Please help!! I think my girl is in pain!!!

[herpfreak]

I lifted my adult Ball Python's hide box just a few minutes ago, and I noticed she was really dark in color; she's been getting darker and darker this past week, and I've assumed she's ready to go into shed. But even before a shed, I don't think she's ever been this dark, and her eyes haven't clouded at all. Her belly is really pink; normally it doesn't get THAT pink before shed, and I considered a burn. However, the floor of her hide box is warm but not hot to my hand. I thickened the substrate layer just in case.

I stroked her for a minute so I didn't surprise her, then I attempted to lift her and she hissed at me. She's hissed at me before, just to let me know she's irked and thinks her bath water is too hot or something like that, but this was a really nasty hiss that lasted longer than anything I've heard from her before. I stroked her again and moved her out of the way so I could put her hide back. She was obviously in extreme pain or really stressed out; I wasn’t going to take her out.

So I've been thinking of possibilities; is there any chance she might be in shed, even though her eyes are still deep black? And she can't see very well, so she hissed at me?

Also, there is another possibility; a very stressful situation occurred last night. It was around 11:00, and I was sitting on my bedroom floor letting her crawl around.... and before I knew it, she had stuck her head into one of the holes on my laundry basket. She wasn't going to fit, but if I tried pulling her out she would resist and probably hurt herself. So I gave her her space, thinking she would try to pull herself out backwards. But she didn't. She pulled herself through this tiny, sharp-edged hole in my laundry basket... it took about ten minutes for her to squeeze through, and the whole time I was biting my lip and trying not to cry or stress her out more. I really wanted to help, but I knew me getting involved would scare her and then she might really hurt herself.


Do you think she might be hurting from the tight squeeze last night?

Please help me, I'm really really scared for her!

 

[Gail]

If her skin isn't broke then she is probably ok from her encounter last night, though it is possible she is slightly bruised which would make her crabby.
The pink belly and hissing makes me think shed, as they get bigger, the belly gets pinker when shedding. I bet her eyes go blue in a day or so.
I'd just leave her be, but keep an eye on her for any odd behavior. If she ever goes in the laundry basket again, you really need to try and help her. With a small pair of scissors, you should have been able to cut her free.

 

[PastorAaron]

Sometimes they darken before they shed, it's pretty normal and it's also pretty normal for them to stress before shed.
God Bless,
Aaron

 

[Tiantha]

If her eyes don't get blue, you may have an infection too but I'm banking the stress from last night, she's a bruised and unhappy girl. If she likes a warm bath you can try to give her some ease. My boy has come to enjoy his bathtime, my girl she gets all 'NO no Mom hate the water'...sigh. I know when I ache a bath makes me feel better. Just be really warm handed and very gently supportive if you pick her up.

Keep me informed please.

 

[herpfreak]

Thanks everybody! Her eyes clouded a couple days ago, hooray! I don't like it when she's in shed cause I don't get to hold her (I get so lonely without my girl!), but I'm glad she's not hurt or anything. Though the hissing, like you guys said, was probably due to a bruise or two. Poor baby.

Thanks again!