Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 817

1 members and 816 guests
Most users ever online was 47,180, 07-16-2025 at 05:30 PM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,905
Threads: 249,102
Posts: 2,572,091
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, Pattyhud
Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Mystery Gunk

  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran lk_holla's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-13-2009
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Posts
    396
    Thanks
    74
    Thanked 68 Times in 61 Posts

    Mystery Gunk

    So I was opened up one of my ball pythons cages to find there was some mysterious gunk in the water bowl. it was cloudy and kinda had some stuff resembling the opaque white part found in eggs (the chalazae?). Will male bp's produce sperm plugs and leave them in the water bowl? I can't really think of what else it could be, and i didn't see any more in the rest of the cage. any suggestions?
    0.1 normal - Constantine, 0.1 Spider - Lilu
    3.0 doggies -Charlie (rottweiler), Luke (golden retriever), Dallas (german shepherd)
    1.0 Betta fish - Norris
    1.0 Rat - Forrest (R.I.P Mook and Milo)
    1.0 frenchman

  2. #2
    in evinco persecutus dr del's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-20-2006
    Location
    Edinburgh, Scotland
    Posts
    24,527
    Thanks
    9,263
    Thanked 6,788 Times in 4,306 Posts
    Images: 93

    Re: Mystery Gunk

    Hi,

    There are a couple of possibilities.

    It might be urates dropped in the bowl.

    It might be bacterial growth in the water - how long has it been since you replaced the water and cleaned it out?

    It might be mucus. Have a check on the snake for any signs of an RI or excesss mucus in its mouth. Also check for signs of any dried onto cage decorations.


    dr del
    Last edited by dr del; 12-09-2010 at 01:44 PM. Reason: missed some words out
    Derek

    7 adult Royals (2.5), 1.0 COS Pastel, 1.0 Enchi, 1.1 Lesser platty Royal python, 1.1 Black pastel Royal python, 0.1 Blue eyed leucistic ( Super lesser), 0.1 Piebald Royal python, 1.0 Sinaloan milk snake 1.0 crested gecko and 1 bad case of ETS. no wife, no surprise.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to dr del For This Useful Post:

    lk_holla (12-09-2010)

  4. #3
    BPnet Veteran lk_holla's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-13-2009
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Posts
    396
    Thanks
    74
    Thanked 68 Times in 61 Posts

    Re: Mystery Gunk

    The water usually gets cleaned every week unless they've been especially thirsty and i have to do it more often, it looked fine yesterday so i'm not really sure if bacteria will take hold that quickly. I will double check to make sure its not an RI.
    0.1 normal - Constantine, 0.1 Spider - Lilu
    3.0 doggies -Charlie (rottweiler), Luke (golden retriever), Dallas (german shepherd)
    1.0 Betta fish - Norris
    1.0 Rat - Forrest (R.I.P Mook and Milo)
    1.0 frenchman

  5. #4
    BPnet Senior Member kitedemon's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-01-2010
    Location
    NS Canada
    Posts
    6,062
    Thanks
    657
    Thanked 1,795 Times in 1,391 Posts
    Images: 11
    Check the side of the enclosure too for mucus junk that is a RI sign as well. It is unlikely enough bio slime would develop in a day or two it can but isn't likely.

  6. #5
    Banned
    Join Date
    12-18-2009
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Posts
    1,002
    Thanks
    100
    Thanked 122 Times in 114 Posts
    In my bowls if water isn't changed a red slime develops. It's a bacteria that excess amounts of calcium helps to grow. It's not poisonous but I would rather not have it in my guys water bowl.

    My guess is it's a form of bacteria from using tap water. Change the water more regularly and if the problem persist then it's prob your snake.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to MitsuMike For This Useful Post:

    lk_holla (12-10-2010)

  8. #6
    BPnet Veteran steveboos's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-21-2009
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
    Posts
    1,535
    Thanks
    296
    Thanked 317 Times in 299 Posts

    Re: Mystery Gunk

    Quote Originally Posted by MitsuMike View Post
    In my bowls if water isn't changed a red slime develops. It's a bacteria that excess amounts of calcium helps to grow. It's not poisonous but I would rather not have it in my guys water bowl.

