Frequent Shedding/Skin Issues? Intervention needed?

[dakski]

I am having an issue with my BI, Behira. I've chronicled it in her thread, but I don't think it's a boa specific issue and if anyone has thoughts, I would appreciate it.

Here is a link to her thread, starting with when the troubles began. https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...rst-BCI/page50

She's shedding frequently. 19 days the last two sheds. After shed (which all seem to be perfect - one piece, no residual or stuck eye caps, etc), her underbelly, and sides, especially near her tail, appear red still. Then a week or so later, blue eye, and then shed.


She's just over 3 1/2 years old, about 5FT, and about 1,700G. She was eating medium rats every 3 weeks, but I've upped that to every 10 days (starting yesterday) to get her strength up. She eats like a pig, has normal stools (I had them checked and she has no parasites, etc. and only clean stool), and even had the vet do a blood test which showed only a minor increase in white blood count, consistent with stress or a mild infection.


Before last shed, in addition to keeping humidity up, I soaked her a few days prior in Zoo Meds Electrolyte Soak and again after she shed.


The first day after the last shed, she looked much better - less red than the prior shed by a lot. However, by yesterday (day 2 after shed) it had gotten a little redder, not what I wanted to see. She still ate happily last night, but I am concerned something more is going on.


The vet figured hormones (reaching sexual maturity) might have reduced her immune system and she has a mild skin infection she's fighting off.

Is there more I can do or should do? Should I speak to the vet about topical antibiotics?

Below are pictures of after the prior shed and this shed (which showed improvement).

Any help is appreciated.

Thank you all.

After her prior shed.



After this past shed, looking better, but then got redder again.

[Cheesenugget]

I don't have enough experience to say anything that is going to help.. I did went through something like that with my king when I first got her. She was already an adult of unknown age, eating 1 rat pup per week at the pet store. After I got her, I fed her 2 adult mice per 7-10 days. She went into shed immediately, and many times after that too, like every 2-3 weeks. All sheds went well. This happened at least 5 times until it slows down and she now sheds maybe once every couple of months, usually before and after the winter months. My other king went through something similar like this too, he was an adult of about 2 years of age, eating hoppers. I switched him to 1 small mouse per week because he was looking thin (saggy skin), and he gained weight and went into shed a few times in a short period of time, then shedding every once in a awhile.

Could be the shorten feeding schedule that triggered it, maybe? More food, more shedding? I don't know. I tried researching and found no concrete answers.