personality changes

[nicole<3]

I don’t really know if this is the right place to post this but…I have a 6 month old normal male; his personality has changed a lot during the past 2 weeks.
Recently he hasn’t been eating as much. He went from eating 2 adult mice a week to only 1 every 5-7 days. I try and take him out and hold him daily each night and he, for the most part, always let me hold him. This last week when I pick him up he tries to get away, and normally goes in his rock and just shows his head. I change his water bowl every morning, but for the month I’ve had him I’ve never seen him in or around his bowl nor is the water ever dirty.

I ask this because I’ve read ball pythons are normally nonsocial, but should I get another male or female so he won’t be alone and is it normal for him not to go in the water?
I just want to make him as happy has he can possibly be

[nicole<3]

Also his strikes are becoming very sloppy
The last couple of times he getting the stomach or the lower back, and tries to eat the arm for 5-10 minutes or last time he tried eating the butt first

[blueberrypancakes]

Is it possible he might be going into shed? Maybe he's a little cranky cause of that. I would triple check my husbandry (i.e. temps and humidity).

[nicole<3]

I’ve thought he might be going into shed, because he hasn’t in over a month but his eyes haven’t fogged over
But I have all the temps right and I spray the tank every morning

[Daniel Tuttle]

I would not put another snake in his enclosure. That will stress him out and will make the situation worse. As for the water bowl I never see mine go into the water bowl either. he probably uses when he needs to at night. As for the eating sometimes my balls eat the but first. That to me isn't something to worry about. Honestly if he is eating okay and his temps and humidity are good he is probably fine.

You could try letting him be for a couple of days to give him alone time. One of my snakes is pissy right now. So I checked his temps, humidity and i am leaving him be for a week. That usually does the trick for me.

Keep me updated

[nicole<3]

I’ve left him alone for the past couple of days; I’ll try again next feeding time
Thank you for your help

[RetiredJedi]

He really shouldn't go into his water bowl if you have the temps and humidity right. The clouded eyes are really the final stage of the shed right before the skin comes off. It could very well be that he is in shed though and just wants to be left alone and not handled as often for now.
I wouldn't put another snke with him because they aren't social. Some people think that the snakes are cuddling but they are actually competeing for the warmest spot. Being alone and tucked away in his hide spot (warm or cold) means that he his happy.

[Munizfire]

Few things:

1- dont put another snake there! It will stress him/her way more than it is already.

2- maybe try feeding only 1 meal, but bigger? It might help. IDK

3- They rarely soak, unless their husbandry isn't right. My ball drinks more than a drunken Irish, but I have only seen her soak once, and I'm usually awake when she decides to go out for a 'walk'.

4- You mentioned trying to handle him/her on the feeding day. Not the best idea, (I MIGHT BE WRONG, SOMEONE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG) I have hearda couple of times that a hungry BP can be a pissant... And still, you shouldn't handle after feeding.


Just my 2 cents






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[nicole<3]

Few things:
1- dont put another snake there! It will stress him/her way more than it is already.
2- maybe try feeding only 1 meal, but bigger? It might help. IDK
3- They rarely soak, unless their husbandry isn't right. My ball drinks more than a drunken Irish, but I have only seen her soak once, and I'm usually awake when she decides to go out for a 'walk'.
4- You mentioned trying to handle him/her on the feeding day. Not the best idea, (I MIGHT BE WRONG, SOMEONE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG) I have hearda couple of times that a hungry BP can be a pissant... And still, you shouldn't handle after feeding.
Just my 2 cents
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

if i was to get another one i would put it in another cage
ive never once seen him drink water
the mice i feed him i think are too big for him actually, but he wont give a hoppers the time of day it seems
on sundays (feeding day) the only time i hold him is to take him from his tank to his feeding box then back into his tank even then i normally wait till tuesday to hold him again