What does this mean!? (in regards to scales and shedding)

Queen Elizabeth is healthy, and due to be fed soon... she is much more active than normal and I can just tell that she is starting to get hungry... but there is an issue I am having... on her belly... she has the occasional scale that is like... kinda raised and when I touch it, it flakes off... similar to what happened when I KNEW she was shedding... as of now she is not showing any signs of shedding... but these flaked scales just started happening like... two days ago... is it possible for her to have another shed so soon? (by so soon I mean a month ago) her husbandry is all proper... temperatures... clean bedding... I am using newspaper as a bedding, with dual hides and a ceramic water bowl... basic set up... any ideas?

ps: the rest of her body is solid and not flaking... its just her underside

I actually have no idea..but i'd definitely keep an eye on it is I was you. Does it happen always in the same area of her underside? Do the flakes that come off look like a stuck piece of shed? Hopefully some of the experts will chime in soon and let us know!! :P

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Originally Posted by Trey Yeoman

Queen Elizabeth is healthy, and due to be fed soon... she is much more active than normal and I can just tell that she is starting to get hungry... but there is an issue I am having... on her belly... she has the occasional scale that is like... kinda raised and when I touch it, it flakes off... similar to what happened when I KNEW she was shedding... as of now she is not showing any signs of shedding... but these flaked scales just started happening like... two days ago... is it possible for her to have another shed so soon? (by so soon I mean a month ago) her husbandry is all proper... temperatures... clean bedding... I am using newspaper as a bedding, with dual hides and a ceramic water bowl... basic set up... any ideas?

ps: the rest of her body is solid and not flaking... its just her underside

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I just had this same exact problem with my BP and for me, it meant that she went into shed within the next 2 weeks so I'm inclined to believe that your BP is fine and will be going though another shed soon. One question: Is your humidity normally around 40-50%? I ask this because I had never seen my BP have this problem before till I went home for thanksgiving and when I came back she had knocked over her water bowl and the humidity in the tub was pretty much 0%. Must have been like that for a couple days. And after that, we noticed the scales. Anything like that happen to you?

In short, I wouldn't worry but I would expect a shed sooner rather than later.

Well... I can say that I think she is going into shed... her humidity is AT LEAST 50%... but I am not exactly sure what it is... I cleaned her cage today, and sanitized everything and also put a wet rage in her cage on the glass above her heating pad... moist.. not soaking wet... and thats to hope that it evaporates and increases humidity :D:D her belly is turning a slight pink color... and the scales are all over not just one spot... so I am inclined to believe she is going into shed... I just tried to feed her and she REFUSED like.. flat out turned her nose up to me >< so yea... heres to a good shed... and her probably not eating for a whole month :( its been almost two weeks now and if she is going into shed she will not eat (i tried last shed) so that is like.. almost a month... at least she is a good pound and a half so... and im not triyng to breed her... so she is safe I think

Ball pythons can go up to 8 months without food if a healthy adult and if her belly is starting to turn pink, she's going into shed. Good Luck! haha