Dehydrated or getting ready to shed

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...mageuser=15265

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...mageuser=15265

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...mageuser=15265

can someone please look at these and tell me if she is dehydrated or getting ready to shed. I have my day temps at 91 and 82 and humidity at 60 night is 88 and 79 humidity same. I just got her and she hasnt shed yet. when i got her she was nice as could but she is starting to get tempermental and balling up. Also i have tried to soak her and she wants out of the water any help would be appreciated

Hi,

Hard to say - her back end looks more like she just recently took a huge poop. How is she eating for you? I ask because if she hadn't ever eaten it would look similar but would be a lot more worrying.

Her head though does look as though it has a retained shed on it but a better picture would be needed to be absolutely sure. Has her belly started tuning pink and did you notice a blue haze over her eyes at any point?

If so whan did that go away?

When you soak them do it in a sealable container ( not airtight though please :please: ) and have the water about 86f and only half way up their body not any deeper.


dr del

She doesn't really look in shed, i would say she just needs some food and a drink honestly.

you could possibly if not already move her to every 3 days feeding. All hatchlings here are fed 3 days till 400 grams then moved to 5 days.

I got her 3 days ago, I am going to feed her tomorrow. The breeder tried to feed her the day before i got her and she didnt take but she did eat four days before that. I am also going to soak her tomorrow. if she isnt drinking what is the best way to get her drinking. Is my temp and humidity good. Thanks for all the help

Her belly looks a little pink but not to much.

well you could try taking a live mouse fuzzy or hopper or a rat fuzzy and leaving it in with her over night. Since their too small to harm the snake. If your not comfortable you can lay a thawed rat/mouse in the cage and cover the cage for total darkness. This may get the lil guy to eat.

Also if you have a 6qt tub set that up for him till he eats well for you.


If her belly has ANY slight pinkness to it, usually means shed is coming.

Ah,

If you don't mind me asking which breeder did you get her from?

Has she pooped since you have had her?

You really shouldn't be handling them for the first week at least to give them time to settle into their new environment and feel secure. In fact if you can be strong enough it's best not to handle them too much until they are eating on a regular basis.

You temps seem fine ( maybe bump the hot end a couple of degrees but that's it ) though I would try and avoid any night time drop in general - though yours is small enough not to be a major problem.

The main thing though is to work out how and where you are reading those temps - not all thermometers were created equal.

If you want to put up pics and descriptions of the enclosure and equipment we could double check everything for you.


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Ah,

If you don't mind me asking which breeder did you get her from?

Has she pooped since you have had her?

You really shouldn't be handling them for the first week at least to give them time to settle into their new environment and feel secure. In fact if you can be strong enough it's best not to handle them too much until they are eating on a regular basis.

You temps seem fine ( maybe bump the hot end a couple of degrees but that's it ) though I would try and avoid any night time drop in general - though yours is small enough not to be a major problem.

The main thing though is to work out how and where you are reading those temps - not all thermometers were created equal.

If you want to put up pics and descriptions of the enclosure and equipment we could double check everything for you.


dr del

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+1
If this is a newly snake PLEASE let is settle in for 7 more days starting TODAY and do not bother it till day 7 to offer food. One he eats then offer every 3 days.

Pictures will be helpful of the setup, Use photobucket for posting your pictures in the thread.

We need to know temps,humidity,cage size, how are you heating it,

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...mageuser=15265

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...mageuser=15265


Here is 2 more pictures. I have a 20 gallon tank. I have 2 hides one on the hot side and one on the cool side a uth under the hot side hide thermostat regulated i keep it at 89. also have a lamp with 50 watt bulb. I have a decent size fake tree in the middle and a water bowl also i have 2 thermometers and one hygrometer. One thermo and hygro is in the center of the cage and one thermo is on the hot side i only have dials not digital they were out am hopefully getting those tomorrow. she hasnt pooped yet since i have had her and i have a small cage to feed her in. has been eating frozen/thawed fuzzies

the only reason i took her out was to take the pics couldnt get any good of her in the cage. My hot side is 91 and cool side is 88 i am using a uth and a lamp with 50 watt bulb to heat. my substrate is aspen bedding

Until the snake eats drop him to a 10 gallon or even a 6qt tub till he begins to eat well for you.

20 gallon for a hatchling is pushing it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jaybird0399

the only reason i took her out was to take the pics couldnt get any good of her in the cage. My hot side is 91 and cool side is 88 i am using a uth and a lamp with 50 watt bulb to heat. my substrate is aspen bedding

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cool side at 88:confused:. Should be 80-84

will definantly do that also my humidity stays at 60%. do you think i should try and feed her tomorrow or should i wait a few days also is there a good way to get her drinking i am going to get pics of my cage as soon as i can thanks for all your guys help

sorry about that i accdiently typed that wrong my hot side is 91 and cool side is at 80

just looked at my temps and they are 90/81 and humidity is 60% using dial gauges

were those other pictures any better

get rid of the heat lamp and get under belly heat. Cover three of the four sides of your aquarium and 3/4's of the top with card board. Cover the card board on the top with foil.

I have a uth so i will just use that and take out the lamp and i will cover the tank thanks for the help

You need to ditch the Dial thermometer too. Those are inaccurate as much as 10f or 10-20%. Get a digital accurite from walmart for 12$ and itll read cool side warm side and humidity all in one.

Get the new setup up and going before you switch him over. Then once you have him set up in new SMALLER set up wait 7 days to feed. The more you offer the more hell refuse.

