My poor baby...

[iLikeSneks]

That seems small. I'm glad I asked. I was thinking more like a 4'x3'x3'. Lol. I have read they get to be about 4' to 5' long if taken care of properly. I'm sure Home Depot would have loved me. I know the pet store sure does.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Too big a space can stress them. And keep in mind males are smaller than females.
A good rule to use as a starting point for cage size is that the perimeter (length + width) must be the length of the snake at least.

I used this video as a reference when doing mine, there are others out there.
https://youtu.be/3_pQMwZOAnc


Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[Ckrumn]

I'd focus on getting him back to normal. Just keep his humidity up a night time leave him alone let him crawl around and he should get most of if not all his skin off eventually.

Thanks guy/gals. I really do appreciate all the advice. It helps a lot. I'm pretty much a basket case right now with him because I don't want to make any mistakes. I don't even think I was this bad when I had my kids. Lol.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Craiga 01453]

I know it's tempting to want to hold your snake, but let him be until after he has shed.

[Ckrumn]

Too big a space can stress them. And keep in mind males are smaller than females.
A good rule to use as a starting point for cage size is that the perimeter (length + width) must be the length of the snake at least.

I used this video as a reference when doing mine, there are others out there.
https://youtu.be/3_pQMwZOAnc


Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

To be honest, I'm not sure if my baby is male or female. I have checked on line for sexing a snake and I'm so not qualified to that. I'm scheduling a vet appointment for him when he is finished shedding. Maybe the vet can tell me then. In the meantime I'm hoping for a boy so I'm calling my baby a him. Lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CALM Pythons]

You can make one like others have done, but honestly, being new to this there are things you would never think of that experts have researched for years and years in building safe enclosures that clean easy and are user freindly. Id suggest AP (Animal Plastics) enclosures. 4 feet is fine thats what I use, but a hight and Depth of 3 feet is way to much for all kinds of reasons including heating easily, cleaning easy and snake feeling secure ect... You want a T10 $199! Thats 4'x24"x15". I'll post some things a lot of us use and you look at them if you want.

1) AP enclosures: http://www.apcages.com/home/

2a) Thermistat: cheap one that works good - Jump Start by Hydro farm. https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPRTC-Digital-Thermostat-Heat/dp/B000NZZG3S
2b) Best out there:Herpstat thermistats: http://www.spyderrobotics.com/index....products_id=24

3) Pro Panel Rhp heating: http://pro-products.com/pro-heat/

4) Reptile Basics hides: http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

5) Acurite thermometer: https://m.lowes.com/pd/AcuRite-Digit...meter/50425266

[Ckrumn]

You can make one like others have done, but honestly, being new to this there are things you would never think of that experts have researched for years and years in building safe enclosures that clean easy and are user freindly. Id suggest AP (Animal Plastics) enclosures. 4 feet is fine thats what I use, but a hight and Depth of 3 feet is way to much for all kinds of reasons including heating easily, cleaning easy and snake feeling secure ect... You want a T10 $199! Thats 4'x24"x15". I'll post some things a lot of us use and you look at them if you want.

1) AP enclosures: http://www.apcages.com/home/

2a) Thermistat: cheap one that works good - https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPRTC-Digital-Thermostat-Heat/dp/B000NZZG3S
2b) Best out there:Herpstat thermistats: http://www.spyderrobotics.com/index....products_id=24

3) Pro Panel Rhp heating: http://pro-products.com/pro-heat/

4) Reptile Basics hides: http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

5) Acurite thermometer: https://m.lowes.com/pd/AcuRite-Digit...meter/50425266

Thank you. I plan on going shopping this weekend for more supplies. I will add these items to the list others have suggested. We are also looking for a stand to keep his enclosure on. Right now he sits on my dining room table. I like having him out in the open but from what I'm reading on here and other sites, that may be stressing him out. We also handle him quite often. Pretty much everyday for about 5 hours at a time between my daughter and myself. So much to learn. Thanks again for the suggestions and tips.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rufretic]

Keep in mind post count doesn't show experience, it just shows if people are new to this site. I'd be interested to hear why soaking is so bad, maybe things have changed but I learned that trick over 20 years ago and it's worked every time I've received a new animal in this kind of condition. Once I have them they only have clean easy sheds because I keep my humidity up and so I never need to help with a shed. You do though. I can tell your pythons skin is dry from the pics, where it looks like wrinkles. That is not normal and only shows up when an animal is too dry. They shed perfectly fine on their own if you keep them in the correct environment but you've let him dry out with your heat lamp and open screen top I'm assuming. Now soaking is your easiest bet, it softens the skin and allows the animal to do it on their own like they are supposed to.

