Terrible problems with shedding.

[BlueberryTrain]

My oldest ball python has always had problems with shedding for as long as I've had her, and only recently is this starting to become a terrible problem. It's due in part to the fact that I have her in a tank that doesn't seem to hold humidity, and I'm unable to move her into a tub yet as I am out of money.

This, however, is not the problem I am having. My issue is much worse.

While trying to help her work a terrible shed off her head, it seems some skin, actual skin, around her eye has been peeled back, just a tiny bit, and I can see white underneath it, which is what I'm assuming is her skull, or whatever is underneath.

I'm used to helping her work her bad shed off after she hasn't been able to remove it herself. Soaking her in water and rubbing her down with a washcloth, the most recommended solution has always worked for me. This has never happened before.

After this, which just happened about ten minutes ago, I immediately stopped and let her back into her tank, due to the fact that I did not want to make this any worse.

I was wondering if anyone else has ever had this issue, and if there is ANYTHING I can do to help her, with the thing that happened to her eye, and this terrible shedding problem she seems to have.

I keep a wet towel over the majority of the screen on top of the tank to try and keep the humidity in, and I spray inside every couple of hours, but absolutely nothing seems to help with this shedding problem, and I can't move her into a tub just yet. I'm incredibly worried about her to the point where I feel sick with myself for allowing this to happen, but I'm totally unsure of what to do. I do my best to take care of my ball pythons, but nothing seems to help with her.

[KMG]

You need to get the husbandry right. The humidity is obviously staying too low and you need to get that fixed. A pic of your setup would help as well as a pic of the injury.

Instead of the towel on the screen you should make a cover that covers most of it. I used s cardboard cutout wrapped in foil. This will hold both heat and humidity in.

Next we need to evaluate your substrate. What is it? Cypress mulch is great for holding moisture and I would recommend using it if you are not.

Third is a great tip that I have been using for years now. Get some moss at the pet store. Dampen it and place a chunk in the hides. This will create higher humidity in the hides and done the snake is there most of the time it will greatly benefit the snake.

If you get those things done you should be on your way to having nice sheds. These are things I do in my glass tank and I have great sheds.

I'm a bit confused why you can not, and have not, been able to buy a tub. They are extremely cheap. What's the issue? Both a bag of cypress mulch or box of moss cost more than a tub so I hope you can afford it so we can get your snake's husbandry correct.

[SKO]

There are ways to get perfect sheds with tanks like KMG said. A pic of the head will help too

[BlueberryTrain]

As cheap as tubs are, my money problem is incredibly tight right now, and hopefully I'll be able to get her inside a tub soon. It seems like the shed always comes off her belly, but not anywhere else on her body except for her head. I can try and take some pictures later on, both of her head and of the tank. The shedding issue happens with my younger bp, too, it only comes off on her belly, and not anywhere else.

[SKO]

Are you using a lamp for heat? That sucks out humidity

[BlueberryTrain]

No, I don't use a lamp, just the heat pad underneath their hides.

[BlueberryTrain]

I'm going to take some pictures next time I get her out, which should be in a bit. The younger one didn't seem to break the skin on her head, It seems like her head and part of her neck are the same colour as the new skin underneath, but there's no shed skin from her head in sight.

[KMG]

Your snakes should not be having shed issues. This is not an issue with them but an issue with your husbandry.

If I understand correctly the large ball is in a tank and the smaller ones are in tubs but they are all having bad sheds.

This tells me that even getting the big ball in a tub is not going to fix the issue. You need to post pics of the setups or at least give a detailed description of them. You have a general issue with humidity and I know we can help you get it fixed but you have to help us help you.

[BlueberryTrain]

I have two snakes, the older one is in a tank, along with her hide, waterbowl, and her climbing branch, there's a towel over the top of the tub that I keep wet to try and keep in humidity, along with spraying inside as often as I can. Her heating pad is underneath her hide.

The younger one is kept inside a tub with two hides and a water dish, with her heating pad underneath her hide as well, I spray in there often, also. They're both on cocoa husk bedding until I can order some aspen or something else for them. I know the issue isn't with the snakes, and it's with the husbandry. I want the best for them both, so I'm trying to do everything I can to help 'em out.

[Yodawagon]

Put her in a damp pillow case.