iHerp Answers: Petey (Ball python) has been spending a lot of time in the water bowl

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Petey (Ball python) has been spending a lot of time in the water bowl

Posted By:

ADDICTED2BPs

In Relation To:

Petey [001]

My ball python (my first one) has been spending a lot of time in his water dish. The last couple of days (about 5 hours each day) he has been laying full body in the dish. I have looked for mites all over him and I cannot find anything wrong. He doesn't have a pink belly, no mites active, no bite marks, simply looks like he should. I purchased him about 4 to 5 weeks ago and he still has not eaten yet either. The temps on the warm side are 92-94 by using a UTH and a heat bulb. On the cool side they are about 76. I know this should be higher but using a glass cage, I am not sure how to get the temps up. The humidity is always around 50% maybe a little higher (this is why the water bowl thing is throwing me off). I have towels over the top of the screen to help hold in heat, but the ambient air temp is around 88 on the warm side. I am not sure how to keep the heat up on the cool side. But anyway, my question is should I be worried about him being in the water so much? Are there other things to look for (incase there are mites) that I am just not seeing? Thanks for everyone's help on these issues it is very much appreciated. Also, let me know if you need any other info to help determine my problem. Thanks


Points:	100
Topics:	General Health , Water
Tags:	Ball, Mites, Python, Sick, Water
Species:	Pythons > Pythons > Python regius
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Accepted Answer

2/7/2009 12:07:50 PM

albinoboastore

He maybe getting ready to shed, I am sure some ball owners will coment also but the one I had years ago didn't eat very often in the winter months (Minnesota)

Member Comment

2/7/2009 12:25:22 PM

glendtcocaine

Hello, I am not an expert by any means, but it sounds to me like he could either have mites, or else he is just dehydrated and trying to rehydrate himself. Do you see him drink at all? Has he shed for you yet as you have only had him a little while? It sounds to me like your husbandry is good, and with the not eating balls can be fussy at times and right now in the winter they tend to go off food. Dont worry to much about it, just keep offering food, and when its hungry it will eat. Maybe have a real close look again for mites or mite poop. To check for mites, wet a paper towel, hold it in your hands and let him crawl through it, they will show up against the white background of the towel. Vapona on top of cage helps too. One inch square piece.

Author Comment

2/7/2009 1:22:52 PM

ADDICTED2BPs

Well first off...i think I did something wrong when accepting answers because this is my first post.....................Ok, anyway, I started being proactive and decided to wash everything because I think I might have saw a mite in the water dish after he got out. He does drink, I have noticed him doing it occasionally. I have cleaned everything in bleach water and since I don't have prevent-a-mite yet, I am just going to use one hide and paper towels in the cage until I get the spray. I think I cleaned everything well, but probably when you think you do you need to more. (question) what does mite poop look like? (another question) If I am trying to feed F/T rats because this is what he was eating before I got him, can I try to use the same rat more than once if he didn't take it the first time...if I keep it refrigerated or should I do a new one every time? Thanks for your help!

Member Comment

2/7/2009 5:22:25 PM

glendtcocaine

It sounds like you are taking the right steps in solving your problem. Mite poop is just little tiny white specs. If you are going to use any type of spray for your mites I would really read the packages and do some research before you go and start spraying your snake with chemicles. The best thing that I have heard of for getting rid of mites is the basic head lice shampoo for kids called Nix. You get it at any drug store or pharmacy. Here in Canada you dont need a prescription, but it is behind the counter. You ask the pharmacist for it and he will give it to you. You take the little bottle and mix the whole thing with 4L of water or 1 gallon of water, shake it up, put in a mister bottle and spray the cage, snake and contents. (Not water bowl). Do this once a week, keep everything as sterile and hospital like as possible and you should be able to get rid of the mites in no time. As for the rat, I would always feed new, do you really like leftovers??

Member Comment

2/10/2009 9:51:35 PM

PythonPassion

I usually will re-freeze a thawed feeder animal once. If it's not accepted the second time I thaw it, I toss it out. Just make sure to re-freeze it. Even in the fridge, it can decay and you will have a very smelly mess. When they are frozen, it halts the decaying process until you begin thawing them again.

Snakes in the wild are documented eating carrion (dead animals for anyone reading this and doesn't know what that is) more often than one would think. Even so, us humans don't want to smell a rotting animal. ;)

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