Ball python bathroom question

Hey everyone, I just have a question regarding my ball python's bathroom habits. I have been on this forum for about a week now and have learned so much from everyone on here! You guys help me to become a better ball python keeper; thank you for that. :)

I have had my ball python for about a month now and she has only gone to the bathroom in her enclosure twice, every other time she has gone when my husband or I have been handling her. We have learned to handle her with a towel close by in case she starts to go haha. When she is in her enclosure she spends most of her time in her hides, but when we have her out she crawls around and explores. I was wondering if maybe all the moving around she does when she is out stimulates her to go? Or is it just a coincidence that she always chooses to go when she is being handled? I am not complaining, after she does her business on the towel we can go on with handling without having to worry about any surprises. ;) I was just curious to see if you guys had any ideas on why she might do this. Thanks!

She may be "going" as a defense. She may just not be used to being handled yet and therefor "goes" in order to get away.

Other theory would be that the moving thru your hands is acting like a message that helps it "out".

Once you get used to her schedule of eating and pooing you will have a better idea of when to handle her and when not to :) It just takes time. Until then, keep your towel handy...

You may be handling her a little too much right now if she is out often enough to end up pooping on you. The moving around can and does often stimulate snakes to go potty if they've been holding it, but most of the ball pythons I've worked with have not been the biggest poopers. Try leaving her in her cage for a week or two to see what her usual potty habits are like, and then begin handling her in short bursts to let her get used to being held.

-Jen

Alright I'll handle her a bit less to kind of get an idea of what her schedule is like. Thanks. :)

I just thought of this, could it be possible that she might not want to go inside her enclosure? The two times that she has gone in there, right after she finished she crawled to the complete opposite corner of the cage like she was trying to get as far away from it as possible. Is it be possible that she could be holding it in until she comes out of her enclosure since she doesn't want to go in there?

Just a thought. But I am definitely going to try handling her less so I can try and get a better idea of her schedule and give her more space. Thanks for the tips!

We had the same issue with our snake. When we brought him home we didn't handle him for about a week and a half. We wanted him to settle into his new environment. When we finally took him out he peed on my daughter. This happened the first two times we took him out. We started handling him for short periods of times with a towel near by. We now handle him quite a bit and have not had a problem since.

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Originally Posted by Sam71312

Alright I'll handle her a bit less to kind of get an idea of what her schedule is like. Thanks. :)

I just thought of this, could it be possible that she might not want to go inside her enclosure? The two times that she has gone in there, right after she finished she crawled to the complete opposite corner of the cage like she was trying to get as far away from it as possible. Is it be possible that she could be holding it in until she comes out of her enclosure since she doesn't want to go in there?

Just a thought. But I am definitely going to try handling her less so I can try and get a better idea of her schedule and give her more space. Thanks for the tips!

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Not really. She just doesn't want to be near her excrement :)

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Originally Posted by Mhavens

We had the same issue with our snake. When we brought him home we didn't handle him for about a week and a half. We wanted him to settle into his new environment. When we finally took him out he peed on my daughter. This happened the first two times we took him out. We started handling him for short periods of times with a towel near by. We now handle him quite a bit and have not had a problem since.

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We did the same thing with our ball python; my husband and I left her alone for a little over a week so she could adjust to her new home, and then the first time we took her out she peed all over us ha. We are going to try handling her for shorter periods of time like everyone has suggested and see if that helps. :)

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Originally Posted by Zombie

Not really. She just doesn't want to be near her excrement :)

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Alright I was just wondering haha, thanks :)

Linus the Russo did this for the first few times. He was small only 60 some grams or so and everytime my daughter would take him out he would pee on her. She took it kinda personal lol but he stopped after he settled in more.

my ball did this too the first few times i handled him, but he hasn't done it in a while. i think they just have to get used to being handled and being in a new place. he also stays away from his poops when they're in his tank, so i wouldn't be worried :)