Ball pythons are amazing and one of the most sought after reptiles for pet purpose. These fantastic and adorable animals are regarded as one of the most tamable reptiles thus are suitable for beginner reptile lovers as well. They are native to western, central and southern Africa and were named ball pythons because when they are worried or stressed they will literally roll themselves into a ball. They have nice patterns and colours and this makes them ideal to be kept as pets. If well taken care of and managed, ball pythons are capable of living for many years and even become a part of the families’ pets.
Eradicating bathroom habits of the ball pythons is important to the general wellbeing of pythons. The natural digestion time of reptiles is also another thing which pet owners should have some knowledge on how often the reptiles defecate. Thus, it is possible to compare whether the ball pythons’ behavior is normal or the pet has problems with its bathroom habits and has constipation or diarrhea, for example.
Supervising their bathroom practices enable us help assess if they are being provided with right care, diet and living conditions or not. So, without further ado, let’s go into the realm of ball python bathroom habits and provide the best for our squamate buddies.
Bowel Habits and Movement: Bowel movement is referred to as the normal frequency of bowel movements or bowel movements and movement of bowels if it is healthy in an individual.
One of the most important fact about ball pythons is that they have a very slow metabolic rate. They do not need to eat that often and they are not very active like some of the other reptiles out there. They are anendemic to regions where food is scarce and as a result, they have a miserly basal metabolic rate. This way they can avoid even spending their energy comparing with no eating for an even longer time. Knowing this is important since the common must be given the right feeding schedule that meets their normal parameters because of their low metabolism. Therefore, let’s ensure we provide with appropriate care for the ball pythons and do not forget about the peculiarities of their metabolism.
Ball pythons have very slow digestive system and this makes them to defecate very rarely. After they take their meal they take some time for their digestion to work and break down the food. Due to the slow-moving digestion process, they do not need to bilk out waste as other animals in the same class do. Infrequent defecation is a natural phenomenon when it comes to ball pythons and they do not defecate as often as other reptiles but if they consume foods in large quantity they could defecate within a short interval of time. However, one must remember about users’ general condition and pay attention to changes in their bathroom habits. If you ever get a doubt about your pet, it is wise to seek advice from a reptile doctor.
The general stomach turnovers are estimated to be 7-14 days within the ball pythons body. However, this depends on various factors like their age, size and metabolism among other factors. :Some ball pythons may defecate less often than usual depending on the period or stress such as when they are starved or when they are transplanted. Of course, remembering that all snakes are different so if the snake is eating healthy, appropriate amount of food, appears well-proportioned and doesn’t appear uncomfortable or bloated then infrequent defecation is not an issue.
Factors Affecting Bowel Movements
Temperature and humidity levels are key factors that need to be observed so as to ensure the correct living conditions for ball pythons. The ideal temperature range for their enclosure is normally on the warm side and reads 75-85°F (24-29°C) and on the cool side is 70-75°F (21-24°C). This will help in that you should make sure that there are disparities in heat so they can regulate the temperatures by moving to the warm or cooler part of the enclosure.
Therefore, the humidity should remain at approximately 50 – 60%, but during the shedding period or the time when the dog is breaking his coat, the humidity should be boosted to 70 – 80%. This is because the subjects are human beings who require constant checks and changes with an aim of offering them the best comfort and satisfaction.
Another factor that one has to consider in feeding ball pythons is that they should be fed at certain intervals. First-time-offspring ball pythons should be fed every 5-7 days while the mature ball pythons should be fed in 7-10 days. It is better to provide them with the proportional prey such as mice or rats that could be the width of the body in its widest part. This requires feeding them with different types of food so that they are able to obtain all the nutrients that their body needs.
This can include such species as; Mice, Rats, Chicks as well as other varieties of rodents. Remember that some of the prey items should be defrosted before you feed your snake with them — it is important. And of course, also specifically for their body condition and feed them more of less often as it is necessary to achieve an ideal body weight.
There are various factors that affect the life of ball pythons such as some form of stress or change in their surrounding. It is also understood that these snakes are sensitive to the changes in the environment and such changes may at times be stressful. In this case, one has to ensure that the children are provided with a stable environment that they can understand so that they can feel safe. Heavy noise, frequent touching or any other change in the temperature or humidity should be kept off.
