health questions

akane · 01-05-17, 04:03 PM

Does he seem thin? His spine feels quite prominent. Also is the wrinkling on his head normal. He shed last month, I got him last weekend, I've fed him once on monday. The thermometer probe says 78F on the warm end. It may not be the absolute warmest spot but the best I can get it positioned. Last I checked with the temp gun it was about 80F to mid 70s across the tank. He's been hanging out on the cool end wrapped around the water dish so I left the temp there. He has a dish he can just fit in with about an inch of water and is on paper. He soaked it in the first day and I have seen him stretched over his dish but not in it since. He was jumpy when I touched him and lifted him up but he calmed right down.

**Andy_G** · 01-05-17, 04:08 PM

What's his humidity? He looks pretty good though, honestly. Short tails have a high spine and it's noticable with babies. Get him feeding a few times, triple check the humidity and get him settled in before worrying too much...and hands off for now would be my advice.

**Andy_G** · 01-05-17, 05:04 PM

A couple of pics for reference.

And here's a picture for reference of body shape. This little lady was about 3 months old or so at the time of these pics. Note the spine. As long as your snake's sides are plump you are ok.

The one you just picked up looks like it may be preparing to shed as well.

akane · 01-05-17, 07:32 PM

He hatched 6-28 and shed 12-1. I haven't been doing anything but looking in on where he is and changing the water. Since I've mostly only seen his head besides when I fed a gerbil and I usually feed on thursday or friday I wanted to check him over and decide on a live rat to get him. The person has great live feeders but her definitions when talking age/size are a little different than most so I also used the pics to pull up on my phone and size rat "fuzzies" (more like pups to "probably could survive weaning").

Oh I originally mentioned his spine because a site I looked at when debating that probably grossly overweight adult blood showed pics saying a pointed spine is bad, a rounded shape with a bit of low spine is good, and then the blob state where there is no raised spot for a spine.

**Andy_G** · 01-05-17, 08:18 PM

Nah. The spine is almost always a bit visible in the healthier ones. Some examples:

This girl was a bit chunky (and hell on wheels...)

But some others

akane · 01-06-17, 12:09 PM

blood python group deemed the rats too large. Another gerbil sacrifice was made. Don't stick your fingers in there. He struck out and is ready to take anything you'll offer as more meal.

**Aaron_S** · 01-06-17, 12:44 PM

I feed by weight. I would use at that size about 15% of the snakes body weight in a prey size. Get one or two of your feeder suppliers rat pups and weigh them and see.

At a young age you can even go up to 20% of body weight as the snake will use it all for growth.

akane · 01-06-17, 10:28 PM

Well I'm not weighing the snake for this week's rodents. He's full of gerbil and willing to try to eat anything that comes in his space. I'll see next week how things compare.