Need advice about bp's growth rate

[WingedWolfPsion]

People are being too hard on the OP, but the OP is being FAR too trusting of this local store that gave her dangerously bad advice, and sold her mite-infested snakes.

Honestly, no one has yet asked, 'where did the mites come from'? They probably had them when she got the snakes.

If they have mites, could they have other parasites? Yep. One possible explanation for the female's failure to grow is that she may have internal parasites. However, I think it's likely that they were simply being under-fed.

However, if they don't get their appetite back in a week or so of being cleared of mites, the parasite scenario should be considered.

Many ball pythons hate huge cages, so moving them into a split 75 gallon tank is completely inappropriate for this species. First, it's too large--these agoraphobic snakes spend most of their lives inside rodent burrows, and a lot of them refuse food when kept in a large enclosure. Second, keeping heat and humidity in a giant glass tank is an exercise in frustration. Ball pythons need 60% humidity, 80F air temperatures, and a 90F basking area. Warm, humid air rises...and floats right out of a mesh topped tank.

Please, stop taking advice from people who run a pet store and clearly believe they know what they're doing, because they've been getting away with it, but even more clearly DON'T have proper husbandry for their animals. They sold you snakes crawling with parasites. Why are you still listening to them? Just because someone has been doing things for a long time does not mean they've been doing them correctly.

For the record, I've spoken with a local herp store owner in my area who's personally witnessed ball python cannibalism. So, rare or not, it happens. When does it happen? Usually with hatchlings under one year of age. The smaller snake is definitely at risk.

The cannibal ball python I mentioned above survived and went on to eat rodents and do just fine. I also had personal experience, a couple of decades ago, with corn snakes--new hatchlings, right out of the egg. We were one bin short, so housed two of them together...a normal hatchling, and one that hatched with a missing eye.
They shed out, and the very next day, before they could be separated, suddenly there was only one fat snake in there....ironically, it was the one-eyed snake who ate its sibling. He also went on to thrive and was adopted out as a pet. His sibling was virtually the same size, but he had no problems digesting his overly large meal.

So, far from having time to worry about it later--this is the time you should worry about it most of all.

Also, every other reptile in your home may also have mites, now. Plan on treating everyone, if you have others.