New snake owner, New snake, Bad shed- Please help.

I just read through this... and there are some good suggestions here, but some bad ones as well. I'm a VERY new snake owner, but I like to think I've done my homework and try to listen to the snake owners and breeders with what works (and about 99% of the time, that's what just makes sense).

Just to put them all in one place... then if I miss something or it's said in error, anyone with more knowledge, please correct me...

1. Humidity. 50%-60% at all times is good and in the 70%'s during shed is good. Keeping it around 70% all the time isn't a bad thing.
2. Thermostat - as stated - possibly the single most important thing in your setup. For a UTH, it's a must. lights, CHE's, and RHP's can be put on a dimmer switch, but all are even better when controlled by a thermostat of some kind.
3. Heat - You should have a warm spot, where the surface of the enclosure is around 90 degrees. A UTH on a thermostat will get this for you easily. Hot spot of 90-92, Cool/opposite side of the tank can be mid-high 70's, and your ambients will vary depending on type of enclosure, room temp, etc... best if in the high 70's-mid 80's.
4. Sheds - If your temps and humidity are in check consistently, this should not be any issue. As Slim referred to above, I think some problems come from low humidty and people try to raise it when the snake "go blue". This can work, but at this point, the snake is already into the shed process. Maintaining a constant humidity is a better approach, from what I have read and understand.
5. Bathing/soaking - Unless recommended by a good Herp Vet - I would not do it, and will never do it with my snake(s). I have yet to read where BP's benefit from it really. The water is more likely to break down and remove the natural oils that the snake's skin produces. This could result in dryer skin. Bathing also seems to stress the snake. It's not something most BP's normally do under their own power unless they are trying to get relief from mites.

Sounds like you're on the right track... just get the heat regulated with a t-stat of some kind and try to keep humidity up and you'll likely see a rather quick turn-around with this guy. :)

Oh my go and get a thermostat asap that under tank heat pad will burn your Snake also get a temp gun if you don't have one so you can spot check .

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My 40 gallon Breeder tank works well after I learned to cover most of the top and I am using Bark chips now makes all the difference

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Originally Posted by Slim

I can't tell you how many posts I've seen over the years that say, "I try to keep my humidity up when my snakes go into shed". By that time, it's like closing the barn door after the cows are already out. The key to a good shed is to maintain the humidity at recommended levels at all times.

What do you think you're accomplishing by putting aloe vera on your snakes? I've never heard of this trick before...I'm thinking there's probably a reason why I've never heard of it, but I'm always looking to learn new things.

I'm glad you advise VERY STRONGLY AGAINST USING TWEEZERS on your snake's retained eye caps. I would further advise not to mess with your snake's retained eye caps in ANY way what so ever. Really really bad things can happen when you do anything to muck around with eye caps. If you're having that many problems with retained eye caps, you should really take a hard look at your husbandry.

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Well as i have been collecting snakes since November 2015 and now own 10 and each snake has a rough shed after transport due to stress and adjusting i am assuming they have a rough time with their shed EVERY time,as I read that earlier and thought there must be something to that? Hmmm, so 10 new snakes in 4 months I think I am going to come across a difficult dry stressed shed Ummmm often? so because I do TONS of research on things that matter to me I went and did a simple easy little tiny google search on DIY reptile shed aid, you will be amazed at how many other snake owners love their snakes like I do and research so they can know what they are spraying onto their beautiful animals instead of trusting some silly industry to do the work for them...my husbandry will ALWAYS be improving because i do not pretend to know all ways to skin a snake tho I love my animals, and i am not willing to wait for 2 sheds to make sure my snakes can see and stress him/her out further, as I KNOW HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY REMOVE THEM...without harm or danger to the animal...not one has suffered as a result of my love and care, being a mother of 7 children, you learn QUICKLY and WELL how to think about the safety of what you love...and if my snake was out in the wild and scrubbing his/her face on things to remove his eyecaps I am relatively certain a bath a few mists with aloe water and a rub with terrycloth isn't going to blind him...Just sayin...maybe your snakes could use a lil more love and affection? what i have learned i have learned in 4 months and i am LOVEING EVERY Minute OF IT and my snakes are fat, precious and loving babies...just remember RESEARCH GOES A LONG WAY!!! if i have REAL concerns i go to REAL breeders, like Underground and Bob Clark or my Vet with MY real concerns however when it is something little I RESEARCH, i know that is a new concept to this generation but you can't get all you need from a forum tho some of the ideas are AWESOME... and some not so much help... so some of us like to contribute to the forum what wonders we have learned and others just want to make drama so go to fb to create your dram cause it shouldn't live here.

