Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am a new owner of these great snakes and have just a couple of questions after searching the archives.

1. I have two of these snakes (about 6 months old)and one has become significantly darker in color than the other one in the last few days. Is it getting ready to shed?

2. They have both found a way to get under the water bowl ( a heavy ceramic flat bottomed bowl) and the only thing keeping the bowl off the cage floor is now snake. They have pushed all of the substrate back and it's now snake foundation. The darker of the two has been under there for the last three days and hadn't come out...so I checked on him by removing the bowl and that's when I noticed his coloring since his last sighting a few days ago. Should i allow them to get under the bowl? (put substrate under it) Or do i put it on the cage floor and keep them out from under it? They have two hide spots already, and I don't want them to stay there 24/7 and have to remove the bowl to get them out of the cage.

Any suggestions for these wordy (but simple) questions?

np
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-Ball Python
-Tangerine Corn Snake
-Het for Snow Corn
-Ghost Corn

r

I say give them another hide spot, one that's very tight... that's what they want... they'll feel much safer and likely fair better.

The darker one is likely about to shed, but w/o pics we can't say for sure.

Thanks for the response. I'll tighten up the 1/2 logs for them to hide in. I'll snap a pic later.

I've heard those are some of the worst hides you can use. Your best bet is to use the base of a clay flower pot. With a hammer give the wall a good whack and make a hole for the snake to get in and out of. Then turn the base upside down and use that.

BP's like to feel something around all sides and it needs to be fairly enclosed. A half log just won't accomplish any of this and that's why your snakes aren't using them.

FYI, it's pretty important you fix this because your snakes very well may opt for a better hide over proper temperature. Long exposure to improper temps will eventually take it's toll and you snake will become ill.
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Rob Talkington

I'll do exactly that, because I have already noticed the stress of putting the water bowl on the floor to keep them out from under it. I'll pick up the pots today. Thanks for the advice.

You can also use little ceral boxs.

Do you have both snakes in the same cage?!
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1.1 Ball Python, 0.1 motley amel corn, 1.0 western hognose, 1.0 red blood

>>I'll do exactly that, because I have already noticed the stress of putting the water bowl on the floor to keep them out from under it. I'll pick up the pots today. Thanks for the advice.
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Rob Talkington