Pink belly???

[Finn0208]

I noticed his belly had a pink tint, he just finished shedding a lil over a week ago, his bedding isn't too hot so he can't be "burnt".....would repti bark that's wet cause this or maybe a reaction to the bark??? Any ideas?



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[StillBP]

What is the temperature on the bottom of the tank under the bedding? This is where you take your temps at as balls tend to burrow

[JodanOrNoDan]

I have seen this after they have laid in pee for a few hours which can occur during mating, I am honestly not sure if it is caused by the dampness alone or irritation from the pee. It has always gone away for me once I get the animals back to a dry (this does not mean low humidity) clean environment. I have all my animals on paper so this is pretty easy to control. It as the above post states could be a heat issue and I would attempt to rule that out immediately.

[L.West]

Wouldn't the snake move to another area of the tank if the temps got to warm in any one area. That is what I've always heard. Just curious.

[JodanOrNoDan]

Wouldn't the snake move to another area of the tank if the temps got to warm in any one area. That is what I've always heard. Just curious.

It is my unscientific opinion that ball pythons have a little bit of an "engineering flaw". If they are too cold they will lay on something that is way too hot because their brain makes the determination that being warm has priority over being too cold.

Regardless if my pet theory is correct or not they are "dumb" enough to burn themselves.

[Finn0208]

I took him out for a while and it went away....I really think he was just too warm but not burnt, he never burrows in his bedding and when I put my hand on it, it's not hot.....the ambient temp was like 85.....not sure what the temp is under the bedding but like I say he was on top of the bedding, he never hides, he is always out


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[JodanOrNoDan]

I took him out for a while and it went away....I really think he was just too warm but not burnt, he never burrows in his bedding and when I put my hand on it, it's not hot.....the ambient temp was like 85.....not sure what the temp is under the bedding but like I say he was on top of the bedding, he never hides, he is always out


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I can guess temps with my hand and get pretty close so I will not say that it cannot be done but I have a lot of animals and have been keeping reptiles for a long time. I always back my guess up with a shot from a heat gun. You need to remember that what feels warm to you is hot for a ball python. My animals run external body temperatures around the 84 to 86 degree range. Human body temperature is 98.6. So if something feels even slightly warm to you it is probably too hot for a ball python.

[Finn0208]

Fair enough, thank you for the info, guess a heat gun purchase is in my future


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