In the water bowl...?? (Sorry, long post!)

[AcePythons]

So a couple days ago I picked up a new addition (just a normal girl, nothin fancy ) and of course I QT'd her and had the QT tub sprayed with PAM. I got her from someone I've bought from before and I checked her over before I bought her and saw no indication of mites, but then again I've never seen mites in person so I dont know what I'm looking for.

I keep looking for like ... dust particles moving but people I know who are into snakes assure me that even though mites are tiny I WOULD see the movement.

So anyway, when I went to check on my girl the day after we got her she was soaking in her water bowl. I started freakin out because everywhere I read says soaking means mites a lot of the time, but I saw nothing on the water bowl, nothing on her and nothing on the paper. I figured maybe she was insecure and so I gave her a hide. She used the hide for a bit and hasn't been back in the water bowl since but now isn't using the hide, so I calmed down thinkin "Ok...not mites...just insecure and now she's adjusting."

So...of course I've been SUPER careful to touch her last and everything. Now when i woke up this morning I went to check my lil collection before I went to check her and I opened my gravid pastel female's tub and she was in HER water bowl..........so of course I freak out thinking "OMG...it was mites and I just infected my collection somehow!" blah blah blah....but showered and didn't even have the same clothes on when I touched them in between.

So my question is, do you think it could just be a coincidence and I am kinda freakin out for nothing?? Do BP's ever soak before they show signs of going into shed?

[Tochigi_R]

The best place to look for mites on your snake would be in the fold of skin on the underneath of the head and in the heat pits. For the most part, if there's nothing there then you should be okay, but I'd PAM a little longer just to be safe.

I saw your earlier post too, and if she's still in shed that could be why as well. She could also just be one of those oddball bp's that just breaks all the guidelines we're used to.

Don't panic yet! Good luck!

[AcePythons]

The best place to look for mites on your snake would be in the fold of skin on the underneath of the head and in the heat pits. For the most part, if there's nothing there then you should be okay, but I'd PAM a little longer just to be safe.

I saw your earlier post too, and if she's still in shed that could be why as well. She could also just be one of those oddball bp's that just breaks all the guidelines we're used to.

Don't panic yet! Good luck!

Actually that girl is now not in the water bowl. Now it's my pastel female in her water bowl....that's why I'm freakin out lol. I'm just wonderin if the pastel female is about to go into shed and hasn't started clouding up yet. Or maybe it's just a big coincidence and I'm psyching myself out.

[boasandballs]

Don't freak out. They lay in the water dishes to cool down while they are building, sometimes I see them in their water after they ovulate.

PS you would see the mites, trust me. They look like pepper that move, and when you squish them they mash like a bug.

[Tochigi_R]

Actually that girl is now not in the water bowl. Now it's my pastel female in her water bowl....that's why I'm freakin out lol. I'm just wonderin if the pastel female is about to go into shed and hasn't started clouding up yet. Or maybe it's just a big coincidence and I'm psyching myself out.

Haha! Oh, well then, just check for little black dots no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence. They're small but you'll be able to see them. Lift some scales, too. If they're there you'll find them, I promise. Look in the spots I mentioned before, because most of the time those are good give-aways. She might just be going into shed as well.

It's not unheard of for a ball python to soak every once in a blue moon.

[AcePythons]

Don't freak out. They lay in the water dishes to cool down while they are building, sometimes I see them in their water after they ovulate.

PS you would see the mites, trust me. They look like pepper that move, and when you squish them they mash like a bug.

Ok thank you! Yeah everywhere I read says they're tiny so I've been puttin my face like right up to them with the LED flashlight lookin and inspecting. I know mites aren't the end of the world if you catch 'em and get 'em taken care of, but I still don't want them LOL

[Dave Green]

Cat, I think you are making yourself nervous. Soaking can be a sign of mites but soaking can also mean they are going to shed, building, gravid, etc. I love to see my females soak this time of year. I see a set of signs that let me know my girls are going...eat strong, stop eating, soak and/or sit on the cold side, ovulation....

If you're real nervous take a damp white paper towel and wipe the snake(s) down. If you have mites you should see them on the towel.

[AcePythons]

Cat, I think you are making yourself nervous. Soaking can be a sign of mites but soaking can also mean they are going to shed, building, gravid, etc. I love to see my females soak this time of year. I see a set of signs that let me know my girls are going...eat strong, stop eating, soak and/or sit on the cold side, ovulation....

If you're real nervous take a damp white paper towel and wipe the snake(s) down. If you have mites you should see them on the towel.

Yes I do think I'm being a worry wart! Thank you all for your comments, it has eased my mind VERY much!!

I just barely found out my pastel girl has follicles so I think I'm just extra on edge cuz I really don't want her to stress out and re-absorb. (I want my babies! ).

I put them all on just the white paper today, just gonna keep an eye, but I think I am just freakin out. Thank you all for puttin up with me haha! <3