Arroyo Ball Python is SUPER BAD SHAPE!! HELP ME SAVE HIM PLEASE </3

Hi guys, it's my first post here and my snake is in major danger here, please help me :( i dont wanna lose him. he is my first snake.

I just got him this morning as a rescue off craigslist. The owner says he is an Arroyo Ball Python. Honestly i don't even know if he really is. All i know is that he is in really bad shape. I know most of you guys here are experts and have been handling snakes since before i was even born. (I'm 19) Please help me save Rex, he is my first snake and I really wanna save him. I don't think the previous owners really took care of him at all. Rex is 8 months now, according to the owner.

So this is how he looks like now.
http://s1028.photobucket.com/user/Dy...tml?sort=3&o=0 http://s1028.photobucket.com/user/Dy...tml?sort=3&o=1

His skin is shedding horribly, his right eye is dented and probably still has the shedding left over on it (not sure of the left eye, i can't tell), i think he is pretty dehydrated.

I couldn't keep the humidity up maybe because it was winter here in Seattle, it was around 40-45% in his tank. So i tried putting to small pieces of damp paper towel on top of his hiding spot (both on cold and hot side) and cover the top (i'm using a glass tank that has the wire screen on top, as it came with it when i got the snake) with aluminium foil (few holes poked in it for better ventilation?) and managed to make it rise to about 60-65%. is that okay temporarily or should i not do that?
here is how his entire set up looks like.

http://s1028.photobucket.com/user/Dy...tml?sort=3&o=1

The temperature is about 80-87f+ on his hot side and i have no idea what the cold side is probably 70-80f? I am gonna get an extra thermometer for him and a better hygrometer tomorrow and a thermostat for the heatpad. The hygrometer is a pretty useless one from petco and the thermometer is from zoomed (the little yellow one with a probe). I've done so many research but all the info after a little different and it probably doesn't make much difference but i am kinda paranoid. I just wanna provide the very best living experience for him :/

All i need is:
Can some one give me just a specific set of rules that i should follow for his entire life.
What humidity i should have during the day/night and shedding period?
What temperature during day/night and shedding period?
What can i do to help with his current condition?

Also the previous owner said he hasn't eaten for more than a week already. Apparently they said that snakes go on a fast when they are shedding.
Its likemidnight now and i'm so paranoid that if i go to sleep, i might wake up to find him dead.. I'm probably crazy and should go to bed.

I really hope you guys could help me out.
p/s if you guys need any more info on his condition or about anything just let me know, i'll be more than happy to provide it to you guys.

Thanks guys!!

just in case if you guys cant see the photos.

http://s1028.photobucket.com/user/Dy...a13f.jpeg.html Snake's condition 1
http://s1028.photobucket.com/user/Dy...f6ff.jpeg.html Snake's condition 2
http://s1028.photobucket.com/user/Dy...adca2.jpg.html Snake's Setup

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...p-w-pics-*DUW*

ill try to fix the image links for you. you need to get a link that goes directly to the image file.

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...sfdfda13f.jpeg

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...s28a8f6ff.jpeg

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...ps307adca2.jpg


it looks pretty bad, but once you get rid of the stuck shed and manage to get a few meals into him, a full recovery is definitively possible. i see that its underweight, and there is stuck shed everywhere, but both of these issues can be resolved. young hatchlings are more vulnerable, but they can still survive without food for many months, so if he ate something within the last two weeks (or even within the last month), i would call that good news, not bad news.

a nice warm soak would help the shed... and needs some food once he settles

Definitely not an "arroyo". Good luck getting him back to health. A good soak looks needed, and hopefully he takes some small meals and build up from there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by majorleaguereptiles

Definitely not an "arroyo".

---

BUT ARE YOU SURE?! HAVE YOU SEEN ONE OF THESE 'ARROYO' SNAKES BEFORE? :)

The care sheets linked will get you to where you need. As stated, just raise the humidity and offer small meals first.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MrLang

BUT ARE YOU SURE?! HAVE YOU SEEN ONE OF THESE 'ARROYO' SNAKES BEFORE? :)

---

Not sure if that was sarcastic, but yes I'm sure. I've seen every arroyo made so far. That isn't one of them.

