dry scales?

So, I've noticed in the mid-section of my banana man that there are some dry scales when the rest of him feels smooth. Is that from his previous shed? He did have some stuck shed from that last shed but I was pretty sure I was able to help him remove most of the stuck shed with a humidity box. What do you think?

Val

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Originally Posted by Valrie87

So, I've noticed in the mid-section of my banana man that there are some dry scales when the rest of him feels smooth. Is that from his previous shed? He did have some stuck shed from that last shed but I was pretty sure I was able to help him remove most of the stuck shed with a humidity box. What do you think?

Val

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How old is he, how big is he (weight), and how often does he usually shed for you? Could be do for another shed.

Also, what is your humidity?

While you are at it, and it will come up, please tell us what type of enclosure, substrate being used, temperatures and how they are created (CHE, UTH, etc) and regulated.

Pictures would help too.

Thank you in advance for providing as much of the above you can. It will help us a lot to narrow down what is, isn't, going on.

He is about 6 months old now. I haven't weighed him since he arrived but he arrived at 78g about a month and a half ago. He has had one shed since he got here about 3 weeks ago.

Humidity is always between 50-60. He is in a glass tank with an UTH on the warm side and a CHE above both on a thermostat. (I live in Colorado and my house stays around 60 degrees inside). I also have a CHE on the cool side set on another thermostat. He has three hides and lots of plant coverage. I am using coconut fiber substrate. I change his bedding every week and a half. Temp average 78-82 on ambient side and 88-93 on the hot side.

Here are some photos for you.

https://i.imgur.com/yjFHM8a.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nkAchGW.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XkCoNV5.jpg

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Originally Posted by Valrie87

He is about 6 months old now. I haven't weighed him since he arrived but he arrived at 78g about a month and a half ago. He has had one shed since he got here about 3 weeks ago.

Humidity is always between 50-60. He is in a glass tank with an UTH on the warm side and a CHE above both on a thermostat. (I live in Colorado and my house stays around 60 degrees inside). I also have a CHE on the cool side set on another thermostat. He has three hides and lots of plant coverage. I am using coconut fiber substrate. I change his bedding every week and a half. Temp average 78-82 on ambient side and 88-93 on the hot side.

Here are some photos for you.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/yjFHM8a.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/nkAchGW.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/XkCoNV5.jpg

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I will let others chime in, but will give my two cents. Please take as a hobbyists opinion and that I will give basic advice, nothing that should/could harm your snake.

He could be going into shed again, or had a bad shed last time, but I think you should check a couple of things before we jump to any conclusions.

1. How are you checking temps? If it is via thermostat, there is often a difference between that reading and ground temps. If you are doing it by temp gun, awesome. If not, get one ASAP so we know for sure that you have accurate temps. Awesome you are running thermostats for both the hot and cool side! Good job! So many people don't know this is necessary!

2. How and what has eaten in the past 6 weeks or so since you got him?

3. I would double check humidity. 50-60% when not in shed is fine, but it should go up when in shed. Hard to do in glass tanks, especially when cold, and he looks like he could be a little dry.

4. Does he have access to clean water always? Have you seen him drink, and/or has he left urine and urate?

5. Assuming temps are what you say, lower hot side temp to be between 87-89F, 90F tops. They do not like more than that. Your current temps of up to 93 will not hurt him, but he might not thermoregulate properly.

If anything, I am thinking mild dehydration or humidity is too low and/or temps are not exactly as you think.

However, babies can shed often, and again could just be residual from a not perfect shed from last shed, or he is going to shed again soon. I also haven't looked close at a baby in while, and it could just be some loose skin (why I asked what and how often he is feeding).

Please advise and I hope others chime in.

I have been checking temps with a gun, and I have a thermometer on both sides of the tank. I did go out of town for a week and gave the person watching over him a long letter explaining everything he needed to do. So, maybe he wasn't able to regulate the humidity last week. I have a solid routine for keeping the humidity up. He has a bowl in his tank I change every day with clean water. I haven't really seen him drink water though. I thought that was kind of weird. As far as urine... I haven't seen any at all (I'm not even sure what Im looking for.) Ill adjust the temps and see if that helps. He has been eating f/t pinky rats once a week. He is doing really great with those!

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Originally Posted by Valrie87

I have been checking temps with a gun, and I have a thermometer on both sides of the tank. I did go out of town for a week and gave the person watching over him a long letter explaining everything he needed to do. So, maybe he wasn't able to regulate the humidity last week. I have a solid routine for keeping the humidity up. He has a bowl in his tank I change every day with clean water. I haven't really seen him drink water though. I thought that was kind of weird. As far as urine... I haven't seen any at all (I'm not even sure what Im looking for.) Ill adjust the temps and see if that helps. He has been eating f/t pinky rats once a week. He is doing really great with those!

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Awesome on the heat gun! Also awesome on the thermostats, again! You are doing great so far on the "checklist."

If you just noticed it and last week you were away, it could just be a little dry for him.

Great if you can change the water daily, but also okay to change a little less often as long as he hasn't used the bowl as a toilet. Then I would change it immediately and disinfect.

Awesome he is eating F/T for you.

Rat pinkies are probably way too small.

See this thread. https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=feeding+chart

The chart is in the second post.

He should be on pups or bigger, just looking at the pictures, and how long you have him and when he was probably hatched. He might be a little thin and that could cause the loose skin; worse if the humidity isn't where it should be.

Urine looks like pee, wet and yellow, and urate are solid whitish poop looking things that often come out with the urine. You might miss the first, but likely would not miss the second.

