shedding - feeding - humidity

I think my snake is in the beginning faze of shedding as I noticed its eye color is changing.

I have been feeding it on Wednesdays so should I go ahead and feed or should I wait?

I have a 20 gallon fish tank I'm using and can not get the humidity above 40%. Right now it is 38% but it is usually around 40. I have 2 water bowls in it now and I also put in a wet wash cloth in. I am using a 50 watt heat lamp and the temp on one side is 90 and 79 on the other. The betting is shredded wood chips. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Some people feed, some don't during shed. It will definitely be able to last another week though with no problems.

The heat lamp is the source of your humidity problem. Get a UTH to maintain temps, but make sure it's on a rheostat or thermostat to regulate it.
Also, you can do this: foil magic!
You'll want your humidity to be 50-60% normally and 60-70% during shed.

Proper humidity levels in a glass tank can be a pain in the rear to maintain. Since you know she is going to shed you make a hide (container that contains damp sphagnum moss for example) and allow your ball python to enter. This type of hide will have higher levels of humidity than your glass tank. Also, there is a "sticky" in the caging section of this website that goes through step by step how to regulate humidity levels in your snakes glass enclosure. Basically, you use foil and duct tape and make a vent hole so air can circulate throughout the tank. This can hold in humidity more effectively.

As for feeding your ball python during a shed I think that is up to the snake. I have heard that they will not eat druing a shed but mine has yet to refuse a mouse during her shed. Try and feed your ball python and see what happens. If it doesn't eat I would not worry about it.

Are you using an under the tank heater or are you using your above cage heat lamp to get your temperatures to 90 degrees? A heat light will suck the humidity right out of the cage. Although it is good to have your snake on a day/night type schedule they do not require specific lighting as they are nocturnal snakes.

Good Luck!

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

Some people feed, some don't during shed. It will definitely be able to last another week though with no problems.

The heat lamp is the source of your humidity problem. Get a UTH to maintain temps, but make sure it's on a rheostat or thermostat to regulate it.
Also, you can do this: foil magic!
You'll want your humidity to be 50-60% normally and 60-70% during shed.

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How much would this cost me? Is there something else I could do without spending any money?

UTHs are $15-20 I think (you want one that covers 1/3 of the bottom of the tank), then a tstat is about $25. The sphagnum moss idea will also help, or using a substrate that holds humidity better (like cypress mulch, newspaper, or Repti bark). But if you always use a heat lamp, you'll be constantly fighting to keep the humidty up. I'm talking misting the tank multiple times a day, which can cause bacterial growth.

In the long run it's just easier to use a UTH, especially since BPs do well with belly heating.

I think anything you do is going to require some investment, the amount will depend on what you choose.

You can get an under the tank heat mat for $15 to $25 bucks depending on where you go. You can get a dimmer switch at Home Depot or Lowes for $10.

Thank you all for the help.

I’m currently using a 50 watt infrared spot lamp. I already have the top covered in foil except a section where the lamp is. The temperature has been ok.

I need to go get a mouse tomorrow so I will check into getting a under the tank heat mat, sphagnum moss and new substrate. I really can’t afford this but is something that needs to be done.

Another thing you can do is run a humidifier in the room if you have one. That is, if you don't mind the sound of it 24/7. I think UTHs are a much better solution though.

BPs are no cheap animals I'm afraid.

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

Another thing you can do is run a humidifier in the room if you have one. That is, if you don't mind the sound of it 24/7. I think UTHs are a much better solution though.

BPs are no cheap animals I'm afraid.

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Quite the contrary I think. If you use tubs that is! I spend about $50 per BP setup :P

Its the thermostat that gets ya, and the whole buying things you don't need to begin with. That is what is expensive.

Getting rid of that heat lamp is really the only way to effectively bring up the humidity. Better to have high humidity than a bad shed in my opinion.

What are you using to measure temps and humidity? like, what kind of thermometers and hygrometers?

I use a springfield digital gage that measures both temperature and humidity I bought from walmart. I have a taylor digital on the cold side of the cage.

I was pressured into purchasing Bed-A-Beast bedding instead of getting a under the tank heater from the local pet store here.

So far the humidity level is around 70 percent for 2 days straight.

I also can not believe the conflicts between the internet, books and people from pet stores. I am totally confused on how to raise my snake.

Well, if the bedding upped the humidity that is fine. Keep in mind, the bedding should not be wet or damp really. It should be dry and then you can lightly mist it.

I would say that a uth is much better than lamps for heat.

All of the big breeders only use belly heat, no lamps whatsoever. If it works for them and they can raise thousands of snakes like this, I would assume it is the best way. :P

There is no right way to do it. You can use lamps, you can use a uth or flexwatt. As long as you are getting the right tmeps and humidity, you are fine :)

I no longer believe my snake is in the process to shed. Since I got the humidity up its eye color is back to normal.

