Shedding and humidity question

[jarobin]

So, my BP Parker is in his first shed right now. His skin went dull, then eyes went milky blue, now he is back to having normal colored eyes. I have been maintaining the humidity in his enclosure for the past few days since I noticed he was in shed in between 70 and 80 percent. I actually have been home for most of this time and have been able to mist his tank, and the towels i have on top of the screen to ensure his humidity is ok. The way I have it is, one damp towel on one side, the heat lamp that maintains the temp on his cool side sorta in the middle over the large water bowl, and another damp towel on the other side. (without the heat lamp his cool side goes below 75 degrees).
Today, I was gone for more time than usual. I went to my mother's in the afternoon, around 1:30 with the intention of not coming home until nighttime. When I left the humidity was at 76, and stable at that for about 4 hours. I told my boyfriend to make sure he checked on the tank for me every few hours and mist if the towels were completely dry. I told him it had to be between 70 and 80 percent and if it went below to mist and dampen the towels. So I got home at 10:30 and went in the room where Parker is to check on him. I find that one of the towels is not on the screen anymore. It is crumpled up on top of the other towel. I look inside and his humidity is at 57! I ask my boyfriend (who is sleeping at this time, and apparently has been for many hours) why the towel is not on top of the screen. He told me it is because the humidity was too high. I said, what is too high, he says 82. So basically, at 82 he took the towel off and went to sleep and didn't check again. So I have NO idea how many hours the humidity was that low. I have raised it at this point back up to 70.

This is the first shed. I have only had Parker for about a month and a half. So I'm worried about his shed, since his eyes are not milky anymore and I'm pretty sure he is supposed to shed soon. I have been so careful, and so meticulous about his temps and humidity since I got him and I am frustrated that the ONE day I leave it gets all messed up. Is it going to mess up his shed, or is it still ok since I have been maintaining it otherwise? I don't mean to over-react, but since this is my first time with this I am freaking out.

[JayyPastel24]

Ohh don't worry at all, and for the record you don't even have to mist, a good trick to bump up humidty is to leave the water dish by the heating pad, but your doing everything just, right parker is just doing his thing, the blue eyes come along w. The pink belly but the shed cycle is still going on even though he looses the blue eyes its okay that completly normal, sometime this morning or during the day check for the shed because it will deffitenetly be there

[wwmjkd]

he should be fine. I wouldn't rake your boyfriend over the coals too much. humidity does need to be higher than normal during the shed cycle, but a few hours at the 50% mark isn't going to ruin otherwise good husbandry practices.

i'm also assuming you're using a glass tank with a screen top? it's usually what everyone starts out with, but humidity is always an issue. you might look into getting a small rack system, or if you want the aesthetic, a display cage made of pvc or some other quality material that will hold the water vapour in the air. they're certainly more expensive but worth the investment in the long run.

hope all goes well.

[kitedemon]

The shed cycle typically is pink belly, dusty looking, blue eyes, clearing but an over all hazy look then the shed. It sounds like yours is very close.

I'd not be concerned by the dip. Royals shed fine at 60% I keep all mine at 60% I may mist once if I catch it near the beginning of the cycle but if I miss it I just let it be. I have not ever had a problem shed doing this.

Increased humidity near the end won't hurt but is unlikely to help much. The snake at the beginning of the cycle begins making a fluid that sits between the old and new skin. This is the reason for the increased humidity so this fluid (lubricant) does not dry out. In lower humidity conditions the snake either fails to produce the lubricant and the shed dries out and flakes off in bits or the fluid dries out and the same thing happens. Towards the end of the cycle the fluid is excreted and the old skin becomes less permeable and flexible and the bit lower humidity is unlikely to have much effect.

This is why soaking during the shed isn't always a great idea as it removes the fluid and allows the shed skin to dry out. Soaking is useful after the snake has tried to shed and failed. There is very little problems with a bad shed, it will come off the next time or will slough off in between retained eye caps are not a problem once it is multiple times that it becomes an issue. Tail tips are a bit more concerning as the drying shed shrinks and that can cause a loss of blood flow. Luckily a wet finger and a little rolling solves that quickly.

[llovelace]

Instead of being chained so to speak to the tank misting to keep humidity up, why not try some damp natural sea sponges, you can get a bag of them in the craft dept. at walmart.

[kitedemon]

I have not tried sea sponges but it is an excellent notion! I actually just have a humidifier in the room with my snakes. It is too easy water the humidifier every 4 days or so. A humid hide also works well.

[llovelace]

I like the sponges, wet them once a day, even place them in the hides to make a humid hide.

[jarobin]

thanks guys. i didn't really freak out on my boyfriend...i was waiting on an answer from people who know better before i said anything to him lol. that makes me feel better knowing its ok. i was just worried since he is in the end of the shed cycle that would just mess up all that i did prior. i knew that since his eyes were no longer milky that he should be shedding the skin within the next 24 to 48 hours so i figured this was the most important time to keep the humidity high. good to know its all ok. and thanks for the info about the fluid that sits between the old and new skin. that was really good info to know =)

yes it is a glass tank. i plan to keep it until he outgrows it. it may be a pain in the butt, but i'm ok with it for now. it's what we had before buying him, and we don't really have the money to invest in a rack quite yet. someday though.

as for the sponge idea, i had thought of doing something like that. i like the idea a lot. i just wasn't sure if there was a specific type to get. i dont want to put anything in there that might be harmful somehow. i'm still such a newbie at all this.

[kitedemon]

I have a love hate affair with my rack. I hate cleaning it I spend as much or more time (more when you think I can do one enclosure in 1/5 the time the rack takes to do.

here is a tank solution that solves most tank related problems you might want to look at.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...arium-Solution

Alex