New Ball Python and a concern of an RI

[noodle.obsessed]

Hey everyone,
So I just got my dream pet since I was 8 (surprising since I live in England and no nobody with snakes), she's absolutely adorable and after seeing her mum I know I can look forward to a nice large BP eventually. Unsurprisingly my worried self has arrived.

She is a couple weeks under 3 months and weighed 160 grams the day before I picked her up. She looked even more beautiful and healthy in person - and although she was extremely shy I was able to give a quick examination, didn't notice any noises from her, mites, kinks, scale imperfections and she had perfectly clear eyes and face.

My number one worry right now is that I just checked on her and noticed what looked like a light blue/clear liquid over her nose and the right side of her face (her eyes were still clear and dark) under my dim flashlight on my phone. I've only had her for 2 and a half days now so didn't want to stress her out by seeing if it was a liquid or just strange reflection. The breeders notes said she last shed on 23rd of June so I don't know if it could be iridescence or not as I've only heard that this happens recently after a shed. Could it be an IR that suddenly started showing signs (I still hear no noises although the day I got her she was breathing heavily when I first put her in her enclosure and she yawned once so I just attributed that to stress?).
So is this possibly an RI or just a reflection/iridescence or her being stressed?

Please give your opinion or help if you are able!

[Mr. Misha]

I'd keep my eye on her but if you can't really tell whether it's liquid or not, it would be hard for anyone to diagnose. What is your current setup, including your temperature and humidity?

If you're really worried you can bump up heat and humidity and keep an eye on her. When was the last time that she ate and what kind of meal are you feeding her?

[noodle.obsessed]

My setup up is a pretty large (against some people's opinions for a juvinile) 4 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet bioactive vivarium, although it is very busy and I have all the clutter and plants for her to hide in, she also has 5 fully enclosed hides, 2 small cork logs/ resin tube things, and a large 3 foot cork tube so she can move from one side to the other of the enclosure without being seen.
Her temps are 93 on warm side and 82 on cool side (slightly higher than I had when I first had the tank but we are having a heatwave where I am right now and she spends 90% of her time on the warm side anyway so I'm not too worried yet). Her humidity fluctuates from 55% to 65% throughout the day and the substrate is pretty dry to the touch.
She last ate on the 11th (she was still with the breeder) and it was a f/t rat pup.

I will try and have a better look soon as she zoomed off before.

[Mr. Misha]

The high temp is a bit high but not the end of the world. Usually, I don't recommend going over 90 degrees but 93 isn't hurting her either.

With that said, if she just ate on the 11th, I wouldn't be too worried. Let her adjust and see if she will eat for you after the adjustment period and go from there.

Also, make sure that you have a thermostat controlling the heat. Don't know if you have one, but I like to throw it out there just in case.

[Bogertophis]

...
My number one worry right now is that I just checked on her and noticed what looked like a light blue/clear liquid over her nose and the right side of her face (her eyes were still clear and dark) under my dim flashlight on my phone. I've only had her for 2 and a half days now so didn't want to stress her out by seeing if it was a liquid or just strange reflection. The breeders notes said she last shed on 23rd of June so I don't know if it could be iridescence or not as I've only heard that this happens recently after a shed. Could it be an IR that suddenly started showing signs (I still hear no noises although the day I got her she was breathing heavily when I first put her in her enclosure and she yawned once so I just attributed that to stress?).
So is this possibly an RI or just a reflection/iridescence or her being stressed?

Please give your opinion or help if you are able!

It sounds like she might have some old skin stuck on her face that failed to come off in the last shed, but without seeing it or you knowing if it's "liquid or not", can't help ya much.

[Bogertophis]

And while I understand not wanting to stress out a new snake, IF there is a health problem with a snake you just got & if you expect the seller to make it right (they shouldn't be shipping you a sick snake!) then you have to take it up with them IMMEDIATELY, otherwise they'll say that the illness was on your watch & therefore not their fault to make right. How long have you actually had the snake? (in days)

Another suggestion ("water under the bridge" at this point): New snakes are best kept in similar housing to what the breeder (or seller) did, at least while they're in quarantine: they'll be more likely to eat for you (esp. BPs, since they're very shy), but also, putting the BP in a large enclosure with lots of clutter can be a total nightmare IF your snake also came with mites, as they'll be very hard to see this way. Minimal furnishings (hides & water bowl) on white paper towels for substrate are the best while you're still assessing a new snake...mites will show up on white paper towels easier, also other issues like bloody stools or other symptoms of a sick snake. IF this snake does have mites, you'll now end up throwing away all your lovely decor (except for plastic hides & bowl, which can be cleaned adequately) but more to the point, snakes can be killed when mites reproduce exponentially (as when they've been hiding in the decor). I HOPE this doesn't happen, but it's something you need to be aware of...especially when going to all the trouble to set up a nice bioactive enclosure.

