BP not acting normal

okay so i need a bit of advice on what is going on with my ball python. normally she is active and alert and always on the prowl. i feed her once a week and keep her tank as clean as possible but the past 3 weeks have been different.

she has refused to leave her pool (the pool was advised by the breeder we got her from) so she has been in constant water for these 3 weeks
and when i try to feed her she refuses to eat
she has not shed in over 2 months but the top of her head is super white like her skin is dry
when i try to get her out she hisses at me and tries to attack.

i dont know what is going on i have had her almost 2 years and she has never acted like this. im afraid she is going to develop scale rot or worse. please help me!
:tears:

What are you keeping her in? What are the surface temperatures on the hot and cool side and the humidity level in her enclosure? What are you heating her hot side with? Are you using a thermostat? What kind of substrate do you use? Have you checked her over for mites?

Mites is the first thing that comes to mind if she's refusing to leave her water dish and being defensive. Also what's your humidity at? Is it just her head that's dry or has she had any shed issues before? Another possibility is she's too hot depending what your temps are.

her cool side is at 72 and hot side is 80 pool is on the hot side as i was told to do i have a heat pad for under the tank as well as a black bulb lamp. her humidity is at 63%

yes i have checked her for mites and have seen non. i had to put a cover over her pool so she wouldn't attack when i emptied her tank. i usually use moss. for her bedding.

she has never had shed issues before normally its like clock work she has shed once every 2 months since i brought her home. and i was told that was normal. and the dry spots are every part that she has not submerged in water.

Shes cold if your hot side is only 80. That should be your cold sides temp.

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Temps are dangerously cold. You don't want your cool side to be lower than 75 but 78-80 is ideal. Your hot spot should be around 89-92 (just make sure hottest surface she can touch isnt higher than 92). Remember to take floor temps below the substrate at the surface of your tank where your heat pad is.

Honestly sounds like she's trying to warm up in her pool/water dish since its over the heatpad.

Bring those temps up and still keep an eye out for mites just to be safe.

Your temperatures on both the hot and cool side are way too low. Her cool side should be no less than 75 degrees (I keep mine 77 - 79) and her hot side should be around 90 degrees. If you want to have something in there for her to soak in (which really isn't even necessary for Ball Pythons), I would have it in the middle of the enclosure. She needs to be able to lay on her hot spot to digest her food properly. If you aren't using a thermostat to regulate her hot spot temperatures, get one immediately. What kind of heating pad are you using? Is it made for reptiles or humans? What are you keeping her in? You need to get all of your husbandry spot on. Even with perfect husbandry, Ball Pythons are picky, inconsistent eaters...

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Originally Posted by Efrech

her cool side is at 72 and hot side is 80 pool is on the hot side as i was told to do i have a heat pad for under the tank as well as a black bulb lamp. her humidity is at 63%

yes i have checked her for mites and have seen non. i had to put a cover over her pool so she wouldn't attack when i emptied her tank. i usually use moss. for her bedding.

she has never had shed issues before normally its like clock work she has shed once every 2 months since i brought her home. and i was told that was normal. and the dry spots are every part that she has not submerged in water.

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Humidity seems to be on spot, but did you miss type the temps? cool side 72 is pretty low, but even then, hot spot is 80? Hot spot should be at around 90, and cool side should be at least 75. It is very interesting that she has been like this for 2 years and not had any illness? Anyways, cool side at least least 75, hot side around 90. She has no place to warm up.