You want to aim for a 90-93 warm side,80-84 cool side and 50-60% humidity at all times.

Heres a idea on how to setup a 6qt tub if you chose that route.
http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_3024.jpg

Hi,

I would recommend the digital acurite weatherstation with probe - you should be able to find it for about $12- $15 and it will be a lot more reliable than the little dial gages. Sadly we have found those to be extremely inaccurate on occasion - the other peoblem with them is people stick them half way up the cage wall rather than in the hides where the snake actually spends it's time so the real temps from the snakes point of view can be way off. :(

I would definately start the no holding period now and, while you could offer in three days in his tank if you like, don't be surprised if he doesn't take it.

If you plan on feeding live you should plan ahead for refusals and have a little critter keeper, water bottle and food on hand for the weaned rodents.

If you feed frozen remember you can only re-freeze a maximum of one time as after that they tend to split and stink to high heaven. :weirdface

Make sure the little guy has nice tight, snug fitting dark hides to make him feel secure as well.

He probably is drinking but the best way to try and rehydrate them would be soaking them as described previously and that would also stress him out a little so I'm not sure it's all that good an idea just now.


dr del

on that setup do you use a uth and also the uth i have is attached to the glass tank so i will need to get a new one any idea on whats best i am planning on setting this up tomorrow morning so trying to get all my stuff straight tonight. Where do you place your digital thermometer on this setup thanks for all your help

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jaybird0399

on that setup do you use a uth and also the uth i have is attached to the glass tank so i will need to get a new one any idea on whats best i am planning on setting this up tomorrow morning so trying to get all my stuff straight tonight. Where do you place your digital thermometer on this setup thanks for all your help

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I use flexwatt in my racks. Just when using the UTHs that stick dont stick them, tape them so you an remove them when upgrading cages. And the thermometer probe you want to put on the tub in the warm side so it will read the warm side temps.

I personally attach the accurite thermometer probe directly to the Flexwatt to read the temp of the Heat, and i keep room heated to 81.

thanks for all the help i will be getting everything setup tomorrow and get her moved in as soon as i can

Hi,

I actually like to move the probe around a bit at first when setting everything up.

Firstly I put it inside the tank directly on the bottom surface above the heatmat under the substrate as that is the hottest place the snake can get to. So I make sure that is about 93-95f.

Then I move it above the substrate inside the warm end hide and adjust the type/ depth of substrate until it reads 90-93f in there.

Then I check the temps inside the cool end hide to make sure they are around 80-82f.

That makes sure the snake can move around and still find all the temps he needs.

After that I tend to either spot check with a temp gun or leave the thermometer probe inside the warm end hide just to keep an eye out for fluctuations.

The thermostat probe however I tape to the surface if the UTH between it and the base of the enclosure or sitting behind the tub if there is enough room.

I then adjust the thermostat until I get the desired temps inside the cage - this normally means the thermostat has to be set a bit higher but that doesn't matter and with the probe outside the enclosure the snake can't mess with it and cause problems. :)


dr del

Thanks alot Dr Del, and Flameethrower. I made all the changes you guys recommended and my ball is doing great now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jaybird0399

Thanks alot Dr Del, and Flameethrower. I made all the changes you guys recommended and my ball is doing great now.

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thanks for posting back. many many times someone comes in here with an issue and then they seem to disappear. while we always want to hear a good outcome:D sometimes its not so good:( im glad everything worked out and its looking better

If you have a UTH and your temps are fine...then you do not need the light. It will just give you a hard time with your humidity. To me...and keep in mind there are MANY more ppl on here with more experience. She looks like she is a little dehydrated and HUNGRY....HUNGRY!! Also in the front she looks like she is getting ready to shed but from what you have stated...I kind of doubt that.

Like everyone said and I know it is hard to do....leave her alone for 1 week and then feed her. Right now with how she looks try to feed her now. They do also get some of their hydration from eating as well.

Hope I helped a little...good luck. Cute baby by the way!!;)

Alright everyone i changed all the stuff got everything good to go i am getting ready to get rid of my light. but so everyone knows i left her be for a week after i got it all right and i fed her this morning and it took about two minutes and she was all over it. the was a very small piece of bedding on it (aspen) will it hurt. i took the advice and fed in the cage. any thoughts. thanks for everything just glad she is eating and is getting better couldnt have done it without all the people on here thanks.

Also since i just got her i havent named her yet any Ideas?

Hi,

Glad to hear she is eating for you. :)

I wouldn't worry about a small piece of bedding - though if it does concern you you could put a piece of flat slate down in one area and use that as a feeding platform perhaps?

I normally let something in their personality or pattern suggest a name once I get to know them - so I always end up waiting a few weeks to decide on a permanent name. :cool:

Then again looking at her I keep thinking Sienna - partially because of the tones on her but mainly 'cos Sienna Miller had a really skinny butt at one point but seems to have filled out exceedingly well. :rofl: :oops: :P


dr del

i did do that but once she took it she rolled up around it and got off the platform and got in in the aspen and a little stuck to it. I am thinking about switching to newpaper. Is that a good move?

Everything is still going well i havent messed with her except to clean everything 2 days after she ate i moved her and she still looks a little dehydrated and her skin is getting cloudy. my temps and humidity are just right. i want to soak her but want to wait a little bit dont want to stress her out. She is happy right now she sits in her cool hide all day coming out a few times and going to the warm hide and then right back to the cool hide and thats a good sign right? i am going to take more pics soon.

If skin is looking cloudy/ghost color shes entering a shed.