What is it like to own a BEL?

Hi, I was wondering what it is like owning a BEL. I'm getting one next Saturday and want to be prepared. I've heard it's harder to tell when they go into shed and what not. Hoping to hear from people who have some experience with this morph. Thank you!

I’ve had mine about 2 months and yea I never noticed him going into shed until I found the actual shed.


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I've kept other albino snakes, but not a BEL; either way, yes...shed cycles can easily get by you but it gets easier with practice. My personal method is to shine
a small flashlight beam onto the curve of their eyes in a dark room...there's a huge difference between "blue" & normal, you'll see.

I don't think it's any more difficult to discern impending shed with my BEL than it is my other snakes. It's possibly even a bit easier because she tends to go light pink all over instead of just on her belly. Her eyes also go fully opaque despite them being blue.

Now personality-wise, my BEL is kind of a jerk lol. She was one of my bucket list BP's and is now the only BP I have to take care not to get tagged by. Here's hoping she settles down eventually.

I have never had a problem determining when my BluELs (or BlkELs or Ivories) were going to shed. They opaque out just like every ball, the eyes cloud over and, as Whomp noted, they often get a full body pink flush.

I don't have a BEL but I'm wondering if their bellies get pink like other snakes right before shed?

edited: nevermind I just read the post above mine

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Originally Posted by FollowTheSun

I don't have a BEL but I'm wondering if their bellies get pink like other snakes right before shed?

edited: nevermind I just read the post above mine

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My Albino royals don’t but my Pied does get a pink belly ..


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Same as owning anything else when it comes to shed, belly becomes reddish and eyes become clowdy.

The only difference is to keep a white snake white :rolleyes:

Thanks everyone for the replies ! Is it harder to keep them clean ? I'm going to be using Cypress mulch in her tub . Everything is set up and I'm currently letting it run for a few days (6) to make sure it heats well before she arrives. She will be at the bottom of the rack. Not sure how many quarts her tub is but I was told it could fit a full grown male. My biggest ball is 402g so I haven't experienced an adult being in the tub yet. They all have room to move around. Really excited to have my first all white ball python and I appreciate the help from you guys.

Was also wondering if the pink hue while going into shed will stay when she's an adult? She's 237g as of yesterday. Breeder said she shed a few weeks ago so I should expect her to shed soon. I can see where the pink belly will be easier to spot on her since she is white, not sure why I didn't think of that as it is how I can tell on my other bps. Think I was thinking more along the lines of the eyes being a lighter blue shade.

Here is a picture of her currently. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...899e55b734.jpg

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Originally Posted by Kamr

Thanks everyone for the replies ! Is it harder to keep them clean ? I'm going to be using Cypress mulch in her tub . Everything is set up and I'm currently letting it run for a few days (6) to make sure it heats well before she arrives. She will be at the bottom of the rack. Not sure how many quarts her tub is but I was told it could fit a full grown male. My biggest ball is 402g so I haven't experienced an adult being in the tub yet. They all have room to move around. Really excited to have my first all white ball python and I appreciate the help from you guys.

Was also wondering if the pink hue while going into shed will stay when she's an adult? She's 237g as of yesterday. Breeder said she shed a few weeks ago so I should expect her to shed soon. I can see where the pink belly will be easier to spot on her since she is white, not sure why I didn't think of that as it is how I can tell on my other bps. Think I was thinking more along the lines of the eyes being a lighter blue shade.

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Mine doesn’t get any dirtier than my others. Mine also has a pink hue to him all the time which makes the pink belly kind of a null point with him.


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Originally Posted by Kamr

Is it harder to keep them clean ?

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Let me just put it this way... When your normal coloured ball python leaves you a brown mess to clean up you probably will not notice if he crawls through it before you get to cleaning. With a BluEL (or BlkEL or Ivory or Albino) you will most certainly notice who crawled through it LOL

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Originally Posted by Kamr

Was also wondering if the pink hue while going into shed will stay when she's an adult?

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I have white snakes ranging up to 2000g and they all get pink before a shed.

Just to pile on...

It's very easy to tell when my guy is going into shed by the rosy-pink hue he sports and the cloudy eyes. Boom, one week later a nice, new pearly white snake. I use Reptile Prime bedding and it never leaves him "dirty". Only if he crawls thru water and then thru his substrate, but honestly I don't think you're going to pay much attention. It just brushes off. I don't know if mine is just a neat-freak or what, but he's never crawled thru his poop. Then again I spot clean daily, so he doesn't have much chance to revisit it.

BELs are beautiful snakes. Sometimes I just stare endlessly at him and marvel. You're going to love having one!