My first ball python

[D4NKYD4NK]

Here's the thing- when young snakes are eating young prey items, those young rodents are more digestible. When a snake doesn't need to eliminate wastes, they don't, because it wastes the water in their body too- they save it up until they actually NEED to go, like when you're holding them while wearing your "date clothes"- you know, the "dry-clean stuff"- (Okay, I'm kidding, it's just a coincidence...I think?)

Seriously, snakes do not necessarily defecate once per meal eaten- it can easily be 1:3 or 1:4- there's no rule, but IF your snake is looking bloated or has a hard lump (urate crystal stone blocking the cloaca) then a soak or just some handling may help. BPs tend to be fairly inactive, & that IS why they may defecate on us when we least expect it (but should have...)- it's the motions* that help, & the same is true of a shallow tepid water soak- it's more effective if the snake can spread out with your support & full attention, & be swimming in place. It's mostly the motion that's helping, not so much the water. *That's also why many snakes defecate while shedding- sometimes right inside the shed (so "tidy"!)- it's because the act of shedding is exercise for them, using all their muscles to "un-dress".

Can you post a few pics showing this "bit bloated in the rear of his body"? Keep in mind that IF you try to soak him prior to a meal, it may put him OFF eating, due to it being stressful. So unless you really think there's an issue, I wouldn't soak him prior to feeding. In fact, if you really think there's an issue, then you shouldn't actually feed him either- snakes did not evolve with feeding schedules where prey animals voluntarily show up to be eaten on such a regular basis as most of our pets enjoy.

Ill try and get pics tomorrow but it doesnt seem really bad, its just after he eliminates waste he is really thin at the back but even after one meal he gets a bit thicker ! Other than that he seems pretty normal, pokes his head out as soon as the light closes everynight, I handle him maybe once every day or 2. The only thing is he seems to hang a bit more under the water bowl, a bit colder and more humid so i dont know. Ill try and post pics tomorrow! Thanks for the help, youre always there to calm me down when i think something is wrong

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[Bogertophis]

Ill try and get pics tomorrow but it doesnt seem really bad, its just after he eliminates waste he is really thin at the back but even after one meal he gets a bit thicker ! Other than that he seems pretty normal, pokes his head out as soon as the light closes everynight, I handle him maybe once every day or 2. The only thing is he seems to hang a bit more under the water bowl, a bit colder and more humid so i dont know. Ill try and post pics tomorrow! Thanks for the help, youre always there to calm me down when i think something is wrong

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Sorta reminds me of people that eat a big meal & then loosen their belt, eh? I mean, even we humans get "thicker" after a meal. Sounds like he's still just digesting- but pics would help us to better advise. Sometimes when snakes prefer to be cooler & more humid, it's when they're going into a shed cycle. So he may actually prefer to skip the next meal anyway. Try not to worry, snakes mostly know what they need, even if we're not so sure what they're up to. The longer you live with snakes, the easier it gets to read their "signs". (& I don't mean their "horoscopes" lol)