Belly Full Equals Soaking

[BillinIndiana]

She shed last Oct. 4th.. Since then I believe she has gained about 22 grams in body weight. about 7 grams a week ?

[DooLittle]

Three weeks seems a bit quick, but you never know. How's her humidity? Soaking can actually cause bad sheds, because it robs essential oils needed to shed properly. Perhaps her humidity isn't high enough? What's her hot spot temp?

Edit, missed the 60% humidity. How are you measuring that?

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[BillinIndiana]

Acurite digital therm/humid from Walmart... cool side floor is 77 hot side floor is 84.. Top of her vines (hot spot) is 90

edit: temps taken with pro exotic 2 heat gun

[DooLittle]

Acurite digital therm/humid from Walmart... cool side floor is 77 hot side floor is 84.. Top of her vines (hot spot) is 90

edit: temps taken with pro exotic 2 heat gun

Hmm, still not sure about the soaking. But I would shoot for a hide with temps of 90, rather than up high on vines. Bps aren't really climbers by nature. She may go up there, but its probably only to get warm. A warm hide would be more ideal, imo. I would just keep an eye out for mites, or a shed, and on the humidity.

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[MrLang]

Soaking can actually cause bad sheds, because it robs essential oils needed to shed properly.

It's my understanding that PRE shed cycle soaks are beneficial (I have to assume the snake knows when timing is right), while forcing the snake to soak after it has begun the shed cycle might rob the oils that form during the shed cycle between the skin layers. I've never had a snake pre-soak after they turn opaque. I suspect what we see during the blue phase is the oil forming and loosening/separating the skin layers.


Regardless, safe to assume that if your temps are correct then you should monitor for mites and shedding coming up. Since you've only had the snake 6 weeks, I'm thinking it's a shed and you're just getting used to the way the behavior changes around that time.

[BillinIndiana]

Yeah, she soaked the last meal too, a week ago, but that was just the day after feeding. This time she's been in and out of the dish for 2 days. "In" for the most part of last night and today..?

I'll have to see what the temp gun says the hot side hide is at, probably the same as the floor, but I'll check.

[martin82531]

She weighs 130g her

We'll work on switching to one large rat pretty soon

My apologies if I'm reading this wrong but the ball weighs 130g and you going to attempt at large rat?

- - - Updated - - -

Acurite digital therm/humid from Walmart... cool side floor is 77 hot side floor is 84.. Top of her vines (hot spot) is 90

edit: temps taken with pro exotic 2 heat gun

I would try and bring the hot floor side to 88-90, balls tend to hide more than be out and about, so the top of your vines being at 90 really isn't going to do too much. Your 90 side sounds more of the ambient temperature of the enclosure and this usually good around the 80 degree mark. It also sounds like to you may have problems with your humidity, how are you getting a 90 degree temperature in your tank?

[piedplus]

I agree with Martin that the hot spot should be on the floor. I like to have a nice hide over the hot spot too. Another thing I've discovered about my BP's that have gotten into some distress is that a nice, firm belly stroking seems to do them a world of good (a few days after eating). I know this is a new idea and may simply be specific to a couple of my BP's, but if you try it, I'd like to know if it helps. Good luck!

[BillinIndiana]

Fed her again tonight... 2 hours later right back in the water bowl she went. This must be her new routine? She hasn't soaked since the last feeding. We feed her every 5-7 days? Whenever she starts sniffing the air and roaming around her tank alot..

[arialmt]

I upped the meal size this time, 3, 4 days ago, and caught mine soaking her tail and where the food was.

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/show...mageuser=29027

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/show...mageuser=29027


(There were no mites in the water when she was finished, so I am not worried.)
I would take the floor temp increase advice but would not worry too much about the soaking unless your vet advises you otherwise.
Maybe she is trying to loosen something for you to clean up later.