Address the hot side temp, keep humidity where it should be, and start feeding bigger meals. I think everything will be okay. I saw your other post about possible mites. I think you are being careful and cautious and want the best for your new guy. That's all good in my book.

Keep it up and don't be afraid to ask questions and keep learning. We don't bite!

I’m by far not an expert but I too had trouble with feeding and such I’m not sure about the scales but I can help you with feeding cuz I went through it myself... okay I would get a simple kitchen scale it’s the easiest way to figure out what to feed him get rid of the pinkies no matter their weight rat pinkies are just fat and milk switch him to rat fuzzies that are 10-19 and another way to check is that the prey should be about at big as the thickest part of your snakes body

I’m not an expert so don’t talk my advice to heart [emoji23] someone will come along and yell you what to do

I’m feeding mine 12-15 grams Hopper mice every 7 days and it’s always as thick or just alittle bigger than the thickest part of his body
I had trouble switching him to rat fuzzies still working on it


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Originally Posted by n1c0l3

I’m by far not an expert but I too had trouble with feeding and such I’m not sure about the scales but I can help you with feeding cuz I went through it myself... okay I would get a simple kitchen scale it’s the easiest way to figure out what to feed him get rid of the pinkies no matter their weight rat pinkies are just fat and milk switch him to rat fuzzies that are 10-19 and another way to check is that the prey should be about at big as the thickest part of your snakes body

I’m not an expert so don’t talk my advice to heart [emoji23] someone will come along and yell you what to do

I’m feeding mine 12-15 grams Hopper mice every 7 days and it’s always as thick or just alittle bigger than the thickest part of his body


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Good advice.

Many people feed mice until they need to go to rats (for size). I did that.

Personally, if he's taking rats now, I would just get bigger rats.

Some snakes have trouble switching back and forth or even ever switching from mice to rats. I'd be consistent, but am also not an expert.

Is there a nutritional reason mice are better than rat hoppers, or probably pups, in this situation?

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Originally Posted by dakski

Is there a nutritional reason mice are better than rat hoppers, or probably pups, in this situation?

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I actually heard that rats are more nutritious?? Not sure but I would just move up to rat fuzzies to insure he eats if you switch on him he might refuse to eat cuz it takes time to switch and you want him to eat

about the scales if he’s eating, gaining weight, pooping and acting normal assuming your husbandry is all on point then you should be fine just feed him right and it the shed should get rid of it if it keeps coming back even after shed then take him to a vet and get it looked at no harm in that

Good luck


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Thanks everyone! I've be nervous about moving him up to rat pup or fuzzies because they seem bigger than he could swallow. But, alas he may just need some food in his belly. Today is feed day and I have pups ready for him to try. Wish us luck!

Make sure the pups aren’t to big for your snake compare it to his body

I went to a local store and got “rat fuzzies” and they ended up giving me pups on accident it didn’t look to big to were my snake couldn’t eat it but he refused to eat it perhaps it intimidated him

Your snake is used to eating rat pinkies which are pretty small going to a rat pup might intimidate him and refuse if that happens just go to rat fuzzies until he’s ready to move up



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Originally Posted by Valrie87

Thanks everyone! I've be nervous about moving him up to rat pup or fuzzies because they seem bigger than he could swallow. But, alas he may just need some food in his belly. Today is feed day and I have pups ready for him to try. Wish us luck!

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I think you'll be surprised what he can eat!

If might make sense, for both his sake, and yours, to give the smallest pup you have.

You can eye it. BP's can comfortably eat 10-15% of their body weight and/or something as big as the diameter of their body at the biggest part.

Good luck!

He ate the rat pup like a champ!

https://i.imgur.com/faBoUis.jpg

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Originally Posted by Valrie87

He ate the rat pup like a champ!

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/faBoUis.jpg

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Awesome! Love the photo! Frankly, that looks easy for him. Was that a smaller rat pup? If so, I think you can feed whatever you grab from the bag (rat pup) next time.

So glad he ate for you, and like a champ!

It's a bigger meal, so just make sure temps are spot on the next couple of days and unless necessary, let him be for 48 hours or so. You probably know that though.

Really happy for both of you! Keep us updated on the scale issue, but I think you are totally on the right track!

Another thing to consider even if it looks too big for your snake to swallow before it "kills it" that is also before it squeezes it to death which often breaks bones which would make the prey item smaller in diameter. I have some babies that are roughly 120-130 grams that eat small rats (about the size of an adult mouse) and they have no problem swallowing them. Just some food for thought😁.

Yes, this was the smallest of the bunch

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Originally Posted by Valrie87

Yes, this was the smallest of the bunch

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Thank you! Yeah, any one in the bag will probably be fine. If you want to be extra safe, go smaller for the next few feedings and then grab any one.

I think you will be surprised how fast your guy will grow. When young, a lot of that food goes towards growth!

I probably mentioned, and sorry if I did, but it's a good idea to get a scale, even a cheap kitchen one on amazon that does grams. You will want to monitor his growth in weight and also be confident about when it's okay to move up in prey size, etc.

Good luck and keep up the good work!

Definitely!! It's the first thing on my list :)

How is the success with the dry scale? My five month banana girl who looks just like your guy has been having a similar issue. Very minor but subtlety noticeable when I pet her in a couple spots. Was wondering if I had to do any further intervention but my initial assumption was she could be going back in to shed. Her old skin came off pretty beautifully, even though I use Aspen moss I pump up her humidity levels to 70 and she always has her humid box that she’ll spend a week or two before we’re relieving herself of her old clothes.