Me and Dan Wolfe are the only two breeders to produce any arroyos until Paul Miles recently hatched a clutch of arroyos late last season. That's been it. So I know with 100% certainty, that it is not an arroyo. We were selling males for $7000-$5000.. I could more than likely tell you everyone who owns an arroyo at this point.

Anyways, keep us posted on this snakes condition.

I think he was playing major .. u r one of the founders of the gene I think he knows that

Wow...get that excess shed off before you feed it.

The previous owner probably toyed around with the idea of breeding, burned out and decided to slap a morph to it for a quick sale. Awful.

Good luck!

So does anyone know what morph it is? or is it just a normal ball? thanks for the help guys, i'll give him a warm bath later in the afternoon!

not too warm, if it feels warm for you, its uncomfortably hot for a BP.

i say its a normal.

Oh! also how long should i wait after giving him his warm bath before trying to feed him? or should i just wait till the next day then feed him?

I'm no expert, but he looks like a normal to me. Also, I read somewhere on here recently that placing him in a wet pillowcase will help with the stuck shed. He does look really skinny (I say that because of the wrinkles). My rescue was like that when I first got him. Do you know how much he weighs or when he ate last? After you get the shed off and he has some time to settle, start feeding him rats. I honestly didn't think they would be much different than mice, but my babies started gaining weight like CRAZY since I started feeding rats.

Take things slowly. The baby is in rough shape, but by no means beyond help. This is a link to a recent story like yours: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...r-situation-is This proves how completely they can recover.

Start with the humidity and stuck shed, and move on to correct temps from there. Worry about feeding later, once the baby is stabilized some.

The caresheets here will help you a great deal.

Gale

OK...Ill be the first to ask...What in the world made you decide your first snake ever should be a rescue in bad shape off of craigslist?!


He looks like a normal and follow everything else everyone above me has mentioned and you should be good...I would however switch those wet paper towels out for damp cheap washcloths (a pack of 6 from Walmart is like 5$). Also tape down 3-4 layers of aluminum foil on the outside of the mesh top for the tank it will help stabilize and keep in the humidity levels. What are you using to heat the tank?? In your picture I didn't see any heating devices?

Whatever the heating device is..it needs to be attached to a thermostat with the thermostat probe between the heat source and the outside of the tank.

I feed my younger, smaller snakes once a week....the bigger and older guys get food every 10 to 14 days....everything is appropriately sized for their bodies and weights...also realize he needs to settle in at least a few days to a week so dont try and feed him (I would not handle him during this time either) until you give him a chance to settle in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OsirisRa32

OK...Ill be the first to ask...What in the world made you decide your first snake ever should be a rescue in bad shape off of craigslist?!


He looks like a normal and follow everything else everyone above me has mentioned and you should be good...I would however switch those wet paper towels out for damp cheap washcloths (a pack of 6 from Walmart is like 5$). Also tape down 3-4 layers of aluminum foil on the outside of the mesh top for the tank it will help stabilize and keep in the humidity levels. What are you using to heat the tank?? In your picture I didn't see any heating devices?

Whatever the heating device is..it needs to be attached to a thermostat with the thermostat probe between the heat source and the outside of the tank.

---

Well firstly, the ad in craigslist had no photo, and when the previous owner did send me a photo the snake and it didn't seem that bad and as skinny (as the photo was also a little blurry). So when i met up with the lady, the snake was well.. in horrible shape, she didn't seem to know jack about snakes and it made me want to take the snake from her even more (even with my little to no experience with reptiles). I didn't wanna just leave the snake to someone who doesn't wanna take care of their animals. Even though it's my first snake but i still wanna try doing everything i could to help at least make the snake's life a little better instead of just not helping it.

