BP not shedding???

[Byron]

OK, I'll admit that my record keeping has been lacking since I moved in November.

My BP last shed in October. He seems healthy, had a good check up at the vet in December, eats a mouse a week, until last week and last night. Other than being very dull in color, he doesn't look as if he's in blue. The last time, I just assumed I had missed the blue stage. Defecate looks normal.

since the last shed, he has put on 100+g. I would have thought that with the weight gain and the growth of a fairly normal juvi BP that he would have shed by now.

I know the generic answer is that their sheds will be determined by growth, metabolism, diet, stress level....etc. But is it normal for a BP to pack on 100g (he's just over 2' long)over a few months and not shed?


My IJ is on the same feeding schedule and eats the same size mouse. She has shed once (mid Nov) since the move and should be shedding within the next few days.


They were shuffled around a little before the move. They were the last things I brought over. The move was only 3-4 miles down the street. Once they were set up here, a few weeks later my AP cages arrived then they were moved again within a few weeks of me moving.


The humidity is usually 50-60%, temps are in the low/mid 70's with hot spots of 88-92, aspen substrate, plenty of hides, UTH, no additional heat/lights. Hot temps are regulated with thermostats (seperate temp probes and heat gun to confirm temps).

Should I be worried yet? Should I try soaking him or just let him shed when he's ready?

thoughts?

[Vypyrz]

Let him soak for a bit and bump up his humidity to about 70%. Mine shed about every 60 days give or take a few...

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[TalismanK9]

Winter months make my BP's schedule unpredictable.

	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.

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[Byron]

A 60 day shed cycle wouldnt have been questioned much. Its been over 90. I know its not life threatening, just my concern for the moment.

Thanks for the replies

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[PaganMommy]

Agreed with Vypyrz, bump up the humidity and soak him. I'm sure it's nothing to be worried about. It may have been from the stress of moving and moving into a new enclosure. I'm sure every thing will be fine.
Update us please, when progress is made

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[wrfuess]

i recently had a bp shedding issue. i got so nervous i took him to the vet. it was his first shedding issue in 10 years.
the vet recommended giving him so baths. surely after the first bath he shed beautifully. if your like me and you dont have central are and heating and your bath room is to cold. you can take a 10 gallon or larger tank depending on the snake. put a uth on the bottom of it and let it heat then set the bp in to soak

	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.

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	Under Tank Heater Under Tank Heater

[Byron]

I have central air and use the heck out of it. I bumped the humidity up to around 60% and he has had two warm baths so far and will get another one either tonight or tomorrow.

Still no signs of shedding, but I'm still waiting.

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[wrfuess]

well i wish you luck.
i hope you get some sheds soon

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[Byron]

bath #3 is underway.

I know I'm worrying for no reason, but should i worry about him drowning? The water may be an inch deep but he doesn't seem to want to keep his head above water. He's never cared for water much. He's just looking for a way out of the tub now.

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[wrfuess]

i wouldn't worry about it to much.
im pretty sure it will know when to pick its head up.
out of curiosity is your bp still eating?

	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.

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[Byron]

both my bp and my ij have refused the last 2 attempts at feeding. The ij was in blue.

	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.

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[wrfuess]

what your bp's humidity like?
and temp?

i had the same problem with my pb.
there is a dry season in africa during which bp's do not eat.
so if humidity gets low or there is a temperature drop. a lot of the time if humidity goes down a bp instinctively will stop eating. this isnt as bad with cb bp's as it is with wild caught but that could be the problem.

btw side question where did you get your carpet python?

	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.

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	Captive Born Captive Born

[Byron]

right now, humidity is 63%, temp is 76 degrees and hot side is 89 degrees.

Until a few days ago, I was keeping my humidity around 50%. The temps range from 74-77. No night drops or anything different.


I bought my ij from a guy in Columbia SC off of craigslist last summer. (no, you cant have her. lol)

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[AGActaeonia]

I'm failing to see how raising the humidity or bathing him will help in shed as he's not in shed. If this method produces results - forcing a phase - then it's likely because you're stressing the animal out.

