Very soft smooth ball python, is that normal

[Ascended]

I have a ball python that feels very different to all the others. Its so soft and smooth. I noticed the first time I touched her and every time after.
Is is a geographical location thing, a normal variation, or is something wrong with her?

I am new to ball pythons so I don't know. I have held them frequently over the years though. I have 14 at the moment. This one though feels so different to all the others.

I have a few pictures but not sure that would help. She does have some stretch marks on the belly scales though if that means anything.

[Erie_herps]

Is she in an enclosure similar to all of your other ones? If she's in a different area with different temperatures or humidity then that could be the cause. How long have you had her for? Pictures would also help, it could be from the previous owner but if you got her from a breeder then it was likely cared for well or at least similar to other pythons they've sold.

[Ascended]

I have only had her a few weeks. She is in my tub rack with the same conditions as 8 others that I have had for a good few months. She felt like this from the first day.
A bit small for a 2019, only 300g. It was not from a breeder. I could not see the conditions it was kept in due to covid restrictions so I couldn't go inside the house.

[Erie_herps]

It looks like the scales seem unusually close together. If they are unusually close together that could be a reason for the texture. Aside from care differences from the previous owner and/or a genetically different snake I'm not sure what could've caused it. You could try breeding her with the intent of seeing if it's a genetically inherited trait. However it shouldn't negatively affect anything.

[jmcrook]

I have only had her a few weeks. She is in my tub rack with the same conditions as 8 others that I have had for a good few months.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...antine-process


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ascended]

Good point. We should quarantine,
I should have clarified. That is my quarantine rack that it is in. by this 'She is in my tub rack with the same conditions as 8 others that I have had for a good few months.' By have had I mean previously. I don't mean they are all still in it. Some of the newer ones still are though.

[Bogertophis]

Good point. We should quarantine,
I should have clarified. That is my quarantine rack that it is in. by this 'She is in my tub rack with the same conditions as 8 others that I have had for a good few months.' By have had I mean previously. I don't mean they are all still in it. Some of the newer ones still are though.

For safe quarantine, any time you add a snake to a group quarantine, the "time clock" starts over for them all- I sure hope that's what you're doing?

[Ascended]

For safe quarantine, any time you add a snake to a group quarantine, the "time clock" starts over for them all- I sure hope that's what you're doing?

More or less.
The reptile couriers here (UK) tend to only deliver once a month. So I have been getting them in batches of a few at a time once a month which helps.
Maybe I should quarantine longer than a month.
I would completely separate an animal if I had concerns during quarantine.
For Bigger or smaller ones I just use a tub with a lid on a heat mat with a thermostat and thermometer. They go in a different room again and i haven't had any of those at similar times that cross over the quarantine period, so that's a bit easier to mange timescales.

[jmcrook]

Maybe I should quarantine longer than a month.

90 days


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ascended]

I have only recently started to keep snakes again. I had none a few months ago. Based on 90 days all my snakes would still be in quarantine and all kept together.
Isn't it better in this particular case to split them up in batches after a month and before the next months batch come in?
That's like quarantine continuing but in batches in different rooms.

Edit: Im not getting any more for some time.