Possible RI? Or what?

[Nobodyspecial]

So just recently I've noticed on my pastel male's hides there's this white stuff smeared over them. I recently got him some new larger hides, and noticed it on them yesterday, and out of curiosity I checked his old hides and yup, its on there too. I don't know how I could of been that stupid not to notice it before hand...

I've heard of mucous getting smeared around when ball pythons have a respiratory infection but he's not showing any other symptoms of it. No drooling, mouth breathing, bubbles, wheezing, looking up to breathe etc. I'm prepared to make an immediate vet trip if I need too, but I'd like to know if something else is going on first...

Temps are 89-93 hot side 78-81 cool side. (Bumping cool side temps up a bit as we speak.) humidity is about 50%. (Also needs bumping up I know, I sprayed his enclosure right after seeing that. its Around 60% now...) He's only eating about once a month at the moment, I figure its winter so he's not going to be terribly hungry, but I've still been offering every other week.

Given that he's not showing any other signs of an RI i'm at a complete loss of what this stuff is.
Forgive the pictures I only have my cell phone camera and its picture quality is atrocious.

The hide:
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f149/Akoi/IMG_20130113_112254_zps37dc61c7.jpg

The little bugger himself, taken when I took the smeared on hide out to clean it. (I was also cleaning his water dish hence its absence.) He doesn't like to stick around for photo ops lol.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f149/Akoi/IMG_20130111_155847_zps1289a200.jpg

[Lankyrob]

How often do you spray the viv? And do you use tap water?

I would say it is just remains from water in the viv :)

[Nobodyspecial]

Yes I do use tap water, and it is pretty hard water unfortunately. But I spray it as needed, more often now that its winter than normal, maybe once a day or every other day. :/ I considered that, but he's the only one whose hides have that stuff on it.

Edit: Although that makes me wonder. He doesn't come out and roam his cage while anyone is around to see him, but could he just be a really messy drinker? lol.

[shaunyboy]

you sure its not Sperm Plugs mate ?

semen = seminal fluid

cheers shaun

[KORBIN5895]

you sure its not Sperm Plugs mate ?

semen = seminal fluid

cheers shaun

This is my thought also. How old is he?

[Nobodyspecial]

This is my thought also. How old is he?

2 1/2 years old and he weighs 1500 grams. o_o I've.. never actually seen any sperm plugs with him so I never even thought of that. I mean its a huge relief if that's indeed what it is. And it would make sense... now that I think about it I was handling him right after I noticed it to check for RI signs and felt stuff on his under side near his cloaca that kinda felt the same as the stuff on the hides. (chalky almost.)

Well.. I can't help but find that a little disturbing that I've been touching it so willingly (and funny honestly.) It seems like a lot of fluid though... I dunno I have a 970 gram female housed directly above him, could he be thinking he's going to be getting some or something? XD

[shaunyboy]

sounds like your boys,become a man (pardon the pun)

cheers shaun

[Nobodyspecial]

About time! Maybe he'll quite being such a giant wuss now. Hahaha.

[mykee]

Not sperm. Snakes semen is very paste-like, at least the stuff I've seen, not liquidy, like how Korbin likes it.

[Nobodyspecial]

Then what could it be?

[EmbraceCalamity]

Then what could it be?I still think the hard water stains are a viable option. That's what it looks like to me. Try using filtered water and see if it still happens. It'll either prove it or show that's not the case.

~Maggot

[KORBIN5895]

Not sperm. Snakes semen is very paste-like, at least the stuff I've seen, not liquidy, like how Korbin likes it.

If a chick has something pasty coming out I'm am so not touching it.

[jarich]

Could be any number of things really. Do you feed F/T? If he were to drag a wet rat across the hide, that would do it. If he went to the bathroom and then dragged his vent over it, that would probably do it. Doesnt seem like anything to worry about though, either way

[shaunyboy]

Not sperm. Snakes semen is very paste-like, at least the stuff I've seen, not liquidy, like how Korbin likes it.

the only fresh sperm i saw from a snake,was from one of my jaguars at the vets,the vet was rumaging about inside the cloaca with a cotton bud on a stick,when out it came (pardon the pun)...

it pretty much looked the same consistancy as human jizz :hmm:

cheers shaun

[iBaman]

lmao, shauny, Pajamas jizzed all over his black hide. It really does look human. in any case...it's still gross xD