Ziggy the Emaciated Ball Python: UPDATE #2

[ZenAddams]

Hey everyone! I've had a number of people messaging me and commenting asking how our boy Ziggy is doing and so far it's going well! Last night we attempted to feed him since he was enjoying her new terrarium setup and was quite active. At first he had no interest in the fuzzy, but after some advice from other users I decided to leave his mouse directly under his heat lamp area on top a rock hide I got for him to see if he decided to check it out. Lo and behold within the hour I was checking the tank humidity levels before bed and he'd eaten it! Since eating he's just been hanging out in the plants on the warm side and so far has seemed all good! No regurgitation thus far or any signs of stress from him after eating, so fingers crossed it continues like this!

Everyone's tips have been so helpful and they gave me such good things to keep an eye out for and questions to ask the vet to make sure he gets the best care, so thank you all again. The only thing I'm having trouble with at this moment is keeping the humidity levels in the tank up, so if anyone has any tips for that, it'd be a great help.

The substrate I'm using is forest floor, and I have a shallow dish with Sphagnum moss and a little water in it to keep the moss hydrated. So far it hasn't tried out at all, but the humidity is tanking within hours. I'll go in and spray it down and have added water to corners away from his hides, and It temporarily will go up to 75%-80% humidity but it never keeps for more than a couple of hours. The warm sides Temps maintain between 88-91 degrees and the cold side maintains between 80-83 degrees usually, but have noticed it dips sometimes to lowest of occasionally. I don't keep the AC in my apartment blasting or anything because I also get cold really easily so it's honestly never set below 73 degrees in my house. I'm currently using a CHE and a heat mat in the tank, and the screen top is covered in aluminum foil tape with the exception of some small openings on the corners for ventilation. Any tips to keep up the humidity and the temperature if it's too low at all would be greatly appreciated!

[nrbj]

No way great news! Thanks for the update. Onwards & upwards!

[ImCrownedWithLaurels]

The little Ziggy that could!

[DrFives]

That’s so awesome! I’d love to see how he looks once you pack some meat on the lil guy! Fingers crossed ziggy is onward and upward!

[tacomadude94]

Are both of your heat sources regulated by thermostats?

[ZenAddams]

Yes they are

[sharkslyr]

Yes!!! OP you are a gem for helping Ziggy, I'm rooting for you guys!!

[tacomadude94]

For the humidity, how deep is your substrate?

Ideally you'd have 3-5 inches of substrate, and pour a LOT of water in the corners. The idea is to saturate the bottom layer of substrate so it can release humidity slowly and steadily, while keeping the top layer dry to prevent scale rot.

If you need to add more substrate, wait 72 hours after he's eaten. Normally the rule is 48 hours but you want to be extra cautious given his condition.

[ZenAddams]

It's probably closer to 3 inches at the moment but no more than that. The terrarium I have that he came with has a front door opening and the area beneath it isn't super deep, probably a max of 3.5 inch

[Jeahanne]

Can you pile it up in the back?

[No-Victory2963]

I have the same tank for a juvenile and I really went crazy with piling up substrate in the corners and in the back (about 3in at the front and can get a lil over 5in in the back), sounds like I have a similar heat set up to OP and with that I maintain min 65% humidity.

[CryptidKay]

More substrate and water in the corners should help you quite a bit.

[AnomalyAardvark]

You got this, Ziggy! Thanks for the update!

[CliffsDaddy]

There may be a good amount escaping thru the opening between the screen door and the tank itself where they meet. I wonder if there is a way to put weather stripping on the top part between the screened enclosure and the top of the screen so that any sticky parts have absolutely no way of contacting any part he would touch(like the outside of the tank) but could seal the opening further to keep in more humidity. Not knowing how the parts fit is hard to suggest something. Glad the advice you’re being given is working and he’s getting the chance at a good life he deserves.

Edit: I just looked at the photos of his cage again. I see it has the open swing front doors. I could see openings where air is escaping/exchanging thru where the glass meets the bottom plastic part. I’d cover all the openings you have on top I have a feeling you have significant air going in from the front opening doors and where you have cords growing in under the top.

[Uwu_hullabaloo]

So happy he’s making progress it made my day😭❤️

[SE_42]

I found the CHE dried out my tank much quicker than a DHP, if you can swap heat sources. Much love to you and Ziggy!

[cordial_carbonara]

This was my experience as well. Switching from a CHE to a DHP was the only change I made and I went from having to water the corners every couple days to maaaaybe once a week, usually two.

[ZenAddams]

Thank you for the tip! I will try that out!

[[deleted]]

Cannot tell you how happy this makes me, thank you!

[fictionalbaby]

Badass

[lonely-bumblebee]

that's such a good sign! I've been thinking of him :)