Symptoms of a well functioning digestive system
On the same note, normal fecal matter in ball pythons should be firm, well shaped and brown in color. It should be able to be shiny and not flatten when the pressure is applied. This is expected to depend on the size of the snake and particularly the size of the last meal which the snake took. However, one needs to monitored closely that ball pythons may possibly pass urates from time to time which is white or slightly yellowish fecal matter. However, if they defecate, and you see signs such as diarrhea, blood or mucus, then maybe there are some problems in their digestive system.
Therefore, there are a few factors that you must observe if there is any change or sometimes if there is any anomaly in its behavior, skin or even bowel movement in your ball python. Checking the poop at least every day, the rate of shedding, eating habits as well as activity level will ensure you notice any signs of sickness early enough.
It is necessary to monitor alterations in the texture, color or the frequency of bowel movements which is often a sign of gastrointestinal disorders or a disease. Weight loss, loss of appetite or desire to eat, or tiredness should also be notices as they may be indicative of a number of serious conditions. That way, alert to any signs or changes in your pet’s behavior, you can take them to the veterinarian for a check up. As they say, a stitch in time saves nine, it is true with snakes too, it is a goodpractice to check your snake regularly and as soon as a problem is detected seek Veterinary assistance.
As earlier mentioned, here are some of the ways of encouraging bowel movements:
For any Ball Python enclosure it is essential to establish good thermalling and humidity differences. A warm side of the body temperature for cooking, it is good to keep it at about 88 to 92oF or 31 to 33 oC while the cold side, should be approximately 78 to 82oF or 25 to 28 oC respectively. To attain these temperatures, use any of the following a heater, thermostat controlled heating pad or heat lamp. Ensure the humidity is equal to 50-60% by using misting or a reptile humidifier once or more times per day. It is also important to provide retreats on the hot and cool end of a snake’s habitat so your snake can thermo-regulate effectively.
As for feeding, set a fixed time table and provide prey of right size and kind as required by the size of your reptile. Please ensure that the prey size big enough to fit in the width of the thickest part of your snake’s body. This makes certain that they have no difficulties when it comes to swallowing their foods. It is therefore important to offer your ball python a right environment, as well as the right feeding time.
Hiding places and motivating his/her movement are critical aspects that should be address in order to ensure the well-being of the ball python. It is therefore necessary to move these snakes regularly since they are naturally more active than other reptiles.
Common Issues
Some of the issues that may affect ball pythons include constipation and diarrhea and these have to be solved if present. It is also important to go: If you observe that you have constipation it could be as a result of dehydration of poor diet. Make sure your snake always has fresh water and if need be you may need to give it a warm water bath to help ease bowel movement. However, if constipation is ongoing it may be best to seek advice from a specialist; a reptile veterinarian.
On the other hand, this may mean that the organism’s digestion is impaired, or that there are certain illnesses in its body. In such cases it is advisable to keep your snake under observation and it should be taken to the veterinarian in case the diarrhea persists or become severe. It is necessary to always feed the ball python with the balanced diet, make sure it has access to clean water and seek for professional help when the situation is out of control.
He didn’t turn out to have any serious health problems with his Ball Python, but if your Ball Python does experience constipation or diarrhea, there are things that can be done appropriately with the help of your vet. For the remedy of constipation try to ensure that your snake drinks a lot of water and offer it a warm water bath. If it continues, I recommend you to ask for help from the reptile veterinarian who will be able to offer you the necessary advice in relation to your snake. As for diarrhea do not try to fix it without help, keep an eye on your snake and immediately consult with a veterinarian. They are very good at determining what has precipitated the problem and what remedy to offer your snake. Of course, professional consultation with a veterinarian plus a careful approach is important to deal with it and to support your ball python’s health.
Conclusion
Like all snakes, ball pythons also defecate, therefore it is important to observe your ball python’s bathroom hygiene as well as act if there is a problem. There is truth in the words that important information about the health of these lovely creatures could be ascertained with the manner and the frequency of coming out a bowel movement. If any such signs are observed, for instance frequent passage of stool or constipation, it is wise to consult a reptile physician.
They are mdms at identifying the problem and giving the best care to your snake. So let me remind you that the supplying of water and paying attention to your snake’s bathroom business is a great way to stay control their happiness levels.
