I have a ball python also and she rarely poops either.

[lady_bug87]

Ditch the mesh top. Or in this case cover it with something. That's probably 90℅ of the issue with the shedding.

As for the poop as long as there is no swelling or redness I wouldn't worry. It'll poo when it needs to. This could also be an indication that it needs bigger meals. You're Already weighing her so weigh her food, the meals should be roughly 15% of her weight

[Mikoh4792]

temperature needs to higher.


90-95f hotspot

80f cool side

[Mikoh4792]

2 rat pups weekly for a 6-7 month old seems a bit excessive

[Lankyrob]

Humidity should be 60-65% and bumped to 75-80% when in blue, bad sheds are caused by low humidity 99% of the time.

Pups do seem pretty small (even 2 at a time) for a 7month old bp

[lewis13]

Humidity should be 60-65% and bumped to 75-80% when in blue, bad sheds are caused by low humidity 99% of the time.

Pups do seem pretty small (even 2 at a time) for a 7month old bp

2 rat pups weekly for a 6-7 month old seems a bit excessive


so which is it? lol are two rat pups excessive or not enough?

[Mikoh4792]

so which is it? lol are two rat pups excessive or not enough?

two is a bit much. I think Lankyrob is thinking of another size of rat.

Rat pups are slightly bigger than adult mice. At 6-7 months old two of them might be too much....if you are feeding weekly.

They are about 20-29 grams. So that would be 40-58 gram meals weekly for a snake that is only 155g

[lady_bug87]

two is a bit much. I think Lankyrob is thinking of another size of rat.

Rat pups are slightly bigger than adult mice. At 6-7 months old two of them might be too much....if you are feeding weekly.

They are about 20-29 grams. So that would be 40-58 gram meals weekly for a snake that is only 155g

That's why I said to start weighing the food. Some people call rat pinkies 'pups' its so ambiguous.

Regarding the temp... yes 86 is low I keep it between 90-95 but a lot of care sheets list 85 as a proper temp.

[Lankyrob]

Apologies, i was thinking pinkies rather than pups.

[jonny_l]

I keep all my hatchling/yearlings hot spots around 91. All my adults hots spots are 88-89…I'll drop the temps down to 85 - 86 only when cooling for breeding season.

As for the humidity, one of the above posters said to either ditch the screen top or cover it. I once use a glass aquarium for a juvi Carpet Python and I covered about 80% of the screen top with plastic wrap. Worked very well. Perfect sheds every time.

Definitely either weigh the food items like Lori suggested or just judge by eye. A prey item should be no larger than the thickest part of the Pythons body (which would be around the middle of their body). You definitely do not want to over feed them. They can develop health problems if this is a regular routine. Plus it is totally possible for them to become obese. Another reason to not over feed, for the most part Ball Pythons will eat like crazy for the first year of their life. If fed to much to often, they will eventually go off food…the good ol Ball Python food strike. This can be avoided if kept on a strict feeding schedule and fed the proper sized prey.

Cheers,
Jonathan