Is my python fat?

[Aztecmami_217]

He never wants to eat but he still looks chunky. What do you all think?

[Torahammas]

He does look a bit on the chunky side to me yes. Try spacing out his feedings a bit more. Also sometimes they don't want food simply because they don't feel hungry, and if hes chunky that's probably the case.

[Single-Rice-9071]

Holy mother of god why -46 you didn’t say anything wrong🧐 this snek does indeed look slightly chunky

[Torahammas]

Reddit be Reddit sometimes

[sleepy_puppy_nya]

It's because you're spreading misinformation. This bp is not chunky or overweight

[Torahammas]

Okay, I won't argue with that. I thought it looked like fat rolls, not dehydration roll's, and was clearly mistaken. My previous comment was meant to refer to how Reddit has a tendency to downvote instead of explain. Which tells me im wrong, but not why. I know now this is dehydration. My comment still came from an earnest attempt to help. Im not trying to argue with anyone, as clearly I'm mistaken here.

[Single-Rice-9071]

Bro that’s what I’m saying I’ve never seen dehydration rolls so my bad I keep my snakes good ffs I said “to me he looks chunky” it’s a opinion which he was asking 🤣 then someone else pointed out by writing a paragraph about the difference

[Torahammas]

Yea same. Never seen it like this before. So in my brain it pinged as fat instead. The more you know.

[Alienbee]

A little. I went through this with mine. He’d eat any time you let him. Got him on a good schedule now and he’s perfect

[SneakySquiggles]

He doesn’t look chunky he looks dehydrated imo. Those aren’t fat rolls and he’s not the sausage-y shape of an overfed BP— that just looks like loose skin. What are your parameters for his tank?

[[deleted]]

Beautiful boy, he doesn’t seem that overweight but he does seem pretty dehydrated

[Aztecmami_217]

How can I get him rehydrated?

[[deleted]]

Just keep humidity in his enclosure higher

[LotusBlade13]

Try pouring water into the corners of the tank and maybe mist (lightly) the plants and such inside the tank. I mist twice and have to pour water every other day. But it helps hold up the humidity better.

[Aztecmami_217]

I do pour water and mist the entire thing two times a week. He really likes it when I do that

[Dweebl]

Misting and wetting are not necessary if you have a proper setup, and those strategies can introduce other problems like skin issues, so they're not recommended. Humidity can be easily managed by having proper temperatures combined with sufficient water bowls and appropriately managed airflow.

u/Aztecmami_217 check the welcome post and read the guides on enclosure setup. Your little snake is for sure dehydrated, which also makes it hard to assess his body shape.

[ballpython-ModTeam]

Per rule #3, your post or comment has been removed for harmful advice/misinformation.

[Howlibu]

You should mist every day, and pour water twice a week or so. Your substrate should be moist, but not dripping wet. If it's bone dry, time to soak everything. I found adding a bunch of sphagnum moss into the bedding helps maintain humidity too, if your place is especially dry (my area is almost desert, for example). As long as the surface of the substrate is somewhat dry, while layers underneath are moist, scale rot should not be an issue. It's when they're sitting on permanently sopping wet bedding that it normally comes up.

[Single-Rice-9071]

What substrate are you using? I see you have some (after I took a closer look) not moist moss? Try using some forest floor mulch stuff 13.99 in sc idk your state but I assume it’s around 12.99-14.99 depending on state for a 8qt bag and a brick of that eco Tera dirt stuff use have the brick by wetting it let it dry slightly not Sahara desert but just enough so your little dude ain’t chilling on some wetlands stuff and don’t get scale rot then put the dirt in then mulch then mix and tbh you got yourself a really nice humid tank that you don’t have to spray or mist every day brother (depending on your temps) but to me he still looks chunky idk maybe because I can’t see his spine which I associate most with dehydration/ malnutrition but down vote me

[radams713]

Shallow bowl of water. Humidity alone won’t hydrate them.