[Absololol]

My setup up is a pretty large (against some people's opinions for a juvinile) 4 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet bioactive vivarium, although it is very busy and I have all the clutter and plants for her to hide in, she also has 5 fully enclosed hides, 2 small cork logs/ resin tube things, and a large 3 foot cork tube so she can move from one side to the other of the enclosure without being seen.
Her temps are 93 on warm side and 82 on cool side (slightly higher than I had when I first had the tank but we are having a heatwave where I am right now and she spends 90% of her time on the warm side anyway so I'm not too worried yet). Her humidity fluctuates from 55% to 65% throughout the day and the substrate is pretty dry to the touch.
She last ate on the 11th (she was still with the breeder) and it was a f/t rat pup.

I will try and have a better look soon as she zoomed off before.

Hey, you mention a heatwave... Just checking are your heat sources regulated by a thermostat? I'm also in England but I don't have issues with temperature fluctuation because of my thermostat. I would really recommend getting one for your heaters if you don't have one since heating appliances can overheat if unregulated or cause harm to your snakes. Heatwaves and temperature changes can also affect unregulated heat sources. It's a small price to pay for peace of mind so you always know your snake will be comfortable.



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[noodle.obsessed]

UPDATE

So just a lil update about my sweetie, about half an hour ago she took a f/t rat without hesitation (I wasn't expecting it as I've only had her for 5 days but wanted to try and feed her as otherwise she will have to wait too long for food in 2 weeks) she gobbled it down and even let me watch a little.
I'm 99% sure her nose is fine as she went on her first adventure the same night I posted my concerns (and kept me up till 4am cause i wanted to watch her) she moved slowlt and showed no signs of stress and even did some climbing and fell once then proceed to act like it was intentionaal BUT i saw her dunk her head in her water bowl a few times (I assume she was drinking even though it was only for about 2 seconds each time) and afterwards her nose looked the same as it did when i thought she might be ill and after the water dried her skin just looked quite shiny, I will however be checking in 2 days as it's better safe then sorry.
** She has been in her humid hide all day today, even when eating her rat, so i don't know if she is shedding or not as her eyes are clear but she has become very dull, I'm going to ask the breeder if she had cloudy eyes a couple of days before i got her as he would check over her everyday, or she could have for a day right after I got her as I didn't see her for 24 hours. My main reasoning for questioning it is that the notes he gave me say her first shed was on the 31/05 and her next one was 23/07 - almost two months apart - and yet it has only been slightly over three weeks! Could this be because she started rat Fuzzies a little after that shed and she is growing more quickly? **
Also to answer questions I have my microclimate pulse thermostat (yes I have one any it petrifies me when people don't, a snake can die from hot enough temperatures in no time at all) set to 93 degrees yet my digital temperature probe reads the exact same positioning as 88.9? Also I spoke about the heatwave as it has made my cool side a couple of degrees higher then i wanted and how it was before as now my room is around 81-82 degrees.
He showed me a picture of her last shed and it was perfect with no gaps or tears that either of us could see.


Here are some photos, hopefully the video works too! (also bless the flash and fingerprints, I still haven't added the handles)

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[Bogertophis]

...
My number one worry right now is that I just checked on her and noticed what looked like a light blue/clear liquid over her nose and the right side of her face.... so I don't know if it could be iridescence or not....

In the second photo you just posted above, it looks like iridescence to me, so relax.

And congrats on getting him to eat his f/t rattie!

[noodle.obsessed]

In the second photo you just posted above, it looks like iridescence to me, so relax.

And congrats on getting him to eat his f/t rattie!

Thank you! Now I can finally stop being an anxious mum.
Do you know if the iridescence will go when she gets old? Many old Balls I see are quite dull.