shedding help

[DeesBalls]

Hey i have a Ball Python thats about... 2 foot. i cant get her to get a really good shed, it comes out in peices but gets it all off. i want to make sure she has good sheds. i do soak her and mist the cage and all that but i also want to add a humitity box like what i do with my corn snake. For my corn i just use a very small take out container and put damp paper towl in it. she loves it and always is in there ( but its not always wet) anyway! back to the point. DO Any of you guys use humid hides for your balls? and if so what do u use to make them, i have a 20 Gallong long cage with big plastic dog bowl for water, a log, and hide. any help would be good.

i want to stress the fact that she has good sheds, they just dont come out all in one peice. thanks guys!

[Hillsberry]

Well I really wouldnt worry about if they dont come out in one piece, as long as its a good shed and they get it all off. My Jungle never sheds in one piece no matter how much I mist and everything. What I have scene for wet hides is people take like a plastic contaner and cut a big enough hole for your snake to fit. And put wet paper towl in it. Just keep good humitity. You may not have enough humitity in the tank. Do you use heat lamps?

[Hillsberry]

Whats the Humitity in your tank right now? I just read the hum should be 60-80% with balls

[percey39]

I would check your temps as well as what hillary said check your humidity. I have some snakes at home that always shed in one whole piece while others of the same species, temps and heat have it come off in a few pieces. Dont worry too much as long as your snake has all the right conditions and is in good health, some snakes just dont have a whole shed and always check that all the shed has come off though

[Feebo]

Yeah check everything, it`s sometimes a sign that somethings not right. A moss hide will do though, a box she can just about fit in, filled to about a third up with sphagnum moss and then sprayed till it`s pretty wet. That way she can regulate herself the same way she does with temperature.....

[DeesBalls]

okay thanks guys!

[mykee]

i want to stress the fact that she has good sheds, they just dont come out all in one peice
"Good sheds" are ones that come off in one piece.
Period.
If you have sheds that are not in one big piece, they are not good sheds.
That said, your problem is a very easy one to fix; increase the humidity to upwards of 90% when you see your ball go blue.
If the animals environment does not allow for that, reconsider the environment.
Good luck.

[DeesBalls]

thanks... so even if everything comes off, its still a "bad shed"... never new that, thanks!

[mykee]

Yes.
A good shed is one that the husbandry requirements were met prior to the shed, and it came off in one piece.
A bad shed, is one where the husbandry (humidity, temp, etc.) were not met prior to and during the shed and the shed came off in more than one piece.
Your job is now to find out what is not right and fix it for the next shed.

[Feebo]

Here here ! If you keep a permenant damp moss hide in there and keep a close eye on your temperatures, that should do the trick. Make sure there are LOTS of places for it to hide aswell, a snake with nowhere to completely hide itself is a stressed snake...

[DeesBalls]

i have a nice hide for her and other places for her to burrow sort of under.. its hard to explain.. any way, i will keep u guys updated on her next shed.

[citysnakes]

im assuming that youre housing your ball in a 20 gal fish tank with a screen or wire lid. if this is the case then in order to retain more moisture within the tank you need to reduce the amount of ventilation by covering up a portion if not most of the screen top. permanently raising ambient humidity within the enclosure is going to be much more effective than a humid hide especially when assisting with sheds. with ambient humidity raised and, as Mykee suggested, an even greater humidity boost during shed cycles you will see good sheds.

[DeesBalls]

yea, i have a 20 gal long with a crappy top, i have a towl i use to cover the opposite side of the top that has the light... i mist and everything an she gets eveything off its just comes off in peices and its starting to annoy/worry me. i do mist once a day but maybe need to mist a few more times a day?

[Chu'Wuti]

Mist at least three times a day. Also, get some sphagnum peat moss--the long fiber kind--and soak it in some warm water. Squeeze it out so that it isn't dripping wet but still quite damp and put it in the warm hide. Check it every couple of days to make sure it's clean & still damp.

Good luck!

[DeesBalls]

okay, thanks for the advice!! also, hes less than a yr old how often should i be feeding her, i was told by the pet store 1 small rat every other week or so? i just feel that isnt enough for her... thanks in advance!

[ddaniel2931]

i have a 2 foot python to and i feed her 2 large mice every week but if your feed her on rat that is fine because they are bigger and also to keep in mind that an over feed snake is also not good yes she will get bigger faster but also stress the snake out... the reason y i don't feed my snake rats is because her skin get all stretch out and it dose not look that grate and take to long for her to eat the rat some time so i stick to mice for that reason till she get bigger

[Chu'Wuti]

For some excellent information and guidance on the care and feeding of ball pythons, check out Julian's care guide: Caresheets - Welcome to www.citysnakes.com ! (http://citysnakes.com/4.html)

He, like information provided by other experienced BP breeders I've read, recommends feeding BPs once a week.

Good luck!

[Rham_Es-Hestos]

Do Any of you guys use humid hides for your balls?


Mine is not always humid, sometimes gets a little cramped, but otherwise my balls love hiding out between my legs.



I'm sorry. It had to be said.

[DeesBalls]

lol i have to admit i never even noticed that when i typed that...LMAO!!!

[Rham_Es-Hestos]

I only wish someone else had picked it up. Now I'm the pervert for noticing it and saying something first.

I've always wondered how you ball python owners could get away with calling them balls for short and not snicker every time you said 'my balls are big' or 'here's pics of my balls' etc etc etc...

[Freebody]

my snake rubs her sides on her water bowl or up against the walls of her cage when she sheds and just rips her shed and it come off looking like swiss cheese no matter what i do. one day ill get a perfect shed ....one day :P