new owner question...

[vinnimac]

I have had ball pythons for about a year and a half, and just last Sat. got my first RTB. She looks great, and a wonderful temperment, and was told after her first couple of sheds, she has always had complete one-piece sheds. Now, after I got her home, I noticed a series of vertical "pleats" in her side, in a couple of places. Is this something normal with RTB's, or maybe she spends too much time coiled in the same position.....? I don't know, and I checked out the 'MOST questions' thread, and did not find anything pertinant. If anyone has any clues on this, I would love to hear from you!!

[buck2003]

Can U post a pic/s of these pleat's, that would help.

[Bartman]

Im not sure what you mean by pleats...but I do think I understand what you mean. They sort of look like a rinkle in the scale? Its a perfectly straight line though where the scales are bent. Try and get a picture so that we're positive but its most likely something that occurs in almost every single boa. I wouldnt worry about it

[Kent K25]

I'm with Bartman on this one. It is probably 100% normal, my boa gets them as well when he sits coiled in the same position for a long time and "pleats" would be a good description since it does look like a straight line pleat in a pair of pants.

It's always good to post pics though to make sure we're all talking about the same things.

[eddie]

Those 'pleats' are usually small areas of folded scales due to being coiled up a lot.
Most times these are apparent on animals that have been kept in tanks that are too small, not always that though as they can happen because the snake stays coiled up a lot also.

[JuliusSqueezer]

It also means your snake has somewhere between good body weight and excessive. You don't see it happen much on scrawny, underfed snakes so it may be a good sign that your snake is healthy

[wreckwriter]

Hmmmm... I'm going to go against the general opinion here. Without seeing the snake its impossible to tell but I'd say possible signs of dehydration if coil pleats (for lack of a better term) are showing when the snake isn't coiled.

Is your humidity/temp level right? Does the snake have a large water bowl?

[JuliusSqueezer]

ww..."vertical pleats" on a ball python would just be folded scales over fleshy snake where it stays bent for awhile. Dehydration would be horizontal skin flaps protruding along the sides most notably towards the tail. Signs of dehydration vary by species. Some of the tighter skinned snakes like amazon tree boas will get a retracted lower jaw presenting as a severe over bite when they are deydrated.

[JuliusSqueezer]

creases would be a more accurate term btw

[wreckwriter]

Originally Posted by JuliusSqueezer

ww..."vertical pleats" on a ball python would just be folded scales over fleshy snake where it stays bent for awhile. Dehydration would be horizontal skin flaps protruding along the sides most notably towards the tail. Signs of dehydration vary by species. Some of the tighter skinned snakes like amazon tree boas will get a retracted lower jaw presenting as a severe over bite when they are deydrated.

Perhaps so but he's not asking about a ball python, asking about a boa. Anytime I hear about skin looking creased in any fashion and not snapping back quickly I always think of dehydration, in any animal.

Agreed, crease is a much better term

[muzixman]

Are these what your talking about? she had these when I got her and have never got any better or worse, she was housed in a small cage when I rescued her and pretty much had no room to stretch.