Is this normal?

[Sgt7212]

Ok, These may seem like silly questions, but I always like to doublecheck/ verify if anything seems out of the ordinary to me. I’d rather be safe than sorry with respect to my animals’ well-being.

So I got home last night to find Cuddles had shed and left a fresh turd under her hide. Shed came off in pieces, which I attributed to my struggle to keep humidity levels up while awaiting my tub rack, but everything did come off. The odd thing is that her eyes never really clouded up. I see her every day when spot cleaning her enclosure and with her dull appearance, I thought she was going to go blue any day. Instead i came home to a freshly and fully shed little girl. Is it normal for their eyes to not cloud up much or at all when they shed?

Second question: She has taken 1 full large mouse (20-25grams) every 6 days since I got her, for a total of 3 feedings. Tomorrow will be her 4th feeding if I stick to every 6 days (today if i go to every 5 days). She supposedly ate the week before I got her. She pooped once the night before her 2nd feeding and then went 2 weeks before going again last night. I never used to weigh my red tail boas when I had them years ago. Back in the late 90’s, I just went off looks, behavior and appetite to judge if they were doing well.

With that being said, I got a postal scale last week and weighed her Tuesday, right before her last feeding and she was 165g. I weighed her again last night after shed and poop and she was still 165g 4 days later. Is it normal for them to not gain weight during a shed? Or could that just be because she didn’t poop before her last feeding? Should I only weigh after she poops instead of right before feeding?

Third question: When my boas used to poop, it always looked like a cat turd that had picked up some fur. When Cuddles first pooped, it looked the same. Her 2nd one last night looked like a regular cat turd and I couldn’t see any fur. I videoed her last feeding so I know she didn’t grab my razor from the bathroom and shave the mouse before eating it... So is it normal for a turd to show no signs of fur? Could it be that temps being consistent over the UTH at 90-91F instead of 88-89.7F helped her digest her meal that much better that the fur dissolved also?

She is acting fine and was doing her usual “searching for a meal” last night.

Thanks in advance for your help!


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[Sgt7212]

I’m guessing with all the views and no replies, nobody sees anything to be concerned about. I was pretty confident there wasn’t anything alarming, but since I haven’t had snakes in years and am new to beeps, I wanted to make sure. As we say in the Marine Corps, silence is consent.

After working my 2nd job, I did not get the chance to pick up an f/t last night for her and start feeding her on a 5 day schedule. We closed at 4pm, but I sold 3 Harleys yesterday and my last 2 customers had me there until 9pm before they were finished so will grab something today. I’m going to do some searching during the day and see if there are any locally owned pet shops in the area near my full time gig and see if they offer either mice that are a little larger than 20 grams or rat pups. I will also try to feed her again Fri/Sat and see how that goes.

[Craiga 01453]

Hey, sorry, missed this thread yesterday...

As for the eyes clouding, I've never not noticed when any of mine were cloudy, but some only stay that way a day or two, so maybe that was the case and you simply missed It? No worries, just see what next shed brings.

I would just stick to a 7 day feeding schedule. Your prey size is right in line for the snake's weight.

As for the weight, I always try to weigh when I know they are empty. Doesn't always work out that way, but I try. I keep records of weights, etc...so I will just Mark it "empty" or "full" when recording.

As for the poops, I see fur sometimes, others I don't. But more often than not, no fur.

Welcome back to the hobby. I started out around 2000-2001 and took a break for a while before getting back into snakes within the last few years.
The game has changed a LOT. It used to basically astro- turf, a water bowl, a hide, a heat rock (uggggh!!!!) and a heat lamp sitting on a screened glass tank.
Now there's a LOT more to learn, but it makes keeping these awesome animals sooooooo much easier.

Anyway, hope I helped you out. Sorry for the slow reply.

Lastly, and perhaps most important=

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

[Zincubus]

What morph is it ?

I have many Albinos and White snakes and they are a nightmare to judge if / when they are in shed mode ..

