Should BPs have smooth bellies?

[theJuju]

A few weeks ago I got an adult male BP from Craigslist (he was in a 10 gallon tank with a heat rock!!). He's got some burns on him, but they are minor and healed.

Anyways, I've been taking good and proper care of him. But when I got him, I noticed his belly scales are always getting... snagged. On me, on my hands, on the couch when he slithers around, etc. I thought it might be taken care of it with proper heating and humidity, but it hasn't seemed to.

I haven't had a chance to hold him for a week due to helping my family move, and when I picked him up, his belly scales caught /snagged on my own skin, and I swear I heard them making a cracking sound...

But his tummy looks fine, and it feels smooth if I rub it one particular way. Any ideas? Or is that what it's supposed to be like when they are adults? It makes him a bit of a pain to handle, too. I don't want to hurt him. :/

[The Serpent Merchant]

if you stroke down the belly from Head to tail they shouldn't snag at all. it may not feel glass smooth, but nothing should catch. If you stroke from tail to head some scales might catch.

[kitedemon]

sometimes a scale catches, it happens. I have one or two larger snakes that have a folded scale the tip of the scale in the air. usually not belly scales but at the turn or belly to side sure.

[WingedWolfPsion]

The belly scales are used by the snake to propel itself--it uses a rippling motion to deliberately catch those scales on irregularities on the ground (or other surface, such as tree bark), and pull itself forward. A slither is not the only way they move.

Think of them as fingernails he's using to pull himself along.

[blueberrypancakes]

Is there any possibility he's getting close to shed? Maybe if his skin is extra crackly...

[theJuju]

Hmm, okay. I just didn't want to hurt him. They snag and catch *SO* easily. even just putting him around my neck, and then when I heard the cracking sound, I was worried.

[KatStoverReptiles]

A picture would be helpful. What you're describing sounds a bit abnormal perhaps. My snakes don't "crackle."

[kitedemon]

I have one that goes backwards a bit and she will catch a scale on my skin and I can feel it fold and it clicks. Is it every time of just one in a while I get maybe 2 clicks in 20 min maybe as many as 5 I know because I don't like the feeling the snake doesn't seem to care she does not respond to it at all.