Help! Shedding Hasn't Happened!!

I've had my ball python, Mimi, for about three months and she has been eating reguarly. I've kept her on frozen pinkies once a week and she's approximately 19 inches long. The humidity in her enclosure is at an average of 66 - 80% and still she hasn't shed.

I'm worried because she's also begun to look flabby and boney and I am wondering what I can do to help her.

You can probably start feeding her full grown mice, as long as they aren't fatter than her body.

you are allready doing it by keeping her humidity up. you can give her a soak in luque warm water for a few seconds. but for the most part just be paitant. balls have been sheding for ever in good humidity for hundreds of years.

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Originally Posted by apoplexy

I've had my ball python, Mimi, for about three months and she has been eating reguarly. I've kept her on frozen pinkies once a week and she's approximately 19 inches long. The humidity in her enclosure is at an average of 66 - 80% and still she hasn't shed.

I'm worried because she's also begun to look flabby and boney and I am wondering what I can do to help her.

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I would definately up the feedings to small adult mice or rat fuzzies. Ball pythons can generally take at minimum hopper mice for their first feeding once they hatch. Snakes shed as they grow.....and on one pinkie mouse a week, your ball python probably is not growing too much..if any at all.

Good luck :)

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Originally Posted by apoplexy

I've had my ball python, Mimi, for about three months and she has been eating reguarly. I've kept her on frozen pinkies once a week and she's approximately 19 inches long. The humidity in her enclosure is at an average of 66 - 80% and still she hasn't shed.

I'm worried because she's also begun to look flabby and boney and I am wondering what I can do to help her.

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Isn't that a little high for the humidity for an "average" amount. I only bump the humidity up that high when I notice Austin's eyes going blue.

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Originally Posted by BD1

Isn't that a little high for the humidity for an "average" amount. I only bump the humidity up that high when I notice Austin's eyes going blue.

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apoplexy,

what are you using to measure the humidity in the enclosure?

I wouldn't think she would need to shed as she's likely not growing on frozen pinkie mice (you did mean pinkie mice right? not pinkie rats?). Pinkie mice are a very small meal for even a newly hatched BP as far as I've ever been told. To give you an example...the June 06 baby BP we currently have is easily eating one large pinkie rat or nice sized fuzzy rat per week which is a meal many times in volume to a pinkie mouse. She's likely looking "flabby and boney" because she's very underweight. Can you post a recent pic? Any idea of her length and weight?

I'm using a thermo/hygrometer combo by flukers to measure the humidity.
I'll up her food starting tomorrow though.

Thanks for the advice.