Looking for informaion on the PH levels of Ball python skin.

[Liquid]

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a Bio chemist and the topic of my snakes came up. As it always will with my non herping friends!

So after talking about the different issues that I have ran in to (The great mite fight of 2008) he asked me about things like mites and ticks. We talked about the different products that I used to clear up the mite issue and how they would get rid of them in the wild.

Then he did something that shocked me... He asked me a question I did not have an answer too. Now I know I don't have all the answers, and I know I am not an expert in reptiles but my friends dont normally stump me on Ball Pythons!

The question that he stumped me on was what are the PH levels of Ball Pythons skin. Now I have just about killed my iPhone's battery Googleing and found no answer.. So I thought I would ask if any of you would know the answer or where I could find it.

Dose any one know the PH level of a ball pythons skin?

Thank you for any help in redeeming me!

[QuiccStrike911]

I closely monitor pH levels in my soil as well as hydroponic grows, as it is necessary to nutrient uptake. I read that when bathing you want a neutral to slightly acidic water, But i was unaware, or perhaps ignorant, to the fact that the pH of skin also played a factor in snake health. If you can guide or explain to me how i can record skin pH with a digital pH meter then i will be more than happy to give you my personal results.

[xdeus]

You can't measure the pH of a solid. I suppose you could run the skin through a blender along with DI water and measure that mixture, but it probably wouldn't be an accurate representation because of the different layers of of skin.

[Liquid]

I will ask him how to get the PH of the skin and see what I get.

What it turns out he was looking for was the ph levels for the snake's skin because one of my snakes that has a had time shedding.

I have a pastel that even if I put him in a tank/tub that is soaking wet (figuratively not literally) he still has some issues shedding.
I have tried all kinds of things (Wet paper towels across the top of the tank changing the bedding using the coco fiber or wet paper towels) and he has issues every time. He seems to have shed stuck every time. My wife thinks it is because he likes the attention that he gets after a shed! Out of all 15 of my ball pythons he is the only one that has the issue.

So that is where we got off on the PH levels because he was curious about the products like shedeze or shed-aid that assisted in shedding. And possibly making something that will not only solve the issue but help the snake out as well.

I will post more info when I have it!