Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have three baby ball pythons, about four months old. They are the results from my first breeding, so I'm still new at this. A few days ago I noticed one of them had a dent in her back. It comes and goes depending on her movements. Today I saw another baby crawling up the side of her tank (they're housed separately). As she got higher, she suddenly fell backwards and now has a dent in her back, too. They still move normally and have feeling below the dent. I've moved them to a rack system to keep them from climbing the walls. Are their backs broken? Will they recover? How can I prevent this? Will my babies be okay? I'm giving them a few days to settle in their new homes before feeding them. Has this happened to anyone else?
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3.7 ball pythons
1.4.14 Eastern box turtles
1.1 corn snakes
0.1 scarlet kingsnake
0.1 bearded dragon

Are you sure the 'dent' wasn't there before? What you're probably referring to is spinal kinks. An unfortunate deformity that occasionally does happen. Since more than one of your babies has this deformity, it leads me to believe that you have spinal kinks. So long as they're eating and appear healthy, they should be fine. I would not breed them, nor their parents again though.
You can google ball python spinal kinks for more info.
JaY
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1.0 Pastel Ball
1.1 Het VPI Axanthic Balls
1.1 Het Albino Balls
0.1 Normal Balls
0.0.1 Red Tail Boas
1.0 Albino Nelsons Milksnake
1.1 Room mates
2.2 Dogs
0.1 Cat

No, I am positive they were not like this before. I handle my snakes all the time except when they're digesting. These dents/kinks popped up overnight after four months of normal spines. I wish I had pics, so you could see, but when these dents appear they're quite obvious. Sometimes they go away depending on the snake's position. I don't think a kink would do that.
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3.7 ball pythons
1.4.14 Eastern box turtles
1.1 corn snakes
0.1 scarlet kingsnake
0.1 bearded dragon

Check your lids, the lids I were using kinked my first pastel. Hard lesson to learn when I'd been using them for years. The lid had pinched him been it and the tank and I'm sure this is what happened.
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Pastel 0.1
Spider 0.1
Normals 2.1
Het Pied 0.1
Leopard Geckos 1.1
American Bulldog 0.1

So by keeping my babies in a rack-type setup I can prevent this from happening again? Was your pastel able to eat normally? I'm going to give them each a tiny pinkie and hope they don't have any problems. Thanks.
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3.7 ball pythons
1.4.14 Eastern box turtles
1.1 corn snakes
0.1 scarlet kingsnake
0.1 bearded dragon

Yeah I was able to do that, it's whatever you can do to fix it on your end, you may think of something else. He is actually a great eater and next year I hope he'll breed one of my females. I'll try to post some pics of the kink spot on him, it's not that noticeable but it still has me worried anytime I see it. I won't make this mistake again on another animal.
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Pastel 0.1
Spider 0.1
Normals 2.1
Het Pied 0.1
Leopard Geckos 1.1
American Bulldog 0.1

In all honesty, this is one of those questions/problems that no one will be able to help you with until they at least see some photos.

If you don't have a digital camera (no cell phone pics please - they are never clear enough).... either borrow one from a friend or purchase one of those disposable digital cameras.

If you are that worried about them it is always best to make an appointment with a herp vet. Be sure to ask the receptionist if the vet has experience with pythons and be VERY picky about the vet you go to. Don't just make an appointment with the first one that will see your animals.

However, since you just recently noticed this on not one but two of your animals I have to say that it most likely is not a kink (especially if it "comes and goes". Since they are still moving around and (I assume) the area is not tender to the touch or swollen I also doubt they have broken their backs (ribs maybe?).

Without pictures it's impossible to give you an accurate appraisal about what may (or may not) be going on. Right now the only two things that come to mind are either broken ribs (they can pop in and out and will allow your snake to maintain a certain level of mobility... however this is a very serious problem and should be dealt with by a vet a.s.a.p.) If they broke their ribs it could have resulted in a number of ways - someone dropped them or perhaps they were pinched somehow in their tubs/cages as a result of someone opening/closing the lid or tub or from a failed escape attempt.

The other option... your snakes are underfed or going into shed and what you are seeing is simply skin folds. Of course if they are overfed they will be pudgy and have folds also...

no pics = only guesses Sorry!