loose skin

[eddyTheFlow]

okay sorry if this was on another post, i searched for loose skin and didnt find anything,

i recently posted about a possible RI or mites, i think the problem is solved (it was mites) and they are doing much better in their new environment.

i got rid of my fog machine because even leaving it on for a little while causes the substrate to get way too damp and pools of water just form on the bottom of my viv. noticed someone else bought a humidifier and had a similar problem. im fairly sure this has a lot to do with the wood chips and how they hold humidity in so well. so anyways im going to try to switch to a spray bottle instead.

anyways down to the nitty gritty.

i mentioned before i tried to forcefeed Betty because she hasent eaten since i got her.

of course i realized this might be a fasting period or she might be a lil finicky about stuff.. but now im starting to notice her scales getting a little bit loose. i only notice them being loose when she is balled up though. am i frettin over nothin? they don't seem to be too loose. yet.

how much longer should i wait it out if at all? any other signs i should look for?

also, this is apart from the subject: Toby, whom i purchased as a baby and handled quite a bit to accustom him to humans is just great!... when i was cleaning the cage out i left them both in there with no substrate, when i poured it back in (after baking it from the dampness i mentioned earlier) and he just got right to exploring and slitherin around all over. Betty however stayed balled up and didnt move at all. even after putting back all of the logs, water dish, etc. i set her on a nice basking branch and she is still balled up just chilling.. or baking or whatever..

is she acting this way because i didn't get her as a baby (i got her about 6 mos old) and accustom her to humans?.. or is this a bad sign? possibly of sickness? relating to the loose skin?
thanks for any answers or suggestions

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[pathfinder36]

How long since she had her last meal?

[eddyTheFlow]

ive had her about a month and a half max, pet store said she hadnt eaten in a while either

[herp_chick]

I'm guessing it's a ball python? First thing, what is the setup like? Temps, humidity, etc? ALso, a big thing, sounds like you are housing them together. Big no no with BP's, they tend to stress and when they stress, they do not eat. Is she noticeably thin? I would guess a vet trip and a fecal should be your first priority. Rule out parasites, make sure she is not sick, and get her into an enclosure with the right temps all by herself. Good Luck!

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[eddyTheFlow]

the temps range from 78-86 approx. humidity is a little on the low side, though, because i've been trying to get them to bask in the water dish.

im not sure why only one of the balls would be stressed out and not eat if the other will.

she is def not noticeably thin yet.. i guess i'll have to get a fecal checked..pretty sure its not parasites because they would have probably spread to the other snake, and he's eating fine.

[reptilemama]

Definitely get them separated. Just because one isn't stressed doesn't mean the other isn't. Snakes are solitary creastures, and if they're not actively breeding, another snake will just be seen as competition for food and territory. It's possible he's the dominant animal, and she's submissive, which is why he's eating and she's not. If she is sick, you don't want anything to pass over to him, or you'll just be paying higher vet bills to treat both of them. You may want to raise your temps a bit, too. Ball pythons do best with a basking temp of 88-90. I don't quite understand why you *want* them to soak in their water dish. If you think they're going to shed, provide a humid hide box. Just use a rubbermaid or gladware container big enough to hold the snake with some extra head room. Fill it halfway with moist spagnum moss or coconut husk bedding, and keep it damp at all times. My snakes use their humid hides during every shed, and don't have shed problems. If they have access to a humid hide, you don't have to be quite as picky about overall humidity either- if they feel the need to be in a humid place, they can go in the humid hide.

[herp_chick]

Usually, only one will stress like that. The temps are a little low, you could bring them up a little, 90 on the warm side, no lower than 80 on the cool side. My guess is separating them and getting the temps up might do the trick. Good Luck!

[reptilemama]

Oh, and a note about parasites- just because he's eating doesn't mean he doesn't have them, it just means that they aren't bad enough to affect his appetite. Wouldn't hurt to get fecal samples checked on both of them.

[herp_chick]

I agree with reptiemama on the fecals. Also, ball pythons do not generally soak in water unless they have mites. They do not like water except to drink.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[lethargiic]

i have to say this.. as much of a pain ball pythons are.. i love all 16 of mine.. lol