I simply judge by the way their general behaviour changes .. I'm a bit obsessive and notice tiny differences in all kinds of changes in snakes ....and people and anything else - even when they make changes to certain chocolate bars for instance

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[Phillydubs]

I’m just seeing this now. I don’t think I can offer much help because we are pretty much in the same boat. Seems like we got our snakes around the same time and they are feeeding the same. My guy are his third straight meal last night.

I’ve yet to see or smell one turd... not sure what that means I did some research and it seems they can go a while and not so I hope this is the case. Thunder just shed for the first time with me on Friday I thought there may be a turd then. But no.

I was also also wondering about the signs for shed because I saw another post where the person got yelled at for handling during shed and I don’t want to stress the snakes or get yelled at haha!

im going to weigh and start handling my guy this week. I too got a scale a few days ago.

I csn guve two bits of advice though. My first would be order food. First off it’s way cheaper and you have it on hand all the time. I ordered from perfect prey and their stuff is nice and clean and well packed. I ordered a current size and a size up to justify the shipping and all. But local places charge a grip per Mouse and I’ve hesrd stories of urine covered rodents and all.

Second and not even sure orhers experience here but I was browsing apps for something to store my info like weights feedings missed meals sheds issues and came across this one called reptile manager. It was $1.99 and super easy to use with a lot of features. I even had a question and I emailed them and had a response in like 20 min so I am sold especially for 2 bucks.

[Sgt7212]

Hey, sorry, missed this thread yesterday...

As for the eyes clouding, I've never not noticed when any of mine were cloudy, but some only stay that way a day or two, so maybe that was the case and you simply missed It? No worries, just see what next shed brings.

I would just stick to a 7 day feeding schedule. Your prey size is right in line for the snake's weight.

As for the weight, I always try to weigh when I know they are empty. Doesn't always work out that way, but I try. I keep records of weights, etc...so I will just Mark it "empty" or "full" when recording.

As for the poops, I see fur sometimes, others I don't. But more often than not, no fur.

Welcome back to the hobby. I started out around 2000-2001 and took a break for a while before getting back into snakes within the last few years.
The game has changed a LOT. It used to basically astro- turf, a water bowl, a hide, a heat rock (uggggh!!!!) and a heat lamp sitting on a screened glass tank.
Now there's a LOT more to learn, but it makes keeping these awesome animals sooooooo much easier.

Anyway, hope I helped you out. Sorry for the slow reply.

Lastly, and perhaps most important=

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

Thank you! I noticed a very slight haze to her eyes, but definitely not clouded and that was 2 days before she shed. I thought she was getting ready to cloud up and I do see her every day when checking and spot cleaning her tank but came home Saturday and she had completely shed.

I’ve read about ball pythons holding poop. My red tails never did that. Was like clockwork eat, poop and got fed the day after. I’m thinking the weight was because she didn’t poop that one week. I always saw some fur with my red tails. This was the first time I didn’t see any so it seemed odd to me.

I have a LOT to learn, but I’ve been reading every chance I get and am also awaiting delivery of The Ultimate guide to ball pythons from NERD. It will eventually all sink in... not like a sponge... more like water in a stone. Haha


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[Sgt7212]

What morph is it ?

I have many Albinos and White snakes and they are a nightmare to judge if / when they are in shed mode ..

I simply judge by the way their general behaviour changes .. I'm a bit obsessive and notice tiny differences in all kinds of changes in snakes ....and people and anything else - even when they make changes to certain chocolate bars for instance

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She was sold as a Spinner. Her behavior didn’t change too much. When I noticed the dulling 3 days before she shed, her muscles tensed up slightly when I picked her up from her cage but then she was fine. She let out a slight hiss when she was on the couch and I picked her back up to put her into her enclosure, but she didn’t tense up or strike. Other than that she acted like her normal, calm, sweet hearted little self the whole time.




