Snake Defecation Inquiry

Hello Community

I am a first time reptile owner with a ball python that just short of 24". The temperature is constant, and the humidity is kept constantly between 50%-65%, and it has a couple hiding spots and a water bowl. I've had it for about seven months. It has shed probably two or three times since I've had it. I feed my ball python once a week on hoppers. Its defecation schedule was pretty routine (every three or four feedings), with the urates here and there between. Usually when it pooped, its tail end would get a little bigger, and there would be a poop in the cage a couple days later. After its last shed however (early December), the..."lump" (for lack of a better term) is taking longer to appear, and it has not urinated for a while. I'm starting to get concerned, and I admit I'm a little neurotic when it comes to a new pet, but I wanted to verify the validity of my concerns.

I appreciate your guidance. =]

Are You feeding Hopper Mice?

Make sure the size of the prey item you are feeding is sufficient.

It should be about the same thickness as the thickest point on the snakes body. Hopper mice would be much too small, and I would recommend weanling rats or rat pups for a snake that size.

Also, what are the temperatures you have in the cage exactly?

It should be a rat pup or even a small rat! My 6 month old is on small rats every 5 days!

Also, don't be worried if your snake hasn't pooped in a long time. It is fairly common for them to hold it well over a month. As long as the area around the vent isn't getting hard, you are good.

Why yes! I am feeding it hopper mice. Ironically, I posted this question a bit after I had fed my snake. The next day, it appeared to still be showing hunting behaviour (where it pokes its head out of its shelter.) So maybe I'm not, in fact, feeding it enough...

The temperature in the hottest spot in the hot part of the box is ~100deg, then gradiates to ~70 in the cool part of the box. Would adult mice still be acceptable?

Hi,

Your temps are WAY out if you are measuring them right. :(

Are you measuring with a digital thermometer inside the hides the animal spends most of its time in? Or are you using those stick on analogue dials half way up the enclosure walls?

Try and aim for 80-82f in the cool end hide and 90-94f in the warm end hide.


dr del

This is how I came up with the temperatures: The thermometer I use is a dial thermometer, the kind that uses a metal ring to determine temperature. I measured directly under the heat lamp; that was ~100. The temperature at the other end of the box was ~70. I didn't measure the inside of the hide shelter. Can I use an under-tank heater for the cool side if it is, in fact, too cold?

Those dial thermometers are no good. They are very well known for being wrong. Get yourslef some digital thermometers with probes.

If your temps are in fact 100* on the hot side, that is enough to burn your snake.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

If your temps are in fact 100* on the hot side, that is enough to burn your snake.

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I really dont know if that is true...given that is way hotter than I keep my snakes.....thats not unheard of to get that hot in Africa....LOL


It is right now.....7:45 in ghana....and already 81F out........be real.

If you have ever been outside in the sun in 90-100* weather then you know you can easily get sunburned. If a snake is sitting under a 100* light 24/7 it can also get burned.

Ya seriously..lets all advocate that it is alright for new pet owners who come here looking for advice that it is perfectly alright for them to keep there ball pythons hot spot at 100 degrees. Lets see how many threads are made shouting out about how there new pet is totally " happy and healthy" or " why is my snake sick..why is my snakes belly bright red...why is my snake staying on the cold side..etc etc"

OP you have gotten some good advice...get the probe thermometers and get an accurate reading. Might even be wise to ditch the light and just keep an undertank heater for the hot spot. I hope you arent using both, that would be way too hot imo. Goodluck, keep us updated.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

I really dont know if that is true...given that is way hotter than I keep my snakes.....thats not unheard of to get that hot in Africa....LOL


It is right now.....7:45 in ghana....and already 81F out........be real.

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For short periods of time, I would agree with you (although 100 is only 6 degrees over the recommended 94). Keep in mind that these snakes are primarily nocturnal and do normally hide through the hottest parts of the day.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by demjor19

Keep in mind that these snakes are primarily nocturnal and do normally hide through the hottest parts of the day.

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Oh I didnt know that....thank you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

If you have ever been outside in the sun in 90-100* weather then you know you can easily get sunburned.

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Well lets take a look at WHY we get sunburned first....I will then explain how snake skin is DIFFERENT than human skin.


When you get burned...sunburn rather...synthesis of different proteins and enzymes start to happen in your skin....in your HUMAN skin...not in your SNAKE skin.

The effects of these proteins, notably prostaglandins and cytokines dilates the blood vessels thus giving you your 'redness' and pain.




Now lets talk about skin.......

HUMAN SKIN

http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb...4-6A747F52.gif

Mammals have 3 layers of skin.....Epidermis, dermis, and they hypodermis. Blood vessels are diffused by the dermis to regulate heat with conjunction of the epidermis.

REPTILE SKIN

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.ed....jpg/view.html

In reptiles...there are only TWO layers......dermis and epidermis. Now although there are only two layers...a reptiles epidermis is made up of SEVEN...yes seven layers of "strata"...look it up.

The synthesis of D3...well the start of the synthesis is from the cholesterol precursor yadda yadda yadda formed UV LIGHT

Reptile skin is constantly changing.....all seven layers are always "on the move" to the top....not like our skin where it is continually flaking off of the top layer.



I wont go into nocturnal species of reptiles as their skin differs GREATLY. Yes BP's are nocturnal...but NO they do NOT have nocturnal reptile skin......

There is a difference between sitting on a spot that is 100 degress and sitting outside in the sun when the ambient temperature is 100 degrees.
Kinda like putting your hand on a burner on the stove, compared to sitting outside in the sun during a heat wave.

You are correct there is a difference.

But I think your a bit confused.




Lets say that its 99F outside. (Ambient)

If you were to go measure the ground temperature....it would be warmer. (Spot)

But if you dig deeper...it will cool down....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by starrlamia

Kinda like putting your hand on a burner on the stove, compared to sitting outside in the sun during a heat wave.

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Hm. Tested the temp of a burner today (still playing with my bolometer, guys!) and it was off the scale. Means the temp of that burner was >450F.
:P

Yeah household stove is 2000 to 2100 F

And I've been biting my tongue about this but radiant heat from the sun is not why you get sunburned. Sunburn is caused by UV light.

(back to sitting on my hands)

The point isn't whether or not the sun burns your skin, or how hot it is in africa or how hot a stove gets. It is about having a hot side temp of over 100*F. That is not a suitable temperature for ball pythons. Plain and simple.

Is a snake is sitting on something that is 100*F for too long, it can get hurt.

But moooo-ooo-om. We *like* debating about moderately relevant but slightly tangential topics like whether one's snake sitting on a too-hot UTH is comparable to sitting under direct sunlight or putting one's hand on a hot burner!

(tho I keep parsing the thread title as "Snake Defection Inquiry"....)

Oh my! Thank you everyone for your help! This is the very reason why I joined the forums. =]

First, though, I would like to point out that my snake wasn't sitting in spot that was 100F, only that I measured the hottest spot. The snake is/was actually in a humidity hide rather indirect to the glaring heat. I have since moderated the temperature to ~94-95 in the hottest spot.

but back to the reason this thread was first created, my snake's vent is still a bit bulgy, but not hard. It's very soft, so I guess things are okay. Thanks again!