Ball Python..."lose" skin??

Hello. I just purchased my first Ball Python today. I've always wanted one. I currently have a Motley Corn snake as well. I'm not use to the python yet and is quite different from the Corn. I do have a concern, it seems as though my pythons skin is not very tight. Almost like if you pull the skin on the top of your hand but of course not that much. Wondering if "lose" skin on a python is normal? Also I've read that it is normal behaviour for the python to jerk its head away if the head is touched, I can "pet" his head and he (not sure) doesn't "care", also I could move him any way I wanted and even hold him upside down belly up and he didnt move. Makes me very concerned. Im taking him back to the pet store tomorrow when one of their experienced reptile guys are working so he can take a peak, but still....any thoughts??

Ball Python..."lose" skin??
I had many snakes before... i had some corn and some pythons


maybe she is going to shed.. or dehydrated.. make sure he is drinking his water and eating good


he might be about to shed too


if his eyes are cloudy.. probably going to shed


also if your corn snake is close to the ball python the smells might confuse him that the other snake is dominate and maybe he wont drink.. (happened b4 w/ me)


if he isnt active u might want to get him checked out =]


i hope this helped some,


Jenny
Reply:I'm no snake expert but i do know that snakes shed there skin so either he is about to shed his skin or he just recently shed.
Reply:I'm sorry this is probably gonna get me a million thumbs down but I just cant take it anymore.... It's spelled "loose"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "lose" is when your saying "I want to lose ten pounds", etc...."loose" is when u say "My skin is not very tight, it's pretty loose." or " I wear very 'loose' clothing"....





I'm really sorry for my completely random comment but THIS has really been bugging me..





Now in reference to your question, I don't really know much about snakes but it's good your going to go back to the pet store to see if this behavior is normal...but really I can't help you...





Once again sorry for this pointless answer...
Reply:he might be getting ready to shed his skin.
Reply:I have had many snakes and in my opinion your snake is not well. The loose skin sounds like it is dehydrated. Does it have a bowl of water in his habitat? Does it eat? I have actually force fed a red tailed boa pinky mice when it would not eat, and I used a syringe to shoot water in his throat. After some time it made a full recovery. If not taken care of it will surely die.
Reply:Balls are so mild mannered they will let you do just about anything to them as long as you are not hurting them. From your description of the skin it sounds like your snake could be either malnoirished and or dehydrated. I know a lot aboit Ball Pythons but withoit seeing it I can't make a good judgement call. If he seems to be listless then I would think that it is sick. I'm glad that you are returning it to the Pet Store.If they do not have any answers then your next call should be to a Vet that specializes in Reptile Care. I really think that the poor thing has some problems that need to be addressed. Good Luck.. I would like to know what happens and if you get time feel free to email me. I have had snakes for years and have a genuine fondness for them. Good Luck
Reply:If his skin is that loose, then he is malnurished or dehydrated. The store personnel probably hasn't been feeding him as often as they should, or, he has a problem with feeding. Ball pythons are heavy bodied snakes, meaning that they are usually fat. You should ask for an accurate feeding record from the store you purchased him from, if they keep such records.
Reply:Depending upon the snake, it could either be loose from preparing to shed, or from dehydration. Pythons have very thin skin and it will definitely feel more pliable than a cornsnake's skin which is more heavily keeled. I would give your snake a good soaking in a large bowl of water for at least 30 minutes. Even soaking in an electrolyte solution might help. Pedialyte or something like that. You can get unflavored pedialyte at the store. I'm more concerned about the fact that your snake does not right itself from an un-natural position. A snake should not want to stay upside down and the fact that it does means there's something wrong. I think a trip to the vet is more in order than a trip to the petstore. While snakes preparing to shed can become more lethargic, they rarely will lay upside down for any length of time. Please make sure you seperate this new animal from your other snake. New reptiles should be quarantined in another room away from healthy animals for at least 3 months, and if boa or python, I use 6 months as a rule. Pet stores have a tendency to purchase imports instead of captive born and bred animals and they come in with large amounts of parasites and diseases and worse, are normally housed with other snakes. Remove the new snake from the same room that your other snake is in, follow strict quarantine protocols and get your snake to a qualified reptile vet.
Reply:OK, the thing is.. he might be shedding or if you bought him from a pet store he's probably dehydrated and under fed. Get him to a vet or start feeding him 2 pinkies a week.


this is what I did for mine.
Reply:try soaking in luke warm water before feeding and increasing the number of food items or the size as well as the frequency of feeding. i'd also have the snake checked for parasites(what does it's stool look like)which could rob the snake of nutrients needed to sustain it.if the stool is watery or runny it's probally parasites.you can also turn up the heat in the environment to increase it's appetite and aid in digestion.in the case of dehydration, don't put a water dish in the tank, unless you are observing and then mix in half Gatorade or pedialite,continue like this until you have seen the snake drink and signs of dehydration are gone. last but not least a visit to the vet is a good idea whether the advice given helps or not, so make an appointment the snake can't.
Reply:Well I'd have to say through my own experience Ball Pythons are very good mild mannered snakes. But yes the skin on a juvenile is not supposed to be tight. I wouldn't say it should be loose though. Also for the hydration I'd recommend the idea of using a water bowl with lid and a hole cut in the top large enough for him to crawl into and soak while feeling secure. Ball pythons have a thing about being under ground or in safe secure areas, even in the wild. they spend a lot of time in burrows. So i would recommend giving him multiple places for him to "hide" at different temps. and half or hollow logs work well because they also give a shedding aid to them. On another subject because you said your snake is a juvenile if it starts to have a feeding issue try the dwarf mice instead of frozen/thawed mice or pinkies. do to the fact juveniles hunt mostly by motion. I hope that this was helpful. oh and about the Head its a security thing. They just don't like it. Almost all ball pythons do it out of fear and do to there docile nature "normally" they wont do anything about it but try and hide or jerk away.