Way bigger after eating.

So, I've fed my BP for the third time, two days ago. My daughter took her out today and she looks wayyy bigger (fatter):confusd. Is that normal? Is she still digesting? :confusd:

More info... It's our first snake and we have had her about a month.

Not sure if I'm qualified enough to be giving advice yet as I've only had my guy for about two months, but my BP is usually a bit fatter after he eats until he poops, but of course he's still a baby so he's just growing naturally as well :)

I was thinking maybe she has to. I haven't found anything in her Viv that looks like urates or waste. I've been worried about that, too. 😒

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Originally Posted by HeathBish

So, I've fed my BP for the third time, two days ago. My daughter took her out today and she looks wayyy bigger (fatter):confusd. Is that normal? Is she still digesting? :confusd:

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Some members weigh the prey & feed according to charts, but my method for feeding most snakes is to never feed prey that is bigger around than the widest part
of the snake (mid-body). So how does that compare to what size prey you fed your BP? Also, what are the temperatures in the cage (warm side & cool side) and
where is the snake spending time now. Did you feed f/t (or live)? It's hard to answer since I don't know how big your snake is OR what you fed her, but my concern
is that sometimes when they are fed a meal that's too large, it ends up being too much for them to digest and instead causes painful bloating. From what you're
describing ("looks wayyy bigger") I think that may be what's going on, & no, it's not normal, it's best avoided.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Some members weigh the prey & feed according to charts, but my method for feeding most snakes is to never feed prey that is bigger around than the widest part
of the snake (mid-body). So how does that compare to what size prey you fed your BP? Also, what are the temperatures in the cage (warm side & cool side) and
where is the snake spending time now. Did you feed f/t (or live)? It's hard to answer since I don't know how big your snake is OR what you fed her, but my concern
is that sometimes when they are fed a meal that's too large, it ends up being too much for them to digest and instead causes painful bloating. From what you're
describing ("looks wayyy bigger") I think that may be what's going on, & no, it's not normal, it's best avoided.

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It may have been too big. She's bigger as you get closer toward the end of her. She's about 5 months and I fed her an adult mouse. It's 81 on the hot side and 77 on the cool side. She's on the hot side. What's going to happen?

I guess I can't add a photo 😔 I'm nervous now.

If the meal was too big:
Well don't handle her & keep your fingers crossed, they generally digest it but may be bloated for a couple days. What actually happens (when & IF it's bigger
than they can handle well) is that some spoilage occurs & some gas can build up, but usually they'll get it down...though they may regurgitate instead, which is
bad for them & really bad for your air quality :rolleyes:. By the way, your hot side is also too cool, so that's not helping either. She needs heat to digest.

But, you say she is bigger towards the tail end? That suggests she may be constipated, but nothing you can do right after feeding her anyway. My biggest
concern was whether or not she is able to digest what you just fed her.

Read up on husbandry here. You'll have a lot of adjusting to do. You'll need a 90° hot side. Thermostat is a must as well. It can originally be a bit overwhelming but once you get everything proper it's easy.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

If the meal was too big:
Well don't handle her & keep your fingers crossed, they generally digest it but may be bloated for a couple days. What actually happens (when & IF it's bigger
than they can handle well) is that some spoilage occurs & some gas can build up, but usually they'll get it down...though they may regurgitate instead, which is
bad for them & really bad for your air quality :rolleyes:. By the way, your hot side is also too cool, so that's not helping either. She needs heat to digest.

But, you say she is bigger towards the tail end? That suggests she may be constipated, but nothing you can do right after feeding her anyway. My biggest
concern was whether or not she is able to digest what you just fed her.

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It is to cool? The ambient temp is 81 but my temp gun is reading 87 just inside the hide she's in. I'm thinking a little warmer than that all the way in there. I feel like I may be failing now and thought I really had a hang of this :(

That sounds a little better. I'd go to the BP Husbandry forum and follow it to the letter. Download free app Tapatalk for easy picture posting.

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Originally Posted by HeathBish

It is to cool? The ambient temp is 81 but my temp gun is reading 87 just inside the hide she's in. I'm thinking a little warmer than that all the way in there. I feel like I may be failing now and thought I really had a hang of this :(

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I was addressing your earlier post & you didn't say ambient.

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Originally Posted by HeathBish

...It's 81 on the hot side and 77 on the cool side....

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And yes, she needs roughly 90* hot side to digest...87* is better but make sure that's accurate on the surface where she is.

The other advice is great. Do try and follow through on that.

Another factor here...
If you had her a month, she may be getting ready to shed. A lot of ball pythons will wait to poop when that happens.
Hopefully that is the case.

If she doesn't shed this week and she still looks really bloated, I would hold off on feeding her that week. Skipping one meal won't hurt.
If it's over a week with no shed and no poop, I would consider a vet appointment. If she becomes lethargic, that is an emergency and do not wait.

I turned the che up a bit. I'm going to be up all night worried now. She is in her hide but has her head peaking out. Is that normal? Everything she's doing now, I'm questioning. My animals may as well be considered one of the kids because I worry for them all the same. Pretty much lol.

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Originally Posted by HeathBish

I turned the che up a bit. I'm going to be up all night worried now. She is in her hide but has her head peaking out. Is that normal? Everything she's doing now, I'm questioning. My animals may as well be considered one of the kids because I worry for them all the same. Pretty much lol.

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The warm hide? Yes, that's quite normal. Get some sleep... ;) My kids all have scales (or fur) too.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

The warm hide? Yes, that's quite normal. Get some sleep... ;) My kids all have scales (or fur) too.

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Yes. In her warm hide. Do you think she will be ok?

It's been over two days, now, since I fed her. I usually get her meals from the pet store but drove to Lancaster to check out the local exotic pet shop and got her bulk. I shouldn't have strayed. :colbert:

Ok I downloaded the app so I can upload photos. It's not great but you can kind of see what I'm talking about. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...135485a78e.jpg

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by HeathBish

Yes. In her warm hide. Do you think she will be ok?

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I'm not even seeing her, so it's pretty hard to say. I'd have to guess most of us have, at one time or another (when we were new to keeping snakes), fed prey that
was bigger than we should have, and most of the time, it's O.K.- but those rare occasions when they barf it up :O are pretty memorable & really drive the lessons
home, lol. For now, try to relax...what's done is done.

IF he barfs it up though, you'll need to withhold all food for at least 3 weeks, to give time for digestive enzymes to be replaced, otherwise he'd be likely to barf up the
next meal, even a small one...and that can cause dehydration+ if there's another regurgitation, so you do NOT want to go there.

I had a large BCI for many years, & usually fed her small to medium rats (pre-killed, of course), even though she was big enough to eat a large rat. Well, when I finally
gave her a large rat, I felt horribly guilty because sure enough, she had trouble digesting it: for 2 days (best I recall) she got bigger instead of smaller, & I felt SO bad,
knowing she was very uncomfortable. Huge relief when her digestion finally got the job done without regurgitating it. Whew!

Ha, you posted a photo while I was typing...but no, I cannot see any real issues in that photo. Too far away, & not seeing whole snake.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Ha, you posted a photo while I was typing...but no, I cannot see any real issues in that photo. Too far away, & not seeing whole snake.

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Lol... I'll check on her in the morning. I'll try and get a better photo if she doesn't look better. I sure hope she does.

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Originally Posted by HeathBish

Lol... I'll check on her in the morning. I'll try and get a better photo if she doesn't look better. I sure hope she does.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

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Yeah, don't pick her up to photograph...and do let her rest.