Acting Strange...

[jdwatermann]

So past couple weeks my 1350g Female NBP has been acting a little strange. She didnt want to eat on her normal 2 week cycle. Which i understand is not a big deal since it is winter and mating season.

She comes out at night regularly and tries to find away to escape. She normally sleeps or is in her hide during the day time like normal. But lately she has been adventuring during the day too which isn't like her.

the main reason i am posting this is because i have noticed she has become very dull in appearance and her top scales are not smooth and shinny anymore, kindof have a very fine sandpaper feeling.
she just finished a shed on December 24. And she hasn't shown any of the signs of going into another shed since then.

I was wondering if this is a sign of a illness or health issues. Or tank related problems.


humidity is 45-55% regularly
warm side is 90
cool side is 78

[Jenn]

Right off-hand I notice two things. Your humidity could be higher. I like 70% or so all the time. And, it sounds to me like your snake is hungry.

[Vypyrz]

Are you feeding live, F/T, and what size?

[jdwatermann]

i offered her a normal size meal monday and she was uninterested.

I feed live large rats.

ill boost humidity little bit but i have had it around there for 8 months now and now problems with shed. thats why this is really odd to me.

[Toronto Python Gurus]

So past couple weeks my 1350g Female NBP has been acting a little strange. She didnt want to eat on her normal 2 week cycle. Which i understand is not a big deal since it is winter and mating season.

She comes out at night regularly and tries to find away to escape. She normally sleeps or is in her hide during the day time like normal. But lately she has been adventuring during the day too which isn't like her.

the main reason i am posting this is because i have noticed she has become very dull in appearance and her top scales are not smooth and shinny anymore, kindof have a very fine sandpaper feeling.
she just finished a shed on December 24. And she hasn't shown any of the signs of going into another shed since then.

I was wondering if this is a sign of a illness or health issues. Or tank related problems.


humidity is 45-55% regularly
warm side is 90
cool side is 78

Normal 2 week Cycle? I feed my babies (0-6 months) every 5-7 days everyone else gets fed every 7-10 days. . . she might be hungry

[singingtothewheat]

i offered her a normal size meal monday and she was uninterested.

I feed live large rats.

ill boost humidity little bit but i have had it around there for 8 months now and now problems with shed. thats why this is really odd to me.

I don't know for sure what you mean by large but I would think it too big. 1 and a half size of the head is the size you want.

[Jenn]

Is there any chance the rats you are trying to feed her are too large?

[kc261]

A BP missing a meal or 2 is nothing to worry about. From what you've posted, I'd guess the reason is that the meals you are giving her are too large. BPs will often take a break from feeding if they've been eating a lot, to sort of even things out. Many people report that their BPs eat more consistently if they are given smaller meals.

I'm more concerned about why she would appear dull and sandpapery so soon after a shed. The first thing I'd try is to increase the humidity or offer a humid hide.

How and where are you measuring the humidity? If you are using one of those dial gauges, it may not be accurate; digital ones are MUCH more reliable. Or if you aren't measuring it at the correct location, it might not represent the conditions the snake is actually experiencing. Many people make the mistake of putting a thermometer or humidity gauge halfway up the side of the tank, like you usually see in pet stores, but snakes spend very little time halfway up the tank.

Winter usually means drier air, so that might explain why she is having trouble now when she wasn't in the past.

[jdwatermann]

A BP missing a meal or 2 is nothing to worry about. From what you've posted, I'd guess the reason is that the meals you are giving her are too large. BPs will often take a break from feeding if they've been eating a lot, to sort of even things out. Many people report that their BPs eat more consistently if they are given smaller meals.

I'm more concerned about why she would appear dull and sandpapery so soon after a shed. The first thing I'd try is to increase the humidity or offer a humid hide.

How and where are you measuring the humidity? If you are using one of those dial gauges, it may not be accurate; digital ones are MUCH more reliable. Or if you aren't measuring it at the correct location, it might not represent the conditions the snake is actually experiencing. Many people make the mistake of putting a thermometer or humidity gauge halfway up the side of the tank, like you usually see in pet stores, but snakes spend very little time halfway up the tank.

Winter usually means drier air, so that might explain why she is having trouble now when she wasn't in the past.

THANK YOU!!!!!

finally someone who will answer my question i am conscerend about. I did add a humid hide and up the humidity. It was just really odd that she looks that way.

And i offered her food monday but she wasnt really interested and shied away. She has eattin the size rats i have given her b4 many times so do you still think i should keep it to a smaller size? i think she has been eatting that size rat since October of 09.