I've owned my pair of Ball siblings for quite some time. Neither have eaten or shed in months. Both are at a good weight, sit around, doing what Balls do. They'll do what they want, when they want.

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[Byron]

I dont think I'm trying to force a shed. He gets handled nearly daily (maybe only 5-10 minutes some days) until the past few weeks since he didn't eat.

I'm just wanting to make sure that I haven't missed something that would cause him to not shed.

The first time he shed for me, I completely missed him being in blue. Not sure how that happened. I'm just wondering if its possible that the same thing happened again.

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[AGActaeonia]

Oh, I don't think that you're up to that, G. Just an observation.

I've often found that provided the appropriate temperatures are maintained, they will do as they see fit. This is true for many snake species, of course.

As was earlier mentioned, Balls slow down their day-to-days during the dry season. The temperature decreases, the humidity lessens, food becomes scarce, and of course this is the mating season.

Some keepers think that if they offer a maintenance diet year round, leave the lights on 12 / 12 off and don't offer more than a normal decrease in temperature, they'll be able to avoid the fasting and bouts of inactivity with their Balls, but this is sadly untrue.

It is in their very nature to do these things, regardless of the season. The only feasible difference it makes in the wild is that it gives them something of a heads-up that it's time to get serious about mating, hence the manipulation of day / night and temperate cycles breeders attempt to simulate in captivity.

There are any number of reasons why it would be taking longer than usual to shed. Perhaps its meals need to be increased in size, perhaps the temperature is somewhat different now in winter as compared to the summer and its metabolism has slowed even more so than usual. Perhaps what you've experienced thus far was just a growth spurt.

If you're feeding mice, switch him to rats. The increase in protein will give him another little bump.

There are many variables which can be considered and not one of them is relevant to the issue because a slow-cycle isn't a problem. If he's not losing weight, is just as active and healthy as per the usual, not shedding won't harm anything.

Perhaps I'm mistaken, if so, I apologize for my baseless little anecdote, but - I doubt it.

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[Byron]

He's still on mice, but only because I still have about 15 left to feed. My next order of feeders will be rats just slightly larger than the mice I'm feeding now.

I check my temps/humidity at least 3 times a day. Once as I go to work, once when I get home and again before I go to bed. Since getting my AP's, the temps have always been in the mid 70's. I try to keep the humidity between 50 and 60%. It might dip slightly lower than that if I'm out for the night/weekend, but I have never seen it below 45%.

I didn't panic when he decided that he didn't want to eat because of all of the fasting posts I have read here. I'm just keeping an eye on him and waiting for him to act as if he wants to eat (usually a day or so before feeding day, he's out and about looking).

I haven't weighed in a few weeks, but thats on my schedule for the weekend.

As for your "baseless little anecdote"...thats why I ask questions. I know lots of things are all "what works for me" type answers, but if it works for one person, then it might be something I need to consider.

thanks everyone for your input.

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[AGActaeonia]

Originally Posted by grnxnam

As for your "baseless little anecdote"...thats why I ask questions. I know lots of things are all "what works for me" type answers, but if it works for one person, then it might be something I need to consider.

I completely agree.

It's always so seemingly "hit or miss" with Balls. IMO, they're the easiest ones to take care of (out of all of mine, anyway). I could write a manual on the things and the title would be "Don't Worry About It."

They're predictably unpredictable, incredibly hardy and pretty straight-forward.

Your temperatures sound snazzy, and let no one tell you otherwise. High 70s - low 90s is an admirable gradient and one seldom seen, or so I've noticed hereabouts.

Sounds to me like you're doing everything right, and I'd like to think that my opinion counts for something around here.

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	In My Opinon IMO = In My Opinion and IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

[Byron]

Originally Posted by AGActaeonia

... I could write a manual on the things and the title would be "Don't Worry About It."
...

The book I'm going to write is called "How to Alienate yourself from the Opposite Sex- Everything I Learned at the Mall"

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[AGActaeonia]

Originally Posted by grnxnam

The book I'm going to write is called "How to Alienate yourself from the Opposite Sex- Everything I Learned at the Mall"

Story of my life, brothuh.

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