Questions about two of my BPs health

[Frothy]

Both of these were rescues, and they are both normals.

The first one is somewhere between 5-10 years old, never got a good set number from the guy, so I just say 7-ish. I believe it is a male, and while I am still practicing popping, I believe I have gotten good enough at it to tell, even on him. However, if/when I pop him, sometimes the scent glands (if that's what the small things beside the hemipenes on the side are) secrete a smooth and half liquid/half solid brown substance (almost like a thicker ketchup-type substance, except a mid-to-dark brown in color). Is this normal? Am I pushing too hard that is making this happen? Or is it a sign of an infection or something? He was in very rough shape when I got him, tons of scars (including most of his belly, since the heating source on bottom wasn't temp regulated and I think it was left on 24/7 and was under the only hide in the cage), mites, etc., and he is still somewhat skittish, but not near as bad as he used to be. He has shed some of the scars away, is mite-free, and if I hadn't noticed this issue while popping him, I would have thought he was back to perfect health.

The other question I have is a smaller normal female, probably 6-8 months old, and she has almost always felt somewhat dry to the touch. She was really bad when I first got her, but after she shed her first time while I have owned her, she was fine (felt slick and smooth like a normal healthy BP) for a while, and noticeably better than when I first rescued her, but she seems to be drying up slightly again. By dry I mean when you hold her the scales just seem a bit dry and not as smooth and slick as normal when holding other, healthy snakes. She has a tendency to sit in her water bowl, which none of my others do. So if it is a dehydration issue, is it something internal? My humidity and temp levels are good/correct, based on all my research on here and the behavior of the other BPs, she just seems like there might be something bothering her. Or is she just getting ready to shed again, and hers is just more noticeable than others?

If there is a link to finding any good or local herp vets, I would appreciate that as well, although I don't have the money for it right now, it would be helpful to have. There are a couple vets around here, but they tend to know mostly stuff for mammalians (farm country) instead of others.

[LLLReptile]

The first one sounds more like a female that you are squeezing the scent glands of; what are you popping that makes you think it's a boy?

The second one sounds like she just needs to shed again. You could try adjusting her hiding places to be heavier and/or slightly smaller, so she feels safer and stops soaking so much in her water bowl.

Pics would help too

Neither of them sound like they have serious health issues, if that makes ya feel better.

-Jen

[Frothy]

The first one sounds more like a female that you are squeezing the scent glands of; what are you popping that makes you think it's a boy?

The second one sounds like she just needs to shed again. You could try adjusting her hiding places to be heavier and/or slightly smaller, so she feels safer and stops soaking so much in her water bowl.

Pics would help too

Neither of them sound like they have serious health issues, if that makes ya feel better.

-Jen

The first one I am almost positive is a male because while I haven't been able to pop the hemipenes completely, I have gotten them partially out (where there are two dark pink/reddish/purplish areas/sections that slightly protrude but not fully), and I have also gotten the 'essence of a male' to come out once. Is it usually dried up/light brown on the leading end, or does that just mean it was in there for a while? I put him with my one female that has been locking with two others and while they never locked, they sat with their tails lined up and right next to each other and seemed to have gotten along fine. Since he is still skittish from his previous owners, I think that might have played a part, but not sure.

And yes, the second one was just in mid-shed. I always note and keep track of when they go into pre-shed and when they shed (and almost everything else) and was focusing on the other BP that I forgot to write it down. She feels fine again after she finished her shed.

Thanks for the quick response and letting me know they weren't serious health issues, I was concerned at the time.