Hey all! Very new to having a snake and I don't really know how to diagnose scale rot yet. Been trying to do some research but it still seems hard to tell when it's a mild case. Just got my ball python Luna from my friend this past Saturday, and have spent the week trying to make things perfect for her.

When my friend gave her to me, she said she thinks Luna has mild scale rot and that it must've come from her tank being too dry (which is part of why I'm confused, because I thought it came from being too wet?). She had been applying Polysporin to her belly every couple days or so. From what I can tell, her belly seems kind of "dry". If I rub my fingers upwards on her belly they catch on the lower edges of her scales, so it seems the lower edges of her scales are dried and lifting up a bit if that makes sense? And some individual belly scales are peeling back, but not the scale itself just a clear skin layer that I've noticed comes off if she moves around on a towel or other rough surface. I'll attach photos below of her belly! This all seems to be along most of her belly, but a bit dryer feeling/looking in certain spots.

I guess I'm mostly confused because most scale rot seems to be brown and rot-y looking, but as far as I can tell I think all the dark spots on her belly are just her natural skin pattern. Also because my friend said the tank had been dry and tbh I haven't been able to keep the humidity very high since I've gotten her either.

Some info:
- 35 gal. glass aquarium, 36"x12"x18"
- UTH and CHE on hot side. UTH has thermostat keeping it at 88-90F right over the UTH, and 69-74F ambient on the cool side (too cold I know, trying to fix that). I use digital thermometers and an infrared temp gun to read the temps.
- Humidity around 50% on average, sometimes 60% for a whole day here and there when I'm successful at increasing it
- Aspen substrate, no water spillage
- Been continuing to apply polysporin (no pain relief) every couple days, rubbing both ways on her belly to get it in there good
- Bought Betadine solution yesterday, haven't used it yet. If I need to, what would the Betadine:water ratio be for treating scale rot? Is it okay if the snake's head gets in the water mixture?
- Her belly is pink, which I've heard is a sign she'll shed soon (which my friend confirmed is on schedule). Am I overthinking everything and the dryness is just signs of shedding??

So much for keeping that short and sweet. Hope someone can help! Thanks!