Heh heh,

Pssssst - read this. :whisper:


dr del

Yes I read that thread a couple of days ago. That is why I thought my snake was shedding because its eye color resembled the one in that thread. But now a couple days later it’s not anymore after the humidity has been 70%.

LOL I am very color blind. I can see the eye color change however. I seen a snake in the shed process at a pet store and I don’t see any difference in color between that snake and my snake.

It’s amazing how humidity can change my snake eye color like that.

The snakes eye will clear up right before the shed. What I do to get my humidity up to "shed weight" is once they get pink belly and blue eyes I'll lay a wet towel on top of the cage and I just keep wetting it till I get a good shed. If you try this, make sure you wring the towel out good. You don't want it raining in the tank.


And yes, Pet stores will sell you things that you don't need, They are there to make money, plus most people who work at them don't know everything about all reptiles. The salesperson may keep bearded dragons, which need UV light, but they may not be aware that BP's are nocturnal and don't need it. I trust this forum over a pet store because there is alot of BP specific experience here. And yes, I too have that drawer full of useless junk that the pet store initially swindled me into. So you are not alone. As was mentioned above, the best investment you can make is a thermostat and Under Tank Heater. I used a rheostat until I got the money for the t-stats, and they do work. You will find that once you get the heat and humidity right, everything else is pretty easy...


Rob

My snake did shed last night when I was asleep. I could not tell by the color it was in the shed process except the other day its eyes were a milky color.

Below is a link to a heat pad. Would this be ok for my 20 gallon glass cage?

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Appl...=2&category=14

As long as it covers 1/3 of the bottom of the tank. I have never used Big Apple UTHs so I don't know much about them.

that should work just fine....just remember to check the temps in your tank after it has been on for awhile.... I do like that that one comes with a control.... I know that miine was hitting 105 before I got a dimmer on it. (way too hot) I try to keep my hot side between 88 -92 degrees.

I use Cypress Mulch for my Ball pythons' substrate. It holds in humidity very well and it's totally safe. It does not carry external parasites (mites, ticks, fleas, etc.) which some people may say it does but I've been using it for a while and I haven't had any problem with it. Since you have a glass enclosure, I'm guessing it has a screen lid. If you purchase saran (sp?) wrap that holds the humidity in very well. It's a plastic sheet that you put over some of the top of the enclosure, probably half or less, and it holds in the humidity very well. Also, to raise the humidity level, mist the enclosure and substrate with warm water. The humidity level should be between 65%-75% when a Ball python is shedding. When it is not shedding, humidity levels should be between 50%-60%.

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

As long as it covers 1/3 of the bottom of the tank. I have never used Big Apple UTHs so I don't know much about them.

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It doesn't have to cover 1/3 or 1/4 for that matter. As along as it adequately covers the area where his hide is.

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Originally Posted by Reptile King

You can get an under the tank heat mat for $15 to $25 bucks depending on where you go. You can get a dimmer switch at Home Depot or Lowes for $10.

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Under tank heaters have helped some people, but personaly I wouldn't recommend it. We had one when we got our first snake and she was in a tank (before the collection grew and we had to get a rack lol) and after a few months it got incredibly hot without us being able to tell. It burned our snakes belly bad :( she's healthy now but I would avoid all problems if possible. I completley understand about the money for anything else, but it would definitly be best in the long run! Good luck! :)

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Originally Posted by ThunderHeadsGirl

Under tank heaters have helped some people, but personaly I wouldn't recommend it. We had one when we got our first snake and she was in a tank (before the collection grew and we had to get a rack lol) and after a few months it got incredibly hot without us being able to tell. It burned our snakes belly bad :( she's healthy now but I would avoid all problems if possible. I completley understand about the money for anything else, but it would definitly be best in the long run! Good luck! :)

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This is exactly why all heating sources should be controlled with a thermostat, which I assume the OP already has. No lamps or UTH's should be used without one.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

This is exactly why all heating sources should be controlled with a thermostat, which I assume the OP already has. No lamps or UTH's should be used without one.

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I completley agree, we had a helix

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Originally Posted by ThunderHeadsGirl

I completley agree, we had a helix

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You had a helix on the UTH and it still over heated? that is rather odd. I wouldn't blame it on the UTH though.

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Originally Posted by ThunderHeadsGirl

I completley agree, we had a helix

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And that is why, regardless of the tstat one uses, you need to have a backup, even if it's a cheap lamp dimmer.

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Originally Posted by Joe Cope

It doesn't have to cover 1/3 or 1/4 for that matter. As along as it adequately covers the area where his hide is.

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It will sure help with heating the rest of the enclosure though.