Helping ball python

Hi,

So I bought a ball python that I knew had problems. I don't buy animals from petco or the like usually because in my opinion they don't take good care of their animals. However, I have to buy my mice there to feed my corn snake because the local reptile store is way too far from where I live to be reasonable to drive there for mice. Anyways, while at the petco I like too look at their reptiles. I saw this ball python in its viv and I could tell it was having problems. It was very dehydrated (eye dents, big wrinkles, ect.) and I couldn't help myself but buy it because I felt so bad for it. I have a big problem with doing this with animals, I hate seeing them mistreated. I don't know exactly what to do for the snake though. I got it water the eye dents are gone and the wrinkles are diminishing. However, I don't think it shed right when they had it, it has scales peeling off it's head and I believe the eye caps didn't come off either. What can I do to help? and is it really a bad shed on it's head or is it another problem?

http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/mu.../ball%20python


http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/mu.../ball%20python

It's important at this point to not make any drastic changes for the snake. Once you set up the correct husbandry parameters, including hides, temps, and humidity, you should let it chill. If you feel the eye caps were retained then I would read over this article:

http://www.anapsid.org/eyeshed.html

Good luck!

[QUOTE=nachash;2267650]It's important at this point to not make any drastic changes for the snake. Once you set up the correct husbandry parameters, including hides, temps, and humidity, you should let it chill. If you feel the eye caps were retained then I would read over this article:

Thank you, I set up all the basic stuff so I'll leave it alone for now and read that article.

Nachash's advice is great!

I don't know if this advice may help you, but I feel similarly towards animals seen in pet stores that aren't as well taken care of. But the one thing that I think about, is every animal I buy, they will just replace it with another and the cycle continues. It's very hard , but you did a kind thing for this snake. In addition to buying rodents from there have you thought about ordering rodents online? It's a wonderful deal although it's easier for me to go to reptile shows.

I've noted that when one has a retained eyecap, if I keep the humidity up they either get rid of it themselves within a few days, or it comes off during the next shed.

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Originally Posted by Cyndymei

Nachash's advice is great!

I don't know if this advice may help you, but I feel similarly towards animals seen in pet stores that aren't as well taken care of. But the one thing that I think about, is every animal I buy, they will just replace it with another and the cycle continues. It's very hard , but you did a kind thing for this snake. In addition to buying rodents from there have you thought about ordering rodents online? It's a wonderful deal although it's easier for me to go to reptile shows.

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Ya I know the cycle repeats and it's not going to stop them from mistreating the new ones, but I can't help feeling bad for the one that is there at the moment. Lol, it's so hard, I should probably stop looking at the animals when I go there for my mice. I didn't know you can order rodents online. Are you talking frozen/thawed or live? I feed frozen/thawed. I was feeding my corn snake today and the ball python started freaking out when I took the mouse out, it must have smelled it. I was surprised but the ball python took a pinkie mouse that I offered it and this is only its second day with me. I would have given it a fuzzy, but I didn't have any here because buying the ball python was kind of a spur of the moment thing and my corn is still on pinkies. I'm so happy it ate because it's too thin. I hope it will get better quickly, at least it is not so dehydrated anymore.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I've noted that when one has a retained eyecap, if I keep the humidity up they either get rid of it themselves within a few days, or it comes off during the next shed.

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I'll boost the humidity. Thank you so much for the advice. If the eye cap doesn't come off with the humidity boost or the next shed what should I do? I don't want to think the worst, just to prepare for it :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JaniKaralee

Ya I know the cycle repeats and it's not going to stop them from mistreating the new ones, but I can't help feeling bad for the one that is there at the moment. Lol, it's so hard, I should probably stop looking at the animals when I go there for my mice. I didn't know you can order rodents online. Are you talking frozen/thawed or live? I feed frozen/thawed. I was feeding my corn snake today and the ball python started freaking out when I took the mouse out, it must have smelled it. I was surprised but the ball python took a pinkie mouse that I offered it and this is only its second day with me. I would have given it a fuzzy, but I didn't have any here because buying the ball python was kind of a spur of the moment thing and my corn is still on pinkies. I'm so happy it ate because it's too thin. I hope it will get better quickly, at least it is not so dehydrated anymore.

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Yup they all sell frozen thawed. I can recommend Layne Labs. Their rodents are alwsys fresh and clean as well as The Big Cheese Rodent Factory. It is cheaper than buying from your local pet store every week and the sizes are very accurate. the only problem is shipping can range from $30-$40 but you can get a month or two supply of rodents for your snake for $55 if not less. The rodents are cheap the shipping is not :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JaniKaralee

I'll boost the humidity. Thank you so much for the advice. If the eye cap doesn't come off with the humidity boost or the next shed what should I do? I don't want to think the worst, just to prepare for it :)

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There are some threads here on how to remove an eye cap. I've never had to, fortunately, and it's usually a last resort since it's so easy to damage the eye in the process.

It should come off! Raise humidity and give him a nice mist 1-2 times a day! When you see him in blue, and he then clears up Give him a spagnum moss hide (bcz of all his stuck shed!) IF it then is still there, Place him in a wet small pillowcase, in his cage, and he should be able to rub it off.