Please Help ! -Baby Ball Python Question !!

[Mrog10]

I recently bought a baby ball python who is now about 5 months old. When I first got him he was eating fine and I was feeding him frozen fuzzies (which he ate with no problem). I fed him once a week and he seemed content. In the last 4 weeks I have been feeding small mice but he has been refusing food (it has been 2 weeks since his last meal). Also he started to shed for the first time since I had him a couple weeks ago and he did not shed all at once so I soaked him in warm water which seemed to help but he still has not shed his head. Also when he defecates it looks like his vent gets very distended and large and it almost looks like something pink is coming out !.. He has done that 3 times when defecating that I noticed so I thought it was normal but now I am not sure. I am a first time BP owner and am trying my best to keep him healthy.. I would really appreciate some advice on if thee things are normal and what I can do about them. If he doesn't eat soon though I will find a vet in the area that can help me out ..


PLEASE.. any advice would be awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Meltdown Morphs]

One thing about ball pythons is that their feeding habits are not always stable. Even if conditions are perfect they may choose to stop eating for whatever reason they feel.A Ball python not eating for a few weeks is nothing to call a vet over tho.
Also by "frozen fuzzies" do you mean rat fuzzies or mice,as I would think mice fuzzies are way too small for him.

You said its been 2 weeks since his last meal, and also said he started shedding 2 weeks ago,that there is likely your culprit. Many snakes don't eat, much less want to be bothered when they are going thru the shedding process as their vision is poor and are probably more easily stressed during that time.

Soaking him to help get his shed off was a good thing, but getting the shed on his head off is probably the most important as the old eye caps need to come off with every shed. And the way he defecates sounds pretty normal, long as nothing pink/red is still hanging outside his vent 'after' hes finished his business.
You can provide a bit more humidity to see if he works the head shed skin off himself, otherwise you may have to assist which is likely going to be further stressful to him. If you/him can get that old skin off, let him be for a day or two then try to offer food again.

[Skilla6000]

Take him to someone with experience to get that shed off his head don't use tweezers or anything you might rip his eyes out. Also for feeding make sure you're feeding 10-15% of his body weight. As for the pink/red thing if its cing out take him to the vet.

[4theSNAKElady]

I believe sometimes males may evert their hemipenes when they have a "strainer" of a poop.. That could be the pink thing ur seeing

Sent from my H866C using Tapatalk 2

[Tannerrrtx]

Is there any pinkness on the vent when he's not pooping?

[Salazar0201]

Mine just did the same thing while pooping!!! It all went back in and nseething is out now. I'm also a new BP owner so I didn't know if this was normal or not..?

[Craiga 01453]

First off, if the shed is stuck only on the head it's not that big of a deal assuming the eye caps were shed. If the eye caps are intact it would be beat to get them off.
As for the pooping thing, also not uncommon, as long as the vent is returning to normal after the business is finished.

Sent from my SM-J327T1 using Tapatalk

[Zincubus]

You could try getting a soaked through , rough textured towel and simply let the snake slither inside the towel , when it's head pops out cover it up with the towel again . Whilst it's crawling through your hands simply apply very GENTLE pressure on its head region ( you can feel it through the towel ) . Generally any stubborn shed and/or eye caps will come off on the towel ...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Starscream]

Just like to point out that this thread is 4 years old....

[Craiga 01453]

Just like to point out that this thread is 4 years old....

Hahahaha, somehow missed that.

Sent from my SM-J327T1 using Tapatalk