BRB digestive issue

[Malum Argenteum]

I got a 2021 BRB (caramel albino, bred by Jaroslav) in July. Female, though I've been a bit hands-off still and haven't probed to confirm this. She has eaten reliably and well since arrival -- FT hopper mice, pinky and lately fuzzy rats. I haven't been tracking weight (my bad) but she is on the thin side compared to 2021s that I bred (my snakes usually run a bit thick), but not at all unhealthily so. Behavior seems normal and attitude is wonderful -- calm, exploratory. She has a less strong grip than my other 2021s, but perhaps she's just not clingy.

She's in a 28qt tub, on coco chips, humidity around saturation, warm end ~85F cool end ~78F. She doesn't hang on one end or the other of the enclosure, and spends most time in a cork tube sort that spans both zones.

She has, about five times mostly quite recently, dropped undigested fur, feet, tail and once a pelvis in her enclosure. These gifts are clean (no feces) and do not smell other than very slightly sweet (not fecal, and not acidic). They are typically left in the same place she defecates (next to the water bowl). I've had snakes do this once in a great while (hognose), but this is becoming every other feeding or so. I started Nutribac on the last three feedings; a little early to notice results from that, maybe.

She was QTed for about 2 months, and tested negative for crypto, arenavirus, nido and paramyxovirus during that time. She just today had a negative fecal for parasites at the vet.

The next step at the vet is a gastric scope to get a visual look and sample for a decent crypto test. I've heard rumblings of general if minor fragility with morph BRBs, and especially these caramels, and especially non-outcrossed ones from Czech.

Any thoughts? Is there something that isn't sinister that I'm not considering?

[bcr229]

How often do you feed? Also is the hot spot temp on top of the substrate or underneath?

[Malum Argenteum]

Warm end temp is measured on top of substrate with IR gun (just confirmed it at 85). The area she tends to hang out is slightly cooler. I adjust warm side temps according to snakes' behavior, and set it so I see regular thermoregulating between zones. Her body surface temp is currently 81; one of my own 2021s body temp just measured at 79, my adult male at 80, and my pregnant female at 84-85.

Feeding is roughly once a week, though because of the slight thinness I'm starting to to bump up to every five or so days.

[bcr229]

Feeding is roughly once a week, though because of the slight thinness I'm starting to to bump up to every five or so days.

Since BRB's run cooler than other snakes they digest more slowly, so feeding more often than once a week isn't a good idea, especially after it's on larger prey. Also they are supposed to be thin compared to a boa imperator or a ball python. Once mine pass a year old they eat every 10-14 days, and my adults are fed every 21-28 days.

I've read in the BRB groups that it's not unusual for BRB's to puke up hair balls periodically instead of having the hair pass through with the feces.

I would continue with the rat fuzzies as they have less fur than mice, but not more often than once a week.