Get your humidity up and you wont have to worry about it again. An easy fix is just to cover some of your screen top with plastic. This will help keep humidity in for now but for long term you'll want to look into a enclosure that is better suited for your ball python.

[Ckrumn]

Keep in mind post count doesn't show experience, it just shows if people are new to this site. I'd be interested to hear why soaking is so bad, maybe things have changed but I learned that trick over 20 years ago and it's worked every time I've received a new animal in this kind of condition. Once I have them they only have clean easy sheds because I keep my humidity up and so I never need to help with a shed. You do though. I can tell your pythons skin is dry from the pics, where it looks like wrinkles. That is not normal and only shows up when an animal is too dry. They shed perfectly fine on their own if you keep them in the correct environment but you've let him dry out with your heat lamp and open screen top I'm assuming. Now soaking is your easiest bet, it softens the skin and allows the animal to do it on their own like they are supposed to.

Get your humidity up and you wont have to worry about it again. An easy fix is just to cover some of your screen top with plastic. This will help keep humidity in for now but for long term you'll want to look into a enclosure that is better suited for your ball python.

I have half the screen to covered with a wet towel and two bowls of water in the tank now. I'm leaning towards keeping the heat lamp off during the day as long as I turn the a/c off while we are not home. Im grasping at anything right now that may help him out. Thanks for the tip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kaorte]

My opinion is to leave the snake alone for a day or two and see how much skin he can get off on his own. He will likely still have some stuck shed.

For soaking, small tub that you can close to keep the snake in. The water should only come up about halfway on the snakes body. Very shallow. Room temperature water. Add a few paper towels or a washcloth to the tub so the snake has something to hold onto.

I've soaked ball pythons for 30 minutes and overnight many times for shed issues.

OP I would recommend a 30 minute supervised soak for any remaining stuck shed after a few days.

Definitely work on your humidity for next time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CALM Pythons]

Keep in mind post count doesn't show experience, it just shows if people are new to this site. I'd be interested to hear why soaking is so bad, maybe things have changed but I learned that trick over 20 years ago and it's worked every time I've received a new animal in this kind of condition. Once I have them they only have clean easy sheds because I keep my humidity up and so I never need to help with a shed. You do though. I can tell your pythons skin is dry from the pics, where it looks like wrinkles. That is not normal and only shows up when an animal is too dry. They shed perfectly fine on their own if you keep them in the correct environment but you've let him dry out with your heat lamp and open screen top I'm assuming. Now soaking is your easiest bet, it softens the skin and allows the animal to do it on their own like they are supposed to.

Get your humidity up and you wont have to worry about it again. An easy fix is just to cover some of your screen top with plastic. This will help keep humidity in for now but for long term you'll want to look into a enclosure that is better suited for your ball python.

I do soak when needed.. But i also would give him a day to do this on his own. When i soak i do so for 15 min and in 88 degee water, that is more than enough ( lid on) to soften up a dry shed. 2 hours is a tottaly unnecssary period of time for a ball python and i don't suggest extreme things to newbies as the snakes are already stressed from the home change, husbandry not on and new owners lack of knowledge. If you look a couple posts back youll see the snake is handled for 5 hours a day....
If your a 20 year snake keeper im sure you understand what might be common sense to us isnt common sense to unexperienced keepers. Im a 29 year owner of burms and balls and im amazed at the craziness i see on here everyday. Cripe today someone thought they bought a Corn Snake and its a Hatchling Albino Burm. I feel bad for that animal in the hands of a teen when they cant take care of it.