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[Sgt7212]

I’m just seeing this now. I don’t think I can offer much help because we are pretty much in the same boat. Seems like we got our snakes around the same time and they are feeeding the same. My guy are his third straight meal last night.

I’ve yet to see or smell one turd... not sure what that means I did some research and it seems they can go a while and not so I hope this is the case. Thunder just shed for the first time with me on Friday I thought there may be a turd then. But no.

I was also also wondering about the signs for shed because I saw another post where the person got yelled at for handling during shed and I don’t want to stress the snakes or get yelled at haha!

im going to weigh and start handling my guy this week. I too got a scale a few days ago.

I csn guve two bits of advice though. My first would be order food. First off it’s way cheaper and you have it on hand all the time. I ordered from perfect prey and their stuff is nice and clean and well packed. I ordered a current size and a size up to justify the shipping and all. But local places charge a grip per Mouse and I’ve hesrd stories of urine covered rodents and all.

Second and not even sure orhers experience here but I was browsing apps for something to store my info like weights feedings missed meals sheds issues and came across this one called reptile manager. It was $1.99 and super easy to use with a lot of features. I even had a question and I emailed them and had a response in like 20 min so I am sold especially for 2 bucks.

Yeah ball pythons are different, as I am learning. With my red tails, the male never wanted to be bothered while in shed, but my female was a bit of a phenomenon. One time while she was in shed, after her eyes had cleared up, I was spot cleaning her tank and noticed she had gotten the shed started on her head. She came over to me and rubbed her head up against my hand. I made a little tunnel with my hand and she passed through rubbing her body against the inside as she went and working the shed off little by little. She stopped, I took her out her her tank and was sitting with her on the floor. She explored a little bit and then came back over to me and started rubbing against my jeans and working the shed off a little more. I let her finish on her own in the tank, but she occasionally would do things like that whenever in shed after that.

I have been thinking about ordering and perfect prey was one of the companies out there I’ve been looking at. I’m one of those “I have to see it in person” before I buy it, kind of guys so that’s what has made me hesitant. At least in the store I can sift through the frozen sand compare sizes since they vary a bit. I know, I know. It’s me... lol

I will definitely look into that app. I hadn’t even thought of that. Thanks!


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[Phillydubs]

Yeah ball pythons are different, as I am learning. With my red tails, the male never wanted to be bothered while in shed, but my female was a bit of a phenomenon. One time while she was in shed, after her eyes had cleared up, I was spot cleaning her tank and noticed she had gotten the shed started on her head. She came over to me and rubbed her head up against my hand. I made a little tunnel with my hand and she passed through rubbing her body against the inside as she went and working the shed off little by little. She stopped, I took her out her her tank and was sitting with her on the floor. She explored a little bit and then came back over to me and started rubbing against my jeans and working the shed off a little more. I let her finish on her own in the tank, but she occasionally would do things like that whenever in shed after that.

I have been thinking about ordering and perfect prey was one of the companies out there I’ve been looking at. I’m one of those “I have to see it in person” before I buy it, kind of guys so that’s what has made me hesitant. At least in the store I can sift through the frozen sand compare sizes since they vary a bit. I know, I know. It’s me... lol

I will definitely look into that app. I hadn’t even thought of that. Thanks!


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do you want me to take pics of what I got from perfect prey ? I’d be happy to.

I must say the mice mice are all extremely similar in size like clones. They do a nice job there.

Def check that app out. I like it. Very easy to use and basic but gives me a place to keep and store al my info. I don’t have a laptop and my handwriting is so bad I can barely read it so this works for me

[Sgt7212]

do you want me to take pics of what I got from perfect prey ? I’d be happy to.

I must say the mice mice are all extremely similar in size like clones. They do a nice job there.

Def check that app out. I like it. Very easy to use and basic but gives me a place to keep and store al my info. I don’t have a laptop and my handwriting is so bad I can barely read it so this works for me

If it’s not too much to ask, pics would help and if weights are consistent etc... don’t mean to be a pain. But I’m a bit anal about it. Lol


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