Hello my BP

MY female Ball Python is about 2 years old, has never missed a feeding. But recently, in the past month, she's become real ashy looking.. I have her with her partner in the same cage ( 1ftx3ft, ) I've tried soaking her in the bathtub with luke warm water, a few times through out the day. ( about 2-3x ) I'm completely puzzled why. The other snake is still very normal looking. Could they be lacking vitamins? My female snake is approximately 24.5inches and my male is 26 3/4 inches long.

You should really only have 1 BP per enclousure. BPs get all their nutrients from the rodents they eat. Pics of the snake would help

You should always house yhe two separate. Also she sounds mighty small to be two years old. How long have you kept the two snakes together? Ashy looking? Is that ashy as in dull like shes going into shed?

Yes, ashy as in like she's going to shed. But she doesn't.. They've ALWAYS been in the same enclosure. I separate them when feeding, they eat 2 small rats each feeding every 8-10 days.

I unfortunately do not have a way of uploading a picture of her, at least not any recent pictures. ( right now.. )


::Edit:: When I bought them almost a year ago, both of the snakes was maybe a foot. They've been in the same cage their whole lives.. ( As far as I know, the people I bought them from had them in the same cage. ) Also, on another note. Even when growing up, my mom and other family has had all of our BP and other snakes in the same cage. ( Not meaning snakes of a different species. ) Providing the tank is big enough.

I haven't the slightest idea what the ashy look could be if its not about to shed.are they both having complete sheds? Idk about housing them together ive always heard its stressful to them which could be the problem, but its hard to get an idea without seeing her.

Even if they've been together their whole life? Could she be lacking vitamins? She hasn't become sluggish or anything, she still seems perfectly normal. Other than the fact she's ashy looking. ( I will try and get a picture up tonight, it's 22:23 where I live and hopefully my neighbor will be awake. )

She won't be lacking vitamins. They get all nutritional value they need from the rodents they consume.

Maybe them being together their whole lives is catching up. Sounds like their growth rates have been a little slow also if they're both only 2 feet. Not sure if stress could affect that.

I'll have pictures of them up shortly. ( They just ate, and I probably shouldn't have handled them, but I couldn't get a good enough picture of them inside the tank.. ) :(

* Please note, I pulled their measurements from my head, I might be a little off, on their ACTUAL Length.

http://imageshack.us/a/img692/994/dd4i.jpg
Delilah


http://imageshack.us/a/img198/7802/dd3o.jpg

Delilah


http://imageshack.us/a/img191/9950/dd2w.jpg
This one here is Drake


http://imageshack.us/a/img707/8969/94268993.jpg

Can you see the ashy-ness of her head? MY camera sucks, so it doesn't show it so clearly on her body. Delilah

Here's a couple pictures of my two snakes, I love them dearly. :)

They're TWO?! How recent are those pics? We have a ~6 mo old BP that is longer and thicker than that and she got a late start on eating proper meals.

I would immediately separate and correct husbandry.

There's no way they are two years old. Maybe two months.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lightheart

MY female Ball Python is about 2 years old, has never missed a feeding. But recently, in the past month, she's become real ashy looking.. I have her with her partner in the same cage ( 1ftx3ft, ) I've tried soaking her in the bathtub with luke warm water, a few times through out the day. ( about 2-3x ) I'm completely puzzled why. The other snake is still very normal looking. Could they be lacking vitamins? My female snake is approximately 24.5inches and my male is 26 3/4 inches long.

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1). It's not recommended for beginners to house snakes together. IMO there is not enough good reasons to do it period.

2). What is your set up like? What do you use to monitor temperatures? Do you have digital or analog thermometers? Do you have a thermostat?

3). That snake is way tiny for a two year old. Especially if she's eating properly sized rats.

4). Stop soaking her. If she IS going into shed, all soaking is going to do is ruin her shed. Water removes the natural oils they have to remove their old skin in one good piece.

Im no expert but the ashy look looks like shes got stuck shed covering her completely like she can't shed any off. Idk but its definitely not healthy imo and she is the size of a one or two month old ball. I think you were misinformed about their age and the way you should house/care for them. I think you need to seperate them asap. What do you keep them in, and what are your temps, and humidity? How are you checking these numbers?

Hi,

It looks like she has retained the whole shed.

What is the humidity?