    My guess is it's a form of bacteria from using tap water. Change the water more regularly and if the problem persist then it's prob your snake.
    Ahh the fun of living in the South and having extremely hard water, always fun.

    As long as the snake is healthy and there is no RI, it should all be fine, maybe just clean the whole cage out really well and see if it comes back.
    6.5.15 Animals
    1.2 Pomeranian's
    0.1.15 Tropical Fish
    2.2 Snakes:
    0.1 2009 100% Het Piebald
    0.1 Normal
    1.0 Green Tree Python
    1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to steveboos For This Useful Post:

    lk_holla (12-10-2010)

  10. #7
    BPnet Veteran sookieball's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-03-2010
    Location
    Baldwin Park, California, United States
    Posts
    2,333
    Thanks
    863
    Thanked 416 Times in 388 Posts
    not to be a butt but i think you should change your water more often than once a week.

    but mystery gunk... idk... listen to the more knoledgeable...
    0.1 Normal (Sookie)
    1.0 Pastel (Syler)
    0.1 BumbleBee (Scully)
    1.0 Butter (Gimme)
    0.1 Mojave (Saffy)
    1.0 Albino (Leopold)
    1.0 Pinstripe (Triston)
    1.0 Basset/Beagle Mix (Bilbo)
    0.1 Basset Hound (Mimi)
    a bunch of red eared sliders
    and the oldest, male pit/mix Corky. 18yrs strong.

  11. #8
    BPnet Veteran AGoldReptiles's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-30-2010
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    226
    Thanks
    220
    Thanked 101 Times in 76 Posts

    Re: Mystery Gunk

    Male BP's will leave hemipenial sheds usually in there water bowls. They are commonly referred as "sperm plugs" but they are hemipenial sheds.

    Is it a male? If so thats him telling you hes ready to visit some lady friends.

    Anthony
    Selective Buying + Selective Breeding = Select Results!

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to AGoldReptiles For This Useful Post:

    lk_holla (12-10-2010)

  13. #9
    BPnet Senior Member kitedemon's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-01-2010
    Location
    NS Canada
    Posts
    6,062
    Thanks
    657
    Thanked 1,795 Times in 1,391 Posts
    Images: 11

    Re: Mystery Gunk

    Quote Originally Posted by MitsuMike View Post
    In my bowls if water isn't changed a red slime develops. It's a bacteria that excess amounts of calcium helps to grow. It's not poisonous but I would rather not have it in my guys water bowl.

    My guess is it's a form of bacteria from using tap water. Change the water more regularly and if the problem persist then it's prob your snake.
    Wow where I am they add so much chlorine it kills everything I have to filter the water before use (for my snakes and for me too!) I would get a slick coating eventually (like 2 weeks) but I never let it go much longer than 2 or 3 days for the snakes! (the plant watering can is a different story...)

  14. #10
    BPnet Veteran lk_holla's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-13-2009
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Posts
    396
    Thanks
    74
    Thanked 68 Times in 61 Posts

    Re: Mystery Gunk

    Thanks for the input, This is the first time i've ever had a problem with the water or seen this so I'll start changing it more often. Like I said i change it if stuff gets in it or it gets low, but it at the very least gets changed once a week. I've been using either bottled or distilled water for the snakes since the tap water (even brita filtered water) here isn't even fit for watering plants. I checked for RI and other mucus and didn't see anything abnormal.
    0.1 normal - Constantine, 0.1 Spider - Lilu
    3.0 doggies -Charlie (rottweiler), Luke (golden retriever), Dallas (german shepherd)
    1.0 Betta fish - Norris
    1.0 Rat - Forrest (R.I.P Mook and Milo)
    1.0 frenchman

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1