I have a zoomed heating pad on the left side under his cage around 80-88f according to the zoomed thermometer. Cold side usually rages around 70-85f but it constantly fluctuates up and down. Maybe also because it is winter here in Seattle. I don't know if it is a good idea but i put his tank maybe about 5 inches away from the heater in my room, with the heater at around 70f, just so in case it doesn't go lower than that (i still monitor the temperature he is getting very carefully though). And yeah, I am gonna go get a thermostat for his heating pad to keep a better eye at the temperature he is getting. I did cover up the top with 3 layers of aluminium foil with an inch gap on either side for keep the air moving in his cage) as well as misting it every couple hours. I tried giving him a soak earlier today but he just kept freaking out so i didn't want to stress him out too much and put him back into his cage to let him rest off. (a little shedding did come off though). I will continue to try giving him a soak tomorrow to see how he will do with it.

Don't put him in a tub of water!put him in a wet pillow case for an hour or so.

You can try feeding right away. feed something very small the first few times.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wet pillowcase trick:

• Use a standard pillowcase...cheap is best in this case, lower thread counts are more breathable.
• Turn it inside out. Check seams for holes or unraveling threads and secure as needed with a few stitches. Keep it turned inside out so the snake doesn't get snagged on any loose threads.
• Wet it thoroughly with warm water and wring out.
• Wet and wring out a terri-cloth washcloth or hand towel and drop it inside the case. (This gives the snake something to wrap around, crawl through and rub against.)
• Place snake in case and tie the top securely.
• Place the bundle half on and half off the warm side of the snake's enclosure.
• Leave alone for 1-2 hours.
• Open case and remove shiny, new snake.

This trick has always worked for me. And while the poor thing looks pathetic in the original pictures, I have a feeling it will look like a whole new animal once it gets that old skin off. That, plus a few good meals will set it all right. :)

Once you get that stuck shed off of it, if it hasn't already drank any water, hold it next to a bowl of water. If it's thirsty (and it certainly looks dehydrated) it'll start drinking some on its own. This alone will drastically improve its condition and appearance. The dented eye is due to dehydration, so you will probably notice that go away in a day or so after it drinks some water.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ViperSRT3g

Once you get that stuck shed off of it, if it hasn't already drank any water, hold it next to a bowl of water. If it's thirsty (and it certainly looks dehydrated) it'll start drinking some on its own. This alone will drastically improve its condition and appearance. The dented eye is due to dehydration, so you will probably notice that go away in a day or so after it drinks some water.

---

Alright, i will try that. But i did that yesterday like trying to put it close to his water bowl, but he just doesnt like water. He just sort of hang above right before he touches the water. I tried slowly putting him in his water bowl and he just instantly gets away from it. He just seem to really really hate water.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JLC

Wet pillowcase trick:

• Use a standard pillowcase...cheap is best in this case, lower thread counts are more breathable.
• Turn it inside out. Check seams for holes or unraveling threads and secure as needed with a few stitches. Keep it turned inside out so the snake doesn't get snagged on any loose threads.
• Wet it thoroughly with warm water and wring out.
• Wet and wring out a terri-cloth washcloth or hand towel and drop it inside the case. (This gives the snake something to wrap around, crawl through and rub against.)
• Place snake and case and tie the top securely.
• Place the bundle half on and half off the warm side of the snake's enclosure.
• Leave alone for 1-2 hours.
• Open case and remove shiny, new snake.

This trick has always worked for me. And while the poor thing looks pathetic in the original pictures, I have a feeling it will look like a whole new animal once it gets that old skin off. That, plus a few good meals will set it all right. :)

---

Thank you so so much for the detailed instructions. I'll pick some new pillow case for him and try it out this afternoon!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by majorleaguereptiles

sarcastic

---

Do keep us updated on your new baby. First snake or not, we want you both to succeed. And if we are being honest, I bet more long time owners than not got started with a "rescue" ball. Either from a pet store or an ad online or in the paper. My first two were rescues, and I'm not ashamed of that. Of course, I was way in over my head and was too stubborn to seek help, so I am kind of ashamed I didn't care the kind of care of them I could have. But I learned from my mistakes, and my current collection are all very loved and well cared for. And I still get my fair share of rescues. My last group of rescues came from a Meth house, so believe me I've seen just about everything that can happen to a ball python.

