Male, Female? Is she overweight or just fed? Gravid?

I found this Ball Python outside, having been apparently abandoned next to a tree on a grass island in the middle of my apartment complex's parking lot. I can't quite tell if it's male or female, and I realize that without a proper probing it's impossible to tell, but I'm wondering if anyone has a strong opinion one way or the other? A friend of mine seems to think that this one is female.

Stretched out: http://i.imgur.com/9L29y.jpg

Underside of tail: http://i.imgur.com/VwxCc.jpg

Friend also seems to think it's possible that she's "pregnant" so to speak based on her width. Even if she had recently fed, she shouldn't be that fat around that much of her body.

Unless she's just fat.

Few more photos: http://i.imgur.com/ZGa8W.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/lMuzr.jpg

Congratulations!!
I'm glad that it was found by someone that actually knew what it was, AND had the brains NOT to kill it!!!
As far as male/female is concerned, yes it needs to be probed to be sexed properly. Unless you are quite proficient with probing or "popping" them, these actions are best done by a vet, which it may need to be seen by a vet just for a wellness checkup.
In my limited experience, it looks quite healthy; not fat or gravid, just healthy. Very sad that someone just abandoned it.

Just noticed that you joined today...
Let me be the first to welcome you to the forum!!

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Originally Posted by mikeandsheleen

Congratulations!!
I'm glad that it was found by someone that actually knew what it was, AND had the brains NOT to kill it!!!

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When I walked outside, 3 guys were hanging out their car shining a flashlight at it going "Hey man watch out for the snake! It's huge! It a'int no garden snake its a rattler or boa or something call the police!"

I saw what it was and knew s/he would be relatively harmless. Second Ball python I've had now, though the first was only for a few years and quite a while ago.

Nice find,glad to see it has found a good home :gj:

Sad that someone just left it. But I'm super happy to hear that you picked him/her up and are willing to give it a good home. S/he looks nice and healthy, but I agree that a vet visit would be beneficial.

Welcome to the forum!

Not fat all. Ball pythons have a thicker body frame. It looks fairly healthy. Make sure it's heat and humidity are correct (check the care sheet provided on this site) and thank you for picking it up! :)

Thank goodness it was you and not one of those people yelling to watch out. They probably would have hurt it.

that a real nice looking snake too someone either is an butt hole and didn't care or it got out as they moved
I agree a wellness check might be called for ( since it cold around here and about an hour north west they saying it possibly snowing)

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Originally Posted by heathers*bps

Sad that someone just left it. But I'm super happy to hear that you picked him/her up and are willing to give it a good home. S/he looks nice and healthy, but I agree that a vet visit would be beneficial.

Welcome to the forum!

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I agree a vet visit to a vet experienced with exotics is in order to check the mouth and do a culture just to be sure it doesn't have an RI. Since you don't know how long it was out or what kind of husbandry it was previously kept in, you want to rule out respiratory infection. If left unchecked they can get pretty bad and become life threatening.

I agree, s/he is not fat or gravid just healthy. Glad you found it and not somebody else. People really need to be educated about ball pythons. Take a look at a care sheet. And lastly welcome to BP.net, good luck and hope to see more posts from you :D

In case anyone is interested I put up a webcam feed of the snake

http://maholand.dyndns.org:8081/

Not sure if it'll be a permanent thing or anything, but it's up and the quality isn't half terrible :)

It could be an escapee and not abandoned... you could post a notice or talk to the apartment manager to see if the owner is looking for it.

Were you wearing a hockey glove to hold it?? lol

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Originally Posted by Lawlcat

In case anyone is interested I put up a webcam feed of the snake

http://maholand.dyndns.org:8081/

Not sure if it'll be a permanent thing or anything, but it's up and the quality isn't half terrible :)

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I could be mistaken but it looks like you don't have a hide for her, you need to get a hide for her a.s.a.p. as she can become stressed if she does not have a place to hide. It's very important to have a hide for your snake and IMO it's something they need even if they don't use it, it's better that they have the option. And i've never personally seen a ball python that doesn't use it's hide. Also she needs a bigger water dish because ball pythons like to soak or lay in their water the whole body.

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Originally Posted by Rat160

Were you wearing a hockey glove to hold it?? lol

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Motorcycle glove :) I wasn't sure it's temperament and I wasn't taking any chances when I was bringing it inside

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Originally Posted by evan385

I could be mistaken but it looks like you don't have a hide for her, you need to get a hide for her a.s.a.p. as she can become stressed if she does not have a place to hide. It's very important to have a hide for your snake and IMO it's something they need even if they don't use it, it's better that they have the option. And i've never personally seen a ball python that doesn't use it's hide.

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There's one on the far side of the cage, it's out of light of the camera. On the other side of the rock is a half log she can go under

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Originally Posted by Lawlcat

There's one on the far side of the cage, it's out of light of the camera. On the other side of the rock is a half log she can go under

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Okay good well she also needs a bigger water dish if it's not big enough for her whole body, in case you didn't see my edit.

Actually BPs are rarely soakers unless there is a problem such as mites, stuck shed, or being far too hot.. I've only ever had 1 that regularly soaks. Out of about 45 adults at one time and who knows how many babies..

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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

Actually BPs are rarely soakers unless there is a problem such as mites, stuck shed, or being far too hot.. I've only ever had 1 that regularly soaks. Out of about 45 adults at one time and who knows how many babies..

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IMO it's still better to give them the option.

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Originally Posted by evan385

IMO it's still better to give them the option.

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I'm not saying you're wrong, just that it's a good idea for the OP to know that it isn't exactly normal for most BPs. That way if this particular BP soaks all the time, they will know to check for possible problems.

Yeah, there's a good chance it's an escapee. Looks healthy---a lot of bps get plump this time of year, storing up for their winter breeding season fast. In fact, it looks so healthy, I have a hard time believing somebody took that kind of care of it just to dump it.

And where do you live that you still have grass and the poor thing didn't freeze to death outside this time of year?

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Originally Posted by loonunit

And where do you live that you still have grass and the poor thing didn't freeze to death outside this time of year?

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Orlando, FL :)

Low of 60 tonight ;)

I think I would agree with the others. It looks as though it has been well cared for. While I can believe people would abandon an animal, I find it hard to believe if you took that good a care of an animal that you would simply drop it outside. I mean there are plenty of people that would take a free snake off craigslist even, so why just plop it outside? Seems more likely that it might have escaped. I would try posting something on craigslist that you found a snake, don't even put that its a ball, that way if somebody contacts you then you can ask them to describe the snake.

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Originally Posted by Lawlcat

Friend also seems to think it's possible that she's "pregnant" so to speak based on her width. Even if she had recently fed, she shouldn't be that fat around that much of her body.

Unless she's just fat.

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Yes, it SHOULD be that fat. Looks like a healthy weight for a non breeding ball python. Ball pythons shouldn't be skinny like a corn snake, likewise they shouldn't be as plump as a blood python.

As has been said, you cannot tell gender simply by looking at the tail, although some say a longer tail usually means a male and yours has a long tail. But, that is just a guess. I'll say there is a 50% chance its a male. ;)

Beautiful snake. I can't believe somebody would drop the poor thing off. :confused: Even if you can't find the owner, I am glad it has a good home now. Welcome to BP.net! :D

I think you and the snake are both lucky on this one you found a beautiful animal and it got some one who isn't half retarded, just a little joke pleas no one take offence, but seriously congrats and welcome.

It doesn't look fat or gravid, just normal.