Worried about my ball python

[Samzi1123]

So my ball python Eliot suddenly got super wrinkly and feels very rough, he looks horrible and it scared me to death but my friend who has a ball python said to not worry that he’s just shedding. I’m just looking to see what you all have to say because I’m a new ball owner and he’s been giving me anxiety since the day I got him. He went 9 weeks without eating before I finally switched him to live and now he eats like a champ, then this happens so I guess I’m just a little on edge regarding him. His hot temp is right around 90 and the cool temp is around 80. He has a hot and cold hide and his humidity is at 60%. I have an under tank heat pad and a heat light.


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[tttaylorrr]

that looks like a fully-retained shed.

when your snake first starts the shedding process (pink belly, dull colors and blue eyes) you need to keep the humidity up to about 70% until the snake actually sheds out. go raise your humidity and leave him alone. if he's not done by tomorrow you'll need to assist him with the shed.

[Samzi1123]

that looks like a fully-retained shed.

when your snake first starts the shedding process (pink belly, dull colors and blue eyes) you need to keep the humidity up to about 70% until the snake actually sheds out. go raise your humidity and leave him alone. if he's not done by tomorrow you'll need to assist him with the shed.

How do I best assist him with the shed if he doesn’t do it himself by tomorrow?


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[tttaylorrr]

How do I best assist him with the shed if he doesn’t do it himself by tomorrow?

get a plastic tub and fill it with enough water to cover the snake's belly but not go over it.

the water should be in the low-mid 80° F range.

put a rough-textured washcloth or towel in there with him and let him be for ~20 minutes.

after that: take the snake out and use the towel to GENTLY, GENTLY start rubbing the snake down and allowing the snake to slither through it. the skin should be soft enough to start coming off. you can GENTLY pull at any loose skin you see to start coming up but BE CAREFUL!

[Samzi1123]

get a plastic tub and fill it with enough water to cover the snake's belly but not go over it.

the water should be in the low-mid 80° F range.

put a rough-textured washcloth or towel in there with him and let him be for ~20 minutes.

after that: take the snake out and use the towel to GENTLY, GENTLY start rubbing the snake down and allowing the snake to slither through it. the skin should be soft enough to start coming off. you can GENTLY pull at any loose skin you see to start coming up but BE CAREFUL!

Ok, thank you. I have leopard geckos and I’ve had to help them with sheds b4 but when they shed their skin gets loose and turns completely white, Eliot just seems to have all the excess wrinkled skin, nothing looks loose enough to come off so I’m kind of freaked out. He’s been like this since Saturday evening so I’ll try your suggestion soon.


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[Bogertophis]

Your poor snake looks quite dehydrated...don't be surprised if he needs to soak longer than 20 minutes. This is NOT a normal shed.
If he is still unable to shed after a good soak, you might need to keep him in a very damp towel (inside a smaller plastic "critter cottage")
or well-soaked sphagnum moss (") for much longer.

[Samzi1123]

Your poor snake looks quite dehydrated...don't be surprised if he needs to soak longer than 20 minutes. This is not a normal shed...

That’s my worry! His humility has been right at 60 and his water dish is full, I’m just at a loss as to what I’m doing wrong. First he wouldn’t eat now he eats but this pops up.


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[tttaylorrr]

That’s my worry! His humility has been right at 60 and his water dish is full, I’m just at a loss as to what I’m doing wrong. First he wouldn’t eat now he eats but this pops up.

what are you using to measure temps and humidity?

[Sonny1318]

That’s not a healthy looking animal to say the least. I think there’s a little more wrong than a stuck shed. Has it ever eaten? Because you say it has, but it definitely doesn’t look it. Wow good luck! Sorry man, maybe head to the vet?

[Samzi1123]

That’s not a healthy looking animal to say the least. I think there’s a little more wrong than a stuck shed. Has it ever eaten?

Yes he went 9 weeks without eating but he has been eating perfectly for the last 3. This al happened overnight. He was fine when I went to bed and looked like this when I woke up. He always has a full clean water dish so it’s not good or water. I’ve been expecting a shed for a while but it hasn’t happened, he’s much duller in color too, but I never noticed the cloudy eyes or pink belly phase everyone talks about.


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