Gale

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by angllady2

Do keep us updated on your new baby. First snake or not, we want you both to succeed. And if we are being honest, I bet more long time owners than not got started with a "rescue" ball. Either from a pet store or an ad online or in the paper. My first two were rescues, and I'm not ashamed of that. Of course, I was way in over my head and was too stubborn to seek help, so I am kind of ashamed I didn't care the kind of care of them I could have. But I learned from my mistakes, and my current collection are all very loved and well cared for. And I still get my fair share of rescues. My last group of rescues came from a Meth house, so believe me I've seen just about everything that can happen to a ball python.

Gale

---

That was really well said Gale, thank you so much for the support. I definitely will keep you guys updated on how is doing. I wish there was some way that i could pay you guys back with haha :D

Right now, i just put him in the pillow case. He's so inactive, he barely moves at all in a day. he literally feels like he has no meat on him. I could feel all of his bones. He barely even moved when i put him in the case. I really hope he gets better.

UPDATE ON BALL PYTHON!!

So i gave him an hour inside of the damp pillow case with a damp towel inside. He didn't really move much so it didn't really help him shed. After the hour was up i took him out, then use the damp towel that was inside and gently wiped the stuck shed (from the head towards the tail direction) about 2/3 of it came of which was good. But there still little pieces around his head area and neck area. I thought he would be too stressed out so i just let him back into his cage to cool off and maybe give him another round tomorrow in the pillow case to see how he does.

Here are some pictures after:

[IMG]http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...psb47c8a42.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...psb65734f6.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1a0d1921.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7f2a2b85.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4988057e.jpg[/IMG]

Yeah so this is how he looks like, I'll feed him tomorrow. Also, anyone knows how i can better help him with removing shed from his face and his eye caps?
Lastly, he doesn't seem to want to drink water at all so i dont know what to do about that :(

p/s Yes i have bad skin, stupid eczema :mad:

Thanks again for the help!

Dylan.

its rare that you will see them drink water...just make sure you give him clean water every day...they are most active while we seem to be sleeping so more likely than not that is when he is drinking water...also realize they get the majority of their dietary water content from prey animals.

I don't recommend doing this right now, or anytime soon because that poor snake is probably stressed out. But you can help take stuck shed from those areas using tweezers. You'd have to be really careful though. Considering his condition, it's best to just leave him alone until the next time he's going to shed. Until then, just ensure the ambient humidity is stable so that he can shed properly.

Oh another thing i just thought of,
Since i cant go get him a new hide till the weekend and he is staying in his half log for now (i know its not recommended cause its too big for him) but would he feel more secure if i close up one end so he might feel a little more secure?

Thanks!
Dylan

- - - Updated - - -

Oh another thing i just thought of,
Since i cant go get him a new hide till the weekend and he is staying in his half log for now (i know its not recommended cause its too big for him) but would he feel more secure if i close up one end so he might feel a little more secure?

Thanks!
Dylan

I would agree that the remaining stuck shed is not a huge issue right now. Keep its temps and humidity up and get it feeding and anything left will come off with the next regular shed. No need to stress it more right now.

The half logs aren't recommended not on their size, but because of their openness. Covering up one side will do wonders in making them feel more secure. You can even put plants or substrate around the entrance to make it feel even more enclosed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ViperSRT3g

Once you get that stuck shed off of it, if it hasn't already drank any water, hold it next to a bowl of water. If it's thirsty (and it certainly looks dehydrated) it'll start drinking some on its own. This alone will drastically improve its condition and appearance. The dented eye is due to dehydration, so you will probably notice that go away in a day or so after it drinks some water.

---

WHOA! Sorry to derail, but you're using my quote as a sig!

I am honored, sir. Just wish I hadn't repeated "so far" but I wasn't exactly expecting it to be repeated haha.