EMERGENCY | My Ball Python's Scales Just Split

Nixon you done an amazing job buddy. You should be so proud of your self, i know i am and I'm sure a whole host of others on here and in your life and who know you feel the same way. Things seem to be going good and i hope you get the outcome you deserve.

I can't thank you guys enough for being so supportive. I will post pictures of him after he sheds. I know all of you guys care about him and I'm so happy to see so many people who care about him. My mom continues to move the appointments because, ahem,

"She's tired."

I wish I had my licence. But, he's still getting the antibiotic cream so that's good.

I thank you guys for rooting for me but I think Dave is the real fighter. He has to deal with shots every week, and for a while every day. He still continues to remain friendly and he keeps his personality even when he's falling sick. He's a pure soldier of a snake and to live ten years without proper care and to see him slowly come out of it brings tears to my eyes. I was so happy when I picked him up and he looked thicker, when he weighed so much more. He's not going to let this bring him down.

I know I still would've helped him but I feel, because of his never-ending goal to continue on with life, to keep going even when he's falling apart - it has swoon me. I think his perseverance rubs off on me because seeing something as sick as him and he still slithers around and acts like a silly nut... it makes me feel like he is so much more worth fighting for. He fights for himself so it makes sense to fight with him and try to do it harder.

Dave deserves all this attention and love. All he wanted was to live like a normal snake, not one that's starved or malnourished. This little guy is getting this wish.

Nixon, I congratulate you. I honestly would have put this animal down. I have been reading this thread, anticipating the worst and have continually been proved wrong. You are proving these animals are tougher than I expected and teaching a old man new things. Good job.

Thank you for saying that. I didn't know what was going to come of him but I did know one thing: He's a fighter. Even when I was so afraid, I didn't feel the worst coming from behind me. My mind was set right then and there to help him. Maybe it has to do that when I got him, only two weeks before his scales split, I said to myself: "I'm going to make this snake healthy and let him live the rest of his life without so much struggle. Of course he has to struggle now. He still has a risk of infection as when he moves, the scabs move and some skin shows. But, I can see the day where I put cypress in that little guy's tank again. Where he slithers around with large scars covering his vulnerable skin. And I'm going to smile at those scars because it'll be obvious what he fought through.

The first owner and my friend's step dad - they underestimated him. Maybe they didn't care for them because they wanted Dave to just give up. That cute little soldier is never giving up. I can still remember seeing him in my friend's house, curled up in the log, and shed from weeks ago everywhere. It's all stuck to the walls. I remember the dry water dish, full of green algae. I remember seeing his feces laying about his cage, never picked up. I remember the day I got him he had regurgitated a rat that he ate that was too big for him. I remember him being called, 'mean.' I could tell when I picked him up for the very first time that I was in for it. He was so skinny. So frail. So small for his age. I wasn't expecting this at all. Dave is not mean. Dave is just shy, hurt, and alone. His life has been simply mistreatment. I remember hearing how he was ten years old and then seeing him like this and thinking, 'if he hasn't given up, then I shouldn't either.'

Ariana, my friend - she still tried to defend him. Her step father says, "it was the other owners" and "it was the mouse that cause his scales to fall weak". No, if he knew how to care for a snake so skinny like that then Dave wouldn't be in chaos. If her step dad took the time to do something for him then he'd be healthier. He knows how to take care of snakes. He just didn't care about him.

I'm glad all of you care. I proved my mom wrong, too. She thought that was it for him.

I'm happy this teaches people things. I know I'll be sharing this experience when it is all over and I'm going to show just how strong a little snake can be. It's a lesson for everyone. And, I wanted to share this out to all of you: I made a poem about Dave a few weeks ago and it'll be posted in the literary magazine at my school. I hope people ask who he was. I never mentioned his name. I want to tell everyone that this creature is simply extraordinary. If any of you want to see it I can post it.

But, again, I'll say it every time: Thank you all for the support. It means a lot and it helps me.

Nixon if more people in the world where like you it would be beautiful place. Hope Dave is doin well today. Keep the fighting spirit you have you will go far

Can't wait to see the fresh shed pictures - thank you for keeping us up to date =) Rooting for Dave always and forever <3 Will be such a wonderful day when you can put cypress in the tank!

Believe me, Dan, I have my flaws, but thank you for the compliment. Knowing that, I'll try my best to stay this way and comments like these motivate me to keep going further for this little snake.

And, his eyes are not blue anymore. He'll be shedding soon and I'll give pictures.

Hope Dave is doin ok

Expect his shed to be pretty bad, especially around the scars. Resist the temptation to help him shed by pulling the old skin off or you could open the wounds up again. Either soak him or rub any stuck areas gently with a warm soft cloth if needed. Also, stuck shed isn't the end of the world as long as the eye caps and tip of the tail are clean.

Update?