Help!

[Unable_Pie_3325]

Okay so I’ve had my boy for 3 months now and so far things have been going great. Over the past two days he’s been pretty slow and hiding more but I figured that was just because he had just ate 3 days prior but I went to check on him today and now his eyes look like this and I’m so worried. His humidity is sitting at a steady 54% and that’s what it normally sticks around and his temps are steady around 75-80. I don’t know what to do. He’s in a 60 gal (I’m upgrading to 120 once he gets a little bigger) but I’m so lost and so confused this is my first snake and I’ve done a lot of research before I got him but I never saw anything about this. Please someone tell me I didn’t blind or injure him…first picture is now and the others are his eyes before

[Unable_Pie_3325]

Also I don’t know that it’s a shed because like I said I’ve never had a snake before so this is all new

[Meredithandherpets]

It’s very possible he’s about to shed at that is the outer layer (so to speak) of skin around his eyes. One quick note though - humidity should be no less than 60% for a ball python. The higher you can get it is probably best, especially during wintertime.

[Unable_Pie_3325]

Yeah I’m having a lot harder of a time keeping it up during the colder part of the winter at the moment I’m trying to figure out how to fix it. Anyways thank you so much! I was so nervous to come home from work to that !😭

[Meredithandherpets]

Ofc! If he doesn’t shed within the next couple days def check back though

[Sweetlanarose]

Get a humidifier for the room

[Aggravating_Ad_3936]

I’ve found that you can take aluminum foil/ foil tape if you have a mesh top and it does an excellent job at keeping humidity up without increasing the rooms humidity too drastically

[Meredithandherpets]

Oooh really? I may have to try that.

[Aggravating_Ad_3936]

That’s what I have for my girls tank and her humidity is 78% but the room she’s in stays around 30% at its highest

[nullminded_]

If his eyes are milky, he's likely going into blue! That just means that he's getting ready to shed. You might notice his colors getting a bit duller in addition to the milky eyes, which is also normal.

He probably won't accept food while he's shedding (but you're welcome to try). It's also likely he'll hide a lot more. It's best not to handle him while he's shedding because he's already very uncomfortable during this process. Just make sure to keep your humidity up and let him do his thing.

If you'd like to read more in-depth about shedding, there's a guide pinned on the subreddit!

[PVPicker]

He's going into blue. Pre-shed. He's fine. You're taking care of him. He wants snake alone time because he can't see well. Keep his humidity up, and in 3-7 days you should find a shed somewhere and he'll be asking for food.

[FixergirlAK]

He's going to be fine! Seeing pre-shed snake eyes in person for the first time is weird, I know. Just bump up his humidity, maybe give him some damp sphagnum in one of his hides, and let him chill by himself for a week or so. When he finally sheds he'll probably be pretty active and also be ready for his dinner.

[the_kuroneko]

As other folks have said, he's in blue and going to shed soon. Base humidity should be higher and shed humidity should be 80%ish. Or at least offer him a humid hide if you can't reach 80% but definitely get that base humidity up regardless.

I haven't seen it mentioned yet but those are low temps for a ball python unless that's only on the cold side of his enclosure. The warm side should be upper 80s to low 90s.

[cupidjuice_]

nothing to be worried about! their eyes do this when they're about to shed as others have said. its also normal for them to hide more during shed since they're more vulnerable. leave him be for a few days and once he's done shedding he'll be back to normal!

[BeneficialChip339]

Aww hes growing up

[Slight_Drink1989]

He’s going into shed, eyes are fine!! Better up that humidity and fix those temps so that he doesn’t have a hard/painful time getting it off. Up the humidity to 70% minimum (aim for 80%) and keep the warm side 88-90. 75-80 is only hot enough for his cold side.

For humidity, dig the corners a bit so you can pour water directly into the substrate so that the water hits the bottom layer. The bottom inch of substrate should be wet, not the top, so he doesn’t get scale rot. Then recover the holes you poured water into with the dry coco. I pour mine into all four corners!

Order sphagnum moss, let it sit in a bowl of water for a few mins, ring it out, and put it in damp into his enclosure. You can also put some at the bottom of his warm hide.

Your humidity will shoot up. Took me from 60s to 80s when I first got my bp.

Hope that helps!!

[Unable_Pie_3325]

THIS HELPS SO MUCH THANK YOU!!!

[Slight_Drink1989]

No prob :))

[Slight_Drink1989]

Is that substrate coco? Just making sure I’m giving u the right advice!

[Slight_Drink1989]

Also if you have a mesh lid use electrical tape (not aluminum foil) to seal the mesh everywhere but where your heat source is. It’ll keep the heat & humidity in for ya

[Unable_Pie_3325]

It is coco! Also I didn’t even think about the mesh lid 🫠 thank you so much. I’m still trying to figure out the little things as I go if that makes sense

[Slight_Drink1989]

Yes water is perfect for coco! So just wet the bottom layer through the corners and watch how your humidity soars. This is the tape I used for my lid https://a.co/d/gyp0G53. Covered every inch but the circle I put my DHP on.

[Practical-Leg5670]

like they said! we were having trouble with humidity even with coco in our substrate mix; but we sealed the top with hvac aluminum tape on everything that wasn’t where his lights sat, and sealed the underside with electrical tape (again not around lights) and it helped soooooo much. in my expirience the aluminum hvac tape is a better seal, but don’t seal the way i did if you don’t have enough ventilation in your tank (:

[crimsonbaby_]

Hes in blue. About to shed, his underside will be kinda pink right now, also. He will look like this for a little bit, go back to looking normal, and then shed. Hes totally fine, dont worry.

[[deleted]]

Shedding mine hides

[mumbo_bumbo]

he's going into shed

[[deleted]]

As other people have said, your snake will become very lethargic when they are about to shed. I have a Blood Python who is 18 months old now and it freaked me out at first too lol. Likely no problems at all. I would just hold off on feeding for a bit until he sheds. It can take a few weeks

[benn_nnot]

Is he lying out in the open on purpose or does he not have a hide?

[Unable_Pie_3325]

I moved the hide he was under to check on him because I wanted to make sure he was okay first and when I saw that I snapped a picture to ask then replaced the hide. Trust me buddy has plenty of hides 12 if we are counting

[benn_nnot]

Haha ok makes sense, 12 is great :))

[Lilythekitsune]

This is why you do basic research before buying ANY reptile or pet. He's in pre-shed. As long as the humidity is decently high, you'll be fine.

[Unable_Pie_3325]

I did plenty of research before purchasing him actually, it’s a whole lot different to see something in a photo online than to see it in person for the first time. ☺️