Ball Python Eye Indent

[CharlesAndMonty]

Earlier today I noticed a small indent in my 8 month old male BP Charles' eye, this really shook me up, I was terrified for my little guy! I looked up forums and websites but got no straight answer or instruction I don't know what to do or what's at risk, I don't want him to lose his eyesight! Some said it was humidity, some said it was a retained eye cap (He always has great sheds) some said it was a scar on his eye from a mouse or rat (I feed frozen thawed exactly for this reason) What's the problem and how do I fix it?

I tried taking a picture but it's pretty small and it's also hard holding his head as he's a little head shy.

[MJ_Bosley]

Oh no! I don't know how to help, but I hope he's okay 💖

[Craiga 01453]

From what I have read and seen dented eyes are usually due to dehydration.

What is your setup and husbandry like? The more you tell us the more we can help you.

What type of enclosure? How is it heated? How is heat regulated?
What substrate? How many hides? Water bowls?
What are your temps? Humidity? How and where are you measuring?

[CharlesAndMonty]

From what I have read and seen dented eyes are usually due to dehydration.

What is your setup and husbandry like? The more you tell us the more we can help you.

What type of enclosure? How is it heated? How is heat regulated?
What substrate? How many hides? Water bowls?
What are your temps? Humidity? How and where are you measuring?

I use a 20 gallon long terrarium with a lid and lock. It's heated by an under tank heat pad. I use thermometers to check the heat. I use Coconut Husk substrate. He has one hide on his warm side, I'm working on getting him one for his cold side. He has a water bowl big enough for him to soak in in between his hot and cold side, it's filled with clean water every other day. My temps sit at about 85F on his hot side, his humidity is about 50-55% I use a spray bottle every so often. I'm having difficulties answering your last question, can you elaborate?

[Craiga 01453]

Are your heat sources on thermostats?

And to elaborate: are you using a probed thermometer to measure the surface temps? Are you using a temp gun?
Are you measuring actual surface temps? or the substrate temps? or just ambient temps?

[CharlesAndMonty]

Are your heat sources on thermostats?

And to elaborate: are you using a probed thermometer to measure the surface temps? Are you using a temp gun?
Are you measuring actual surface temps? or the substrate temps? or just ambient temps?

I use a probed thermometer to measure the temps, substrate and surface, I check these temps every week or so; or when there's an increase or decrease of temperature in my house or outside.

[Craiga 01453]

Ok, so am I safe to say you're not regulating your UTH with a thermostat?
If not, you are risking serious injury to your snake running a UTH unregulated. Many UTHs can have heat spikes as high as 120, which would seriously burn your snake, and surprisingly short periods of time with excessive heat can be fatal.

What is your surface temp inside the hot side hide, directly on the glass??

You're only offering one hide, so in order to feel safe and secure your BP is probably using his only hide, even if it gets too hot. So your snake may be risking burns because he only has one place to hide.

[CharlesAndMonty]

The temperature directly on the glass is 94-95, though I can insure he never directly touches the glass as there is a good inch of substrate between him and the glass. You are correct, i don't have a thermostat in which i can change the temperature but as I said earlier I do check the temperature very often. He doesn't sit in his hide all day, he self temperature regulates like any other BP by going to his cold side. He has a snake plant and a branch (store brand it's 100% safe) on his cold side that he can go underneath, I know this isn't a viable substitute for a hide, i'm working on getting another one, money is tight. Sorry for questioning you about this, but how does this have anything to do with his eye? it's not a scratch or burn.

[jmcrook]

The temperature directly on the glass is 94-95, though I can insure he never directly touches the glass as there is a good inch of substrate between him and the glass. You are correct, i don't have a thermostat in which i can change the temperature but as I said earlier I do check the temperature very often. He doesn't sit in his hide all day, he self temperature regulates like any other BP by going to his cold side. He has a snake plant and a branch (store brand it's 100% safe) on his cold side that he can go underneath, I know this isn't a viable substitute for a hide, i'm working on getting another one, money is tight. Sorry for questioning you about this, but how does this have anything to do with his eye? it's not a scratch or burn.

You really need a thermostat. An inch of substrate is nothing, the snake will push it out of the way eventually and risk a bad burn.
You said you check the temp frequently "every week or so". That is incredibly infrequent actually. You should be checking temps at minimum on a daily basis. Good that you have a probed thermometer on the hot spot but it needs to be checked every day and the UTH needs to be regulated. Good thermostats are an initial investment but they pay for themselves fairly quickly in trips to the vet that they help prevent.
Back to the dent.. probably humidity related. Screen top cage? It needs to be covered with something to keep humidity from escaping i.e. Plastic wrap, plexiglass, etc. They get eye dents if kept too dry but correct easily with humidity related husbandry issues addressed.


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[Craiga 01453]

The temperature directly on the glass is 94-95, though I can insure he never directly touches the glass as there is a good inch of substrate between him and the glass. You are correct, i don't have a thermostat in which i can change the temperature but as I said earlier I do check the temperature very often. He doesn't sit in his hide all day, he self temperature regulates like any other BP by going to his cold side. He has a snake plant and a branch (store brand it's 100% safe) on his cold side that he can go underneath, I know this isn't a viable substitute for a hide, i'm working on getting another one, money is tight. Sorry for questioning you about this, but how does this have anything to do with his eye? it's not a scratch or burn.

I can ensure you that snakes can and will burrow, therefor, yes your snake can touch the glass. An inch of substrate can be burrowed into extremely easily and I'm willing to bet your snake does, in fact, touch the glass.

Checking temps weekly is definitely not checking "very often". I check my temps several times a day in all of my enclosures. And 94-95 is too hot, you are better off in the 90-92 range.

If money is tight, what do you intend to do when your unregulated UTH does indeed burn your snake?

And I'm asking these questions to help you and your snake. The more we know, the better we can assess the situation to accurately give you advice.