If you want to see how effective my advise really is you may go to my pix and see if my snakes are shedding well enuf for taking ACTUAL advise over drama.. i also use 10-47 and 76 gallon tanks tanks, and still get this kind of sheds keeping the tops wet with towels and covered...and the humidity up..

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Originally Posted by Merk

Well as i have been collecting snakes since November 2015 and now own 10

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Ten in three months is a lot. How did you quarantine them?

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and each snake has a rough shed after transport due to stress and adjusting i am assuming they have a rough time with their shed EVERY time

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They shouldn't be. If they are continuing to have bad sheds then there is a problem with your husbandry. I've also never had a snake with a bad shed due to stress and adjusting.

BTW did you ever get any thermostats?

OP It would be cool if you have some updates, I myself love learning things with research the icing on the cake for
me is someone with years under their belt with hands on is wonderful. Any how please share your results it helps everyone learn.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Ten in three months is a lot. How did you quarantine them?


They shouldn't be. If they are continuing to have bad sheds then there is a problem with your husbandry. I've also never had a snake with a bad shed due to stress and adjusting.

BTW did you ever get any thermostats?

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I have had thermostats, temp guns, humidity gauges, humidifiers proper bedding, heat lamps not the uv but the night glow, we have under tank heater not the heat rocks, warm hide and cool hide water bowls they can fit in tanks with lids, paper towels, safe disinfectants, scale and bowls for weighing, sexing kit and lube and i have made almost every kind of tracking chart i can possibly need..How hard is it to google a ball python care sheet...REALLY??? I mean do people REALLY go into buy animals with no research and no equipment, guess what we even have a routine... and my snakes come to me when i call so i think we are doing ok...
I do not understand how you do not quarantine them they each get their own tank they will not touch or be near each other until they breed by that time in a year and a half we should automatically know what they have right or wrong with them, wouldn't it be foolish to keep them together at all??? I mean i thought big ones can eat little ones, i could be wrong as i do not pretend to know everything as I HAVE ONLY been collecting for 4 months however common sense goes a long way...in any type of husbandry...so i do not keep them together they share no space so i guess i do not understand the question, and i know what to look for with mites and only buy from reputable people like Bob Clark & underground etc (they are really pretty reliable) as i learned a hard lesson from the local pet store who i will no longer purchase through...
I have had a few who have had bad sheds due to stressful change in their environment and my learning how to keep the humidity in the cage but when i didn't know I RESEARCHED and then the shed was ever so easy to deal with, i am still waiting on 4 to shed and have had VERY SUCCESSFUL SHEDS since i started doing what i have stated before, i mean i may be wrong but I thought a good shed was one whole piece that they just slither out of? but i am sure people here have preformed something much greater than that??? we get those when the snake gets used to our routine...so I think i will stick with my horrific husbandry approaches as I have FABULOUSLY GORGEOUS HEALTHY HAPPY SNAKES!!!

Keep up the good work sounds like your Baby is gonna be spoiled.........

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Temp guns, digital thermometers, space age this, space age that.....I wonder how my snakes survived all of these years with no temp gun, regular non space age thermometer, etc. My room is 68 to 72 in the winter. Summer 76 to 78. My cage has an under tank heater with outdoor carpet as flooring. Incandescent light bulb on 12 hour timer. Humidifier runs in the house during the winter. Total success since 1980 with all of the snakes I have ever owned. Plus I successfully accomplished this without the internet. Are BP"s different and need "space age" cage conditions? To those that say yes, well I guess I got a couple of dud snakes. Mine eat every 4, 5, 7, or 10 days (no schedule here) and are very happy snakes and oh by the way living in the same cage. No horror stories here since 1980.