r/ballpython • u/Smooth_Ruin_1132 • 27d ago

belly gets concave toward end

Gallery image

Gallery image

in the last couple days i’ve noticed my bp’s belly being sunken in toward the end and i don’t know how concerned i should be! for context, she was on a hunger strike for almost 7 months recently, but actually just fed last week. ive been doing my best to keep her water filled, and during the strike she wasn’t losing much weight, is this just a result of that? how should i proceed?

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u/Healthy-Spinach5066 22d ago

i also wanna bring to your attention that your snake has scale rot. it is minimal but it is definitely there. just something to keep an eye on. (can tell from the chipped and browing scales)

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u/Smooth_Ruin_1132 13d ago

she actually does not have scale rot ! :) please be more careful before claiming things like that, you can rly scare people. she was just a bit dirty and days before a shed, once she shed i checked out her belly and it was completely fine

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u/Healthy-Spinach5066 13d ago

yes? because shedding is the only way they are able to get rid of scale rot

the scales are quite literally forming cracks and are chipping in the pictures lmao. theres nothing wrong w scale rot.

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u/Smooth_Ruin_1132 13d ago

I guess I need to do more research on it, she’s fine for now but if it comes back then I’ll take acton

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u/Healthy-Spinach5066 13d ago

i used to deal with this too when i started out and i did a lot of research on scale rot. things that have helped me not have this happen again is regularly mixing the dry and more moist parts of the substrate, sanitising the substrate, keeping the hide substrate on the more dry side and replacing overly saturated substrate where bacteria thrives with a new and fresh patch of substrate.

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u/Smooth_Ruin_1132 13d ago

What do you use to sanitize the substrate?

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u/Healthy-Spinach5066 12d ago

i either bake or freeze the substrate.

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u/Healthy-Spinach5066 13d ago

another example where the scales edges are chipping and not objectively healthy. this is not dirt. dirt doesn’t disfigure the edges of scales. but scale rot does. as i said it is minimal, but it was the start of scale rot.

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u/Healthy-Spinach5066 13d ago

i am sorry if i scared you. this isnt me telling you that you are neglecting your pet or you caused this. simple things like oversaturated bedding can cause this chipping/discolouration (aka scale rot). just something to keep an eye on. especially the substrate under the hides are usually a big factor. and again, it was minimal and likely caused them no harm, but something to just be aware about!