Ball python has really dry skin.

Hey AkHerps, just saw your post about a DIY sticky for tank top lids. How would someone go about making one? I Have a screen top currently covered in towels (not all the way) but would like something that is waterproof. I cant keep my snakes temp up above 85. I have a UTH and a 100 watt heat emitter on top of the screen (40 gal tank thats why I chose 100w). I cant seem to keep her humidity and temp at the right levels. Any tips would help!

Thanks

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Originally Posted by AkHerps

Humidity needs to be bumped up into the high 70-80% range during shed time.

Lights will dry the air in the tank out and ruin your humidity, you don't need them unless your ambient air temps are super low.

There is a DIY sticky for tank top lids that will help keep in humidity and heat.

You can give him a steam bath in a couple inches of water in a closed container. The water should be warm, in the mid to low 80's. Leave him in their for about 10-15 minutes and he should be good.

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I don't think your ambient temps need to be above 85? You should have a temp gun to measure the belly heat coming from the UTH- thermometers measure either ambient air temperatures or the temperature of the surface they're attached to, depending on the model, while temp guns measure the temperature of surfaces. You want it to read at 90 on the inside bottom of the tank, over the UTH. If it is, hot end ambient temps (as measured by a thermometer) at 85 should be plenty hot enough as long as your cool end isn't below 70. For a screen tank lid, placing thin plastic (perhaps something similar to seran wrap?) over the half of the lid where the water bowl is should raise your humidity some. Don't cover the whole thing because the snake still needs air.

How big is your water bowl? It should be 1-2 inches deep and large enough for the snake to get inside if it chooses to. If your humidity is staying too low, try putting part of the water bowl over the UTH. I've been told that high humidity generally doesn't cause problems, as long as it's not keeping your bedding wet or anything.

If you do all of that and the humidity still isn't staying up, consider switching the enclosure to a tub instead of a tank. As long as you don't drill too many holes in it (which is unlikely), tubs keep humidity better than tanks.

If the snake got stuck shed then it could be dehydrated. Even snakes with plenty of water and humidity can get dehydrated sometimes. If you do what others recommended with the plastic tub and warm water, that should help some. You could also occasionally mist the snake, but they usually don't like that very much.

Also provide a humid hide if you haven't; just get a hide you can stuff with moss and the snake still be able to get inside. (Mine is a small plastic tub I cut a hole in one side of with a hole saw. I sanded down the sharp edges. Sphagnum moss on top of a bit of aspen/whatever your normal bedding is works well.) Keep it on the warm end and the moss a little damp.

I'm pretty new at this as well, so if any of my information is off the mark, I'd be delighted for more experienced snake keepers to correct me. :)

Soaking can do more harm than good... Do you have anything measuring your humidity inside the tank? If not, that will help. Cover the top of the tank, as much as possible, with aluminum foil if nothing else... maybe put an extra water bowl or two in there for now. That will increase the humidity and would be the best way to let the snake get the old skin off naturally.