Pre-shed closeup!

As some of you know from my other post, I'm a newbie. This is my snake's first shed since I got him around 4 weeks ago. One week ago when I fed him, his eyes were normal, now they are blue. How long will they be like this? Right now the tank is at 80F and 60% humidity. Is this good or bad? Also, I just got him two mice, when should I wait to feed him?

Check out the pic it came out pretty nice!

https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...0/preshed1.JPG

he should be shedding in the next couple of days. I would hold off on feeding untill after the shed.

it will probably be around a week until he sheds, give or take a few days. the cloudy blue eyes is the first sign. next they will lose the blue and just look cloudy, and then they will clear up. once they clear up it will only be a day or too and then he should shed for you. he might be a little moody until he sheds because he can't see very well with his eyes all clouded up. some people prefer not to feed at all until after the shed so they dont cause any extra stress on the snake. you should up the humidity to 70-80% until he sheds. it will help him to have a better shed. as for the temp--do you mean that 80 is the ambient temp in the cage? what are your temps on the hot and cool sides?

Please don't post any pictures that huge! And why all the white at the bottom? If you're using MS Paint, check my sig for a good free program to let you resize your pics to a viewable size.

Marla: Sorry! I edited my post with a smaller picture.

mlededee: Right now, hot side is 83, cool side is 75. I am going to mist inside the tank to raise the humidity.

you might want to increase those temps. 80 would be better for the cool side and 90 for the hot side. i like to use the diy humid hide for increasing humidity also.

the pic size is much better now :wink:

Thanks for resizing it Egy! That's much better. As mlededee pointed out, you really should increase those temps a bit (assuming they're being measured accurately). Misting or a temporary humid hide is also a good idea. Good luck with shedding!

ouch thats low. definatly need to raise those ASAP

Temp is 90 on the hot side 75 on cool side. I can't get the humidity higher than 60%. I tried misting, I made a humid hide, I put saran wrap on the screen, and I tried putting the water bowl directly above the heating pad to see if it would jump. Still nothing higher than 60%. I am using naturebark as my substrate. This week he has been in his hide (small half log) all the time. Could my humidity reading be off? The inside glass is completely foggy, and it feels very humid. Please help!

What are you measuring the humidity with? ?If it's an analog (dial type) gauge, it could easily be very wrong. Also, if you have a humid hide and the snake is aware it's there and will go in, you don't have to worry about the humidity in the rest of the cage.

the only time that my tank fogs up like that is after i mist and then cover it back up, and the humidity level usually goes way up for at least the first few hours afterwards, so i only mist when nellie is in shed. i really can't imagine that it is only 60% in your tank if you are doing everything you say and the glass is fogged up. i'd go straight to walmart and get the accurite digital thermometer/hygrometer if i were you. the analog gauges are way off--i have one in my tank along with my accurite, and the analog gauge is consistently 10-15% off or more on the humidity.

Got any after shed pictures? I'd really love to see em.

Well I just snapped some more pics. His eyes are back to normal so I guess he is going to shed soon???? He loves this log, he never leaves it.
https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...l_preshed2.JPG

As for the humidity it still reads 62% which is the most I've seen it. It is a Springfield Digital temp/humidity gauge. Does anyone know if they are inaccurate? As far as the glass, it is always foggy.. 24/7 except on the side where the heat pad is. Here is how the glass looks

https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...l_preshed3.JPG
https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...l_preshed4.JPG

Wait he still didn't shed?!

No no shed, unless it's hidden

well it may still be a few days. and about that humidity gauge--it really HAS to be off. with that much water from misting in the tank and all the fog there is no way it's only 62%. it should at least jump up higher for the first hour or so after you mist. try taking it out and blowing on the sensor part--the reading should immediately go up when you do that. if it doesn't you definitely need to replace it.

He shed!! I'm so happy

give him a day or put him in a big water dish for him to shed easier.

Since your happy, i guess it was a good shed? If so, congrats!

Here is his old skin

https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...tershed1-3.JPG


Here he is after his first shed.

https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...tershed1-1.JPG
https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...tershed1-2.JPG

Here's another pic... Please comment everyone, I don't know what a "good shed" really means.

https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...nake%20121.jpg

By the way, I did clean up the sensor, and now it reads 65% even AFTER I took off the saran wrap and the 'foggy' glass cleared. That means it must have been in the 80% range during his shed cycle, I assume.

Thanks for all the help everyone!!

A good shed can be a few things I guess. Good can mean the skin came all off without much hassle. Even in patches, it's good that it comes off fully. But usually a "good shed" means they shed the skin fully, with no hassles. Sorta like sliding off a sock. Looks like a good shed to me. Just check to make sure the eye caps and tail came off nicely.