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  1. #1
    Registered User blenderhead's Avatar
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    wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    I got my ball python about a month ago, (he was born in July) and he's currently in shed. I'm trying the tip in the "bad shed" thread, because he's only shed his head and none of his body. I don't know if it's because of the stuck shed or not, but his skin is very wrinkly and loose-looking. It's especially apparent if he's curled up as opposed to lying stretched out. Is this because of the shed or could this be a sign of something else? The humidity has been a bit on the low side, but I'm going to go out and buy some cypress tomorrow and hopefully that will help. By the way, how should I go about sterilizing the cypress mulch? I think I remember reading something about baking it.

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran Elise.m's Avatar
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    Re: wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    typically loose skin is due to either an upcoming shed, or stuck shed. I haven't seen someone on here say it's caused by anything else.

    I used cypress mulch in my tank, and I didn't sterilize it. The place I got my BP from doesn't sterilize it. But if you want to, I'm sure you could just bake it at 375* for 10-15 mins.
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  3. #3
    BPnet Veteran Lucas339's Avatar
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    Re: wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    yeah i bake my cypress at about 275 for a half hour or so.

  4. #4
    BPnet Veteran Repsrul's Avatar
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    Re: wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    I just spray the cypress mulch down with a quick spritz of PAM.

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    Re: wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    I bake and spray with PAM for cypress.

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    Re: wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    Wrinkles in the skin could also mean dehydration. Make sure you have enough water for your snake to drink/soak in.

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    Registered User blenderhead's Avatar
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    Re: wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    He always has access to clean, fresh water, and I see him drinking quite often. I keep the humidity around 50% to 60%. The breeder I got him from told me to feed him fuzzies, which I've been doing, but they seem a bit small for him. Could loose-looking skin be caused by being slightly underweight?

  8. #8
    BPnet Senior Member SquamishSerpents's Avatar
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    Re: wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    i would also make him a moist hide; to do this just get one of those disposable lunch containers that's big enough to fit your snake, cut a hole in the side, put paper towel on the bottom, and crumple up some more paper towel, and then pour some water into it (but not so much that it's dripping wet) and provide that for your snake when he is having a tough shed.

  9. #9
    Registered User Nae's Avatar
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    Re: wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    Don't quote me on this because I have nothing to back it up but my own logic (which is mostly just a glorified way of saying common sense). IMO as long as the snake hasn't lost a lot of weight relatively quickly the loose skin is probably unrelated to weight. My reason for thinking this is because snakes shed as they grow, therefore the skin is only as big as they need it to be, not bigger. Feel free to set me straight if I'm wrong here but it makes sense to me

  10. #10
    Registered User MsPrada's Avatar
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    Re: wrinkly/loose-looking skin and a question about sterilizing cypress

    I think a sign of being underweight is the triangular shape.

    And I believe (I've read this somewhere on here) that the wrinkles in the skin if they run...horazontal to the snake then it may be dehydration? And verticle is a shed? I think I read that on here somewhere.

    Not sure about feeding size, I don't really know what size a fuzzie is? Never fed them
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