Loose skin - Shed and dehydration

My new ball is in shed right now. His eyes went blue a couple days ago, and they are black again now. His skin is really dull looking.
His skin is really loose, and I've read that it's normal when the snake is about to shed. I've also read that when the wrinkles run lengthwise with the snake, then it is dehydrated.
His wrinkles run both vertically where he bends around, and lengthwise where he's stretched out. Is that normal for shed, or is he dehydrated?

I change his water everyday, and I made him a humid hide. He also has 2 other hides, one on each side. His temps are pretty much right, give and take like 5 degrees, depending on what time of the day/night and the temperature of my room/house. His humidity is in the 50's & 60's, and I haven't been able to get it up to the 70's for shedding.. I have plastic wrap over half the cage (as far as I can make it, without it getting to close to the light to burn). I mist it down a lot, twice a day... once in the morning, and once before I go to bed.

Can you send a pic of your setup. A ball can shed in 60% humidity but 70% will help. Your bp sounds to be just about ready to shed and doesn't sound abnormal. What is your heating source?

I wouldn't worry about dehydration until after your snake sheds. If the wrincles are still there after then you might have a problem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VEXER19

Can you send a pic of your setup. A ball can shed in 60% humidity but 70% will help. Your bp sounds to be just about ready to shed and doesn't sound abnormal. What is your heating source?

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Just went and took pics, and my humidity is actually up pretty high.
http://tinypic.com/r/j5y2bq/5
http://tinypic.com/r/2nqs6mu/5
hahaha 69...
http://tinypic.com/r/2eq42v6/5

Here are some pictures of the loose skin...
Running lengthwise
http://tinypic.com/r/21do578/5
& where he folds
http://tinypic.com/r/ndu35s/5

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

I wouldn't worry about dehydration until after your snake sheds. If the wrincles are still there after then you might have a problem.

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Sweet, thanks so much!

Can't see the pics

Sorry.. here ya go.

I have an under tank heating pad that I keep on 24/7, and a 50 watt bulb that is set on a timer, so it is on from 8am until 5pm. I also have a space heater in my room, because my room is the coldest in the house.


http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/259/012112121000.jpg
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/142/012112121100.jpg
http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/6...2112121400.jpg

Some pictures of his skin wrinkles
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/9...2112121201.jpg
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/8...2112121101.jpg

He looks fine just getting ready to shed. Is that lamp you only heat source?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VEXER19

He looks fine just getting ready to shed. Is that lamp you only heat source?

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Good to hear :)
I have an under tank heating pad that I keep on 24/7, and a 50 watt bulb that is set on a timer, so it is on from 8am until 5pm. I also have a space heater in my room, because my room is the coldest in the house.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SeeTheCityLights

Good to hear :)
I have an under tank heating pad that I keep on 24/7, and a 50 watt bulb that is set on a timer, so it is on from 8am until 5pm. I also have a space heater in my room, because my room is the coldest in the house.

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The UTH is on a thermostat right?

If your temps are fine without the lamp and your humidity drops then turn the lamp off until he sheds caue that lamp is eating your humidity.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VEXER19

If your temps are fine without the lamp and your humidity drops then turn the lamp off until he sheds caue that lamp is eating your humidity.

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50-60% is fine for humidity, even in shed. There's no need to start changing his enclosure around and risk dropping temps just to eke out an extra 10%. He looks like a normal BP getting ready to shed.

Hence the fact I said if temps are fine without it and it is just used for a hot spot and a day night schedule you coul get rid of it. If you read the whole thread you would have seen that I already said the bp can shed fine at the current 60% humidity. Just giving her options and its not a big change considering the lamp is off more than it is on.

I need the lamp on, it does keep the temperature up. I'm glad my humidity is good.
I do not have a thermostat on the UTH yet, but I have a piece of cardboard under the substrate over it, and I have never seen my snake burrow, and the substrate is never turned up to show any burrow marks.
I'm afraid if I get a thermostat for it, then it won't stay hot enough to keep it at the right temp through the substrate. When i press my hand over the UTH (on top of the substrate), it barely feels warm, even though I know the UTH is hot. If the UTH goes colder with a thermostat, will the temp drop too much?

You might have to remove some of the substrate, but no a thermostat will not make the UTH ineffective. All it will do is keep the UTH from burning your snake.

Also you would be surprised at how cool 92 degrees can feel. give it a shot. It works for hundreds if not thousands of us , it will work for you too.

I also was worried about this at first but now that I use one I will never go back.

Your setup looks fine. Don't try to change a thing at this point. Your temps and humidity are perfect for a snake in shed. Once a bp goes into blue and clears up again, you're a couple days away from the actual shed. The wrinkles and folds in the skin could also be a sign that he's a little on the skinny side, but nothing that a couple good feedings won't take care of.

EDIT: I didn't see the part about you not having a thermostat. You definitely should get some kind of regulation on the heat. A thermostat is a great investment to keep the temperatures in the ideal range and preventing the UTH from getting hot enough to burn the snake.