I think this is genetics...

Hi - I've got a question that so far the interbutts haven't answered...

...is Ball Python urine acidic? I've sought long and hard to locate the ph, but I get only ads for ph strips and whatnot.

-new user-

i think this is a husbandry question. if i think of it I will ask my boss (veterinarian).

Don't quote me on this... But I think snake urine is ammonia based like most urine, or as least it smells like it to me that is. I could be wrong, but that would be my best guess.

I suppose some further clarification is that I have a roommate that can only be described as histrionic, and she ran around hollering that after her snake peed on her "it burns, oh god, I need to get this off, it's itching and it burns..."

...and I'm rather sick of her shenanigans, so I have come to a place where I can both learn more about one of the coolest snakes out there (my favorite animal as a child and adolescent) and hopefully call her out on her nonsense.

-Justin

The urate clumps that reptiles excrete are also known as uric acid. I believe this has a pKa of about 4. So yea its slightly acid, but I'm anyone who has been crapped on by a snake can tell you, that while it may be alittle gross, its not about to melt your skin off or anything like that lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kthulhu

The urate clumps that reptiles excrete are also known as uric acid. I believe this has a pKa of about 4. So yea its slightly acid, but I'm anyone who has been crapped on by a snake can tell you, that while it may be alittle gross, its not about to melt your skin off or anything like that lol.

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The only exception to this could be if some one is allergic/sensitive to it or possibly if it got on an open wound.