Alexander Is Shedding

[Kaorte]

I know, it's not as if I'm trying to make anyone panic. I was just going by my own experience due to my first rescue ball coming to me with cracked scales and wrinkled eyes due to bad dehydration. I had to pedialyte him until it went away, and I force fed him water because he wasn't drinking on his own. And besides, its information any ball owner should know, just in case.

Sorry if I sounded to rash or anything! Not trying to scare anyone.

I know you aren't I am simply saying that the advice you gave MIGHT freak to OP out into doing things he/she does not need to do for this animal.

Generally, the more paranoid the owner gets, the more harm can come to the snake then good.

No worries it is good advice for rescue situations and severely dehydrated animals, just not this particular scenario

I wasn't trying to pick on you, just pointing it out so the OP realizes it is not necessary in this case.

[Tochigi_R]

Ahaha, poor OP. Next thing you know, that poor snake is going to have it's own medical book dedicated to it

All joking aside, just put it in a nice warm bath like mentioned before, and get the humidity up. Your snake'll be fine.

[Vypyrz]

If you are still using that split level tank with the screen on the side it may explain where your heat and humidity are going. If you cover the entire screen except the little door with something like aluminum foil, plastic wrap or something similar it will help hold in the humidity, and if you are using a UTH for heating, I would guess that most of the heat is being absorbed by the rocks and being dissipated by the open screen which is why your temp is low...

[Arsinoe]

Good news...I Didn't have a pillowcase. I use throw pillows on the bed. So I grabbed a shirt out of the closet, wet it and microwaved it warm and wrapped him up.............And proceeded to had rub him clean. I just finished. The shirt was too heavy so he didn't move around it like he might have in a pillowcase. You know he really enjoyed it. As I would wipe him you could feel the old skin pop loose when he stretched out.

That horrid dehydrated look was just the old skin puckering. But it can be rather disconcerting after not getting him out for 2 days and you see him look like that all of a sudden. He's nice and shiny and plumped out again. And if it's not my imagination, he literally grew in my hands as I got the old stuff off.

He's curled up around my neck with his head next to my check right now...probably having a wee snooze after all that.

How often can I expect him to shed?


BTW: Yes I still use the side turned aquariums and screens. I guess I will have to use glass panels again and spray down the substrate better. He clearly hates the panels. I think because he sees his reflection in them and thinks it's another snake.

Thanks for all the advice...This is a great forum!

[Kaorte]

Good news...I Didn't have a pillowcase. I use throw pillows on the bed. So I grabbed a shirt out of the closet, wet it and microwaved it warm and wrapped him up.............And proceeded to had rub him clean. I just finished. The shirt was too heavy so he didn't move around it like he might have in a pillowcase. You know he really enjoyed it. As I would wipe him you could feel the old skin pop loose when he stretched out.

That horrid dehydrated look was just the old skin puckering. But it can be rather disconcerting after not getting him out for 2 days and you see him look like that all of a sudden. He's nice and shiny and plumped out again. And if it's not my imagination, he literally grew in my hands as I got the old stuff off.

He's curled up around my neck with his head next to my check right now...probably having a wee snooze after all that.

How often can I expect him to shed?


BTW: Yes I still use the side turned aquariums and screens. I guess I will have to use glass panels again and spray down the substrate better. He clearly hates the panels. I think because he sees his reflection in them and thinks it's another snake.

Thanks for all the advice...This is a great forum!

Glad you got the skin off. Next time, I would avoid using anything warm to the touch. Things warm to the touch to us can be uncomfortably warm to your snake. Try lukewarm water instead.

They all grow at different rates so I can't tell you exactly how often he will shed, but expect every month -2 months.

Also, snakes cannot see reflections.

[Arsinoe]

Glad you got the skin off. Next time, I would avoid using anything warm to the touch. Things warm to the touch to us can be uncomfortably warm to your snake. Try lukewarm water instead.

They all grow at different rates so I can't tell you exactly how often he will shed, but expect every month -2 months.

Also, snakes cannot see reflections.

It didn't retain the heat at all after a minute or two. I only popped it to take the cold edge off.

Well I'm gonna work at the humidity in his home and maybe I won't scare myself at a wrinkled prune of snake next time. And snake skin all over my bed. He may have enjoued the massage session but if it took that long on a 2 ft snake imagine how long it would take on a full grown one.

Really? He seems quite intent on looking at something he can't see then.

[Skiploder]

Good news...I Didn't have a pillowcase. I use throw pillows on the bed. So I grabbed a shirt out of the closet, wet it and microwaved it warm and wrapped him up.............And proceeded to had rub him clean. I just finished. The shirt was too heavy so he didn't move around it like he might have in a pillowcase. You know he really enjoyed it. As I would wipe him you could feel the old skin pop loose when he stretched out.

That horrid dehydrated look was just the old skin puckering. But it can be rather disconcerting after not getting him out for 2 days and you see him look like that all of a sudden. He's nice and shiny and plumped out again. And if it's not my imagination, he literally grew in my hands as I got the old stuff off.

He's curled up around my neck with his head next to my check right now...probably having a wee snooze after all that.

How often can I expect him to shed?


BTW: Yes I still use the side turned aquariums and screens. I guess I will have to use glass panels again and spray down the substrate better. He clearly hates the panels. I think because he sees his reflection in them and thinks it's another snake.

Thanks for all the advice...This is a great forum!

Let me get this straight - you're running your e-yap all over this board, passing judgement on tubs and you are keeping your poor snake in a side turned aquarium with a screen?

*hold on - I'm checking out a pic of your "habitat"*

Sweet Jesus.............anyone taking you seriously needs to see a picture of that *ahem* habitat you're so proud of.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...58&postcount=1

[mykee]

Ay! Credibility....shot!
Poor Alexander!!!

[jfreels]

Really? He seems quite intent on looking at something he can't see then.

GAH!! I am just baffled by the words you type.