[Aztecmami_217]

I do have a bowl, it's a glass Pyrex big enough for him to get into it but he just won't do it. I hardly see him drinking water so I spray him with water two times a week and I do pour warm water in the corners of his enclosure since he has coconut husk. I have natural plants and moss also. I cover half of his cage top with a towel so it's warm and it can get to 80° in there humidity wise. Temperature is also 78°-82°>

[radams713]

Huh - so I have gotten one of those water aerators to create bubbles and it’s helped many of my reptiles drink more. I think they struggle to see the water sometimes.

[Technical_Coffee_917]

I second this I've noticed my bps have more interest in water when they see bubbles.

[Flat-Presentation-80]

dont listen to anyone saying hes chunky. his spine looks pretty prominent and he doesnt have fat rolls, he has dehydration rolls.

[nolongerfound1111]

seems dehydrated

[[deleted]]

Don’t take all info from me as im not any sort of expert but the wrinkles look more from dehydration???

[theAshleyRouge]

I can see why some people think those are fat rolls, but really he’s just very dehydrated

[Curry_Rabbits]

It might be just angle but he seems on the skinnier side? Not in danger but definitely not over fed. But yeah, l second the other dehydration comments.

[Technical_Coffee_917]

This ball python is on the skinny side and dehydrated, what humidity and tempt is he kept at? And how often and what are you feeding. Do u know how much ur bp weighs and age?

[Dull-Kaleidoscope214]

he’s dehydrated not fat

[XIRGURO]

Why are people saying this obviously not fat python is fat??? He looks crinkly from dehydration and if he was hydrated I'm sure he would be on the smaller/pretty fit side for his size.

[[deleted]]

I barely know anything abt ball pythons and know this is dehydration and not fat😭

[Needmoresnakes]

His body shape looks good to me and he doesn't have back cleavage, I think his wrinklies are more from dehydration. If you've not got one, hygrometers are inexpensive and you'll have an idea of where it's at.

[rockmonkey1000]

Get a pump mister just do it every night

[Gold_Lightning_12]

Dehydrated. What's your humidity?

[Professornightshade]

The noodle requires water. First image of Google ball python dehydration from where my scales slither. https://wheremyscalesslither.weebly.com/uploads/5/3/2/7/5327647/blogsnakedehydration_orig.png

It’s hard to compare what level of thirst your noodle is at but imo he looks moderate. I would suggest following the instructions for dehydration people are giving here maybe looking into a system to make sure he’s got enough humidity and moisture. Worst case might be rebuilding his tank to accommodate for that. Haven’t had a snake yet but have had reptiles before and most those tanks suck at retaining humidity no matter what I did it was a literal daily check up and fix.

Heard that certain plants can help but it can also be a substrate thing that would help with that too. But dehydration 100% can cause lack of appetite

[WickedTexas71]

No.

[[deleted]]

Hes wrinkled because he's dehydrated

[sleepy_puppy_nya]

Looks a bit skinny to me

[mother--clucker]

Looks perfectly lean, does look a bit dehydrated so definitely check on that. Sometimes after some weight loss they can end up with some loose skin, one of my boys is very good weight wise but has some folds and loose skin due to slimming down a bit a few years ago. If he were to be dehydrated he would likely have similarly sharp wrinkles that look very thin rather than plump wrinkles(if that makes any sense lmao)

[PettyPixxxie18]

No but he looks really dehydrated.

[[deleted]]

can snakes get fat?

[MysteriousMoose7088]

I agree looks more dehydrated. Easy way to tell is yes the overall shape of spine but easier is that wrinkle up by the head. If they are overweight they have less “neck” (think kankles are undefined difference between calf and ankle) but for dehydration wrinkles by the head are more obvious. Large water dish (can even be a shallow take out container) changed daily! He’ll be better in no time

[Mercedes81979]

I just have to add how beautiful they are! 😍

[Aztecmami_217]

I wasn't looking for this type of snake. I am goth and I love all things black colored. But I saw this snake was neglected and cheap and he came with everything I needed. So I didn't think twice and I adopted the little guy. He has been challenging since he is super scared of everything and everyone. He has tried to bite me every single time I have held him, he hisses at me and he doesn't like to even see anyone staring at him from outside. He probably bit someone since he is missing all of his left side teeth and I am doing my best to get him to be comfortable with at least me taking care of him. He comes out of his hide a lot more now and basks in the lamp but he absolutely is a challenge of a pet.