Slightly odd behavior...

Oh.
One last thing... He still has a bit of shed left over from the previous cycle and I was told to soak him. I assume that would not be a good idea to do right now, considering the circumstances, but I want to check... Should I soak him or should I just let him be and hope that it comes off on it's own?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blk02ssmonte

I agree rat fuzzie or mouse hopper. Walmart has scales and they are about 20 bucks or so depending on what ya get. When you get a UTH make sure you get a thermostat for it cause they do get hot!

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Absolutely, on the thermostat. I wouldn't dream of having a UTH without one.

Leave him be with the shed right now if the humidity is good keep misting and keep it high and ne should get it off on his own. Mine are that way at times and I just keep the humidity up and sometimes get it even higher and they usually will get it off.

mouse pinkies/fuzzies would be too small. these are tiny.

do you already have a scale like i described? many people already have one that is adequate in the kitchen. just switch it to grams and try it, many digital scales can do different units.

rats are so much more bigger than mice, through any stage of development.

another rule of thumb for later on, when your BP is in better health and has a more normal shape: the girth of the food item should match the widest girth of your ball python. which means feeding frozen-thawed rats to them where normal people would say: no way that is going to fit. they just dislocate their lower jaw, and their neck and belly and body is really stretchy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pythonfriend

do you already have a scale like i described? many people already have one that is adequate in the kitchen. just switch it to grams and try it, many digital scales can do different units.

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I don't at the moment. I will see if my husband minds grabbing one while he's out tomorrow. My father won't let me use the kitchen one. :p.

I'll have to see if I can find any young feeder rats then. Right about now, I'll do anything to ensure this baby's health.

Agreed, this snake deff needs to be left alone and de-stressed. Balls are notoriously finicky eaters and with it already being underweight and stressed from being handled you really need to let him rest and get used to his new environment. Also, I really don't think it's a good idea to ever take your herp outside when it's in the 50's unless your taking it to a show to sell. I'm sure they don't like it. Good luck :)

Update;

I have been sitting by Riley's tank and, every now and again, he makes a squeak like popping noise. It sounds as though it is coming from
his nostrils.

I called the 24 hour reptile facility and they said, based on clinical signs, that chances are good that my baby has IBD.


he rolled over onto his back and hasn't fixed himself.

its only a matter of time now, I suppose.

my heart is in shambles. :/.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CarrieAnnx3

Update;

I have been sitting by Riley's tank and, every now and again, he makes a squeak like popping noise. It sounds as though it is coming from
his nostrils.

I called the 24 hour reptile facility and they said, based on clinical signs, that chances are good that my baby has IBD.


he rolled over onto his back and hasn't fixed himself.

its only a matter of time now, I suppose.

my heart is in shambles. :/.

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calm down. feed it. relax. feed it. breathe. the ideal scenario is that it eats, and gets in shape over time, and the problems go away, and i would FIRST try that out before going into panic-mode. its so thin, anything may be anything or nothing. why the heck would they not let you use the scale? but then.... get your own one.

EDIT: i dont buy the mention of "ibd" at all. its likely to not be true, and clearly not helpful.

I'm trying. I'm a worrier. Always have been. Hah.

my dad won't let me use it because he uses it in the kitchen. He doesn't want animals and food mixing, even if it can be cleaned. I can understand that.

when he's not thrashing around and contorting himself, he refuses to move at all. He did just try to eat a piece of substrate, though. I noticed earlier that he is no longer constricting to hold on when he was in my hand. He was very stiff before I put him back in his tank.

my gut just says that something is wrong. I can't help that. :/

Update;

Riley passed away sometime this morning. We are calling the shop and seeing what they can/will do about it since he's only been with me for two days.

they said to bring him in tomorrow and talk to their reptile manager.

i am absolutely heartbroken.