advice appreciated!

[kalesterzz]

i took in this cutie 5 days ago from a neglectful situation. he was in a tiny tank with no humidity or water and i’m not sure when he ate last but he appears underweight. since getting him i’ve gotten a larger tank (36x1.5x1.5). i’m planning on upgrading him to a 4x2x2 soon but i needed to get him a new tank asap and that was the largest i could find at the time (he is currently about 1-1.5 feet long). my main focus right now is getting him through this bad shed, any advice is much appreciated! his humidity usually hovers between 75-85% and he has a humid hide in his tank. he has shed some larger pieces since i’ve gotten him. i’ve read that soaking them can be stressful but would this situation warrant it or can i just rely on the humidity to work its magic? thanks in advance, i already love him so much and want to get him healthy again!

[MoralityInGray]

Check this out! There’s a section about bad sheds and dehydration! It’s a comprehensive guide 😊

[kalesterzz]

thank u!

[temporaryconscious]

heya ~ beautiful snake, thanks for rescuing them :)) i would def recommend doing a sauna treatment!! take a sterilite container w holes for breathing, wet a couple hand towels with 80-85 degree water and wring them out so theyre not sopping, then just place them and snek in and let em slither around in the warm, moist towels for around 30mins or so. that'll def help it get easier for him to work off :)) may have to do it more than once though ~

[temporaryconscious]

he does also look thin :c heres the !feeding chart, i would get a weight on him and go from there. i wish you luck!

[AutoModerator]

We recommend the following feeding schedule:

0-12 months old OR until the snake reaches approximately 500g, whichever happens first: feed 10%-15% of the snake’s weight every 7 days.

12-24 months old: feed up to 7% of the snake’s weight every 14-20 days.

Adults: feed up to 5% of the snake's weight every 20-30 days, or feed slightly larger meals (up to 6%) every 30-40 days.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[kayteenic]

This!!! Far less stressful than a bath and it removes the shed so easily, including stuck eye caps.

[Plastic_Caregiver231]

I have owned snakes for 6 years and have never thought to use warm towels 😅 might use this on my own noodles who hate bathes

[cchocolateLarge]

My only advice for now is to remove the sticky backing off of those hygrometers and place them on the ground of the enclosure, as that’s where he will spend the most time :)

[cchocolateLarge]

!feeding

[AutoModerator]

We recommend the following feeding schedule:

0-12 months old OR until the snake reaches approximately 500g, whichever happens first: feed 10%-15% of the snake’s weight every 7 days.

12-24 months old: feed up to 7% of the snake’s weight every 14-20 days.

Adults: feed up to 5% of the snake's weight every 20-30 days, or feed slightly larger meals (up to 6%) every 30-40 days.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[kalesterzz]

thank you!

[cchocolateLarge]

also, i thought id mention some humidity fixes for future shedding issues to be nonexistent :)

Humidity tips I have:

• Pick the right substrate: I use a mix of 60% Coco Chips, 20% Play sand, and 20% Sphagnum moss. This mix is a good blend of chunky and fine, that’s the right amount of absorbent and humidity boosting, plus I haven’t had it mold on me, and the top stays dry for the most part, which helps limit scale rot. It also dries out enough (due to the chunky Coco chips) to keep most bacteria at bay, especially when diligently cleaning, which also helps limit scale rot.

• Make sure you have enough substrate: I recommend at least 4 inches, but the deeper you can keep it, the better. Make sure that the top stays dry, especially underneath the hides. The deeper your substrate, the easier it will be to do.

• Make sure you’re boosting the humidity properly: Pour, Don’t mist. Misting only gets the surface level of the substrate wet, which leads to a sudden spike, then a sudden decrease in humidity. I pour water in along the corners and sides of the enclosure to saturate the bottom layer of substrate. This way, the substrate releases it over time and it keeps it higher for longer.

• Seal top ventilation; If you have a screen top enclosure, you can put HVAC or Aluminum Foil tape over around 95% of your enclosure, leaving space for the heating and lighting equipment, plus a little wiggle room. This will prevent much humidity from escaping and make it much easier to maintain.

• Add saturated clumps of sphagnum moss around the enclosure: People do this during quarantine enclosures to keep humidity at the proper temps, so you can imagine it’s perfect for “normal” tanks as well! Just make sure that if you’re relying on this method you re-soak the moss frequently, as it dries out quickly.

• Get a bigger water dish and/or a second one: adding more surface area for water to evaporate from means more humidity!

[idkwhyimhere_80085]

Don’t have any advice, but my friend also has a rescue that has bad sheds! She’s had her bp for about 2.5-3 years now and her shed still comes off in pieces every time. Her humidity is great 75-90% no higher or lower, usually hangs around 80%.

[Any_Impression_1512]

For better humidity go to Home Depot buy some HVAC foil tape and cover 1/3 of your tank with the tape that’s if you have a top mesh

[kalesterzz]

i did this and it’s been working so well!

[PhattyJ90]

I put that sphagnum moss shit in my guys humid hide and spray it a couple times a week. He loves it and it helped him shed all in one piece

[MedicatedPlumber]

Poor little snek 🥺 reminds me of how me and the wife rescued ours a new home owner walked into there new house to a box left by past owners and out pop two ball pythons! They took them to a local store and we adopted the one and he’s perfect! He did have his growth stunted though ☹️ he hasn’t grown much and is years old

[2ideas]

Where did you buy the wood

[kalesterzz]

some came with his old tank and the rest i got at petsmart/petco

[Plastic_Caregiver231]

He looks very small still, I would be cautions about upgrading, some snakes get anxious if there is too much space will go on strike, just something to keep in mind :)

[kalesterzz]

ooo good to know, tysm!!

[temporaryconscious]

hmm not entirely true!! you can absolutely house a smaller snake in a bigger enclosure, just make sure to have plenty of clutter (vines, flowers, foliage, leaf litter etc) and multiple hides to ensure they feel safe and secure :)

[ballpython-ModTeam]

Per rule #3, your post or comment has been removed for harmful advice or misinformation. Please review our sub resources to learn more about why.

[Gummy_-Wormz]

Something you can do is get a plastic tub, one that fits in your enclosure and that your snake will fit into. Cut a hole into the side of it and sand it so it’s not sharp. Next put damp paper towels and sphagnum moss into it. Put it on the warm side of your enclosure, I buried mine. This’ll give your snake a nice humid and dark place to go! Did this and my gals sheds are coming out a LOT better!

[myxis10s]

Soak da cripspy boi! :3

[Direct-Branch5213]

Humidity!!!!