2 Part Question: BP Shed and Poop

[KingWheatley]

Whatever works for you then. If a ball python is still eating it's a good indicator that it's fine. I'm just saying that removing him from his secure hiding spot every day could be a big source of stress, especially for a small snake.

I know. You've given me tons of helpful advice, so don't think I'm arguing with you.

Im trying to keep a very watchful eye on him. I'm always watching out for stress and anxiousness. Since he can't speak and say "not right now" or make any noises outside hissing or huffing, a lot of his communication is nonverbal.

[Seven-Thirty]

I'm a completely new BP owner and am going through a bad shed right now too. Maybe the more knowledgeable will tell me if I'm right or wrong on this but I've heard you should only soak if there is a problem. Soaking him before a shed may actually make things worse because it washes away the oils they produce in pre-shed to help them shed.

I haven't heard about washing away the oils on the skin (the fluid that helps them shed builds up underneath the old skin). If husbandry is correct, there shouldn't be a need to soak before a shed.
I have one snake who, for some reason, has trouble shedding even when there's visible condensation built up on the side of his tub. I made the decision to soak him after he seemed to give up on trying to get the skin off himself after a couple days. Even after switching to coconut, his sheds come off in a couple pieces.

[Yzmasmom]

I've also heard that bathing before a shed is bad because it strips away natural oils that aid in shedding.

Do you keep the humidity at 50% to 60% when not in shed and then 70% to 80% when in shed?

Winter is coming and the air has dried out, so we've actually had to put a small humidifier in Yzma's room to keep her humidity above 50%. (It kept dropping to the low 40's. We leave her door cracked and now it sits between 59% and 65%.) It's funny, cause when you open the door to the room, it feels like a jungle with all the warmth and humidity! I expect to hear tropical birds and jaguars, hahahaha.

[Reinz]

In my opinion, the washing away oils thing is total BS, a complete wive's tale.

One person said this in post 1-2 yrs ago and others picked up that football and started running with it and have repeated the statement in their own posts.

All of my snakes, BP, Boa's, and Carpet Pythons have soaked on their own right up to shed before. No mites present, temps and humidity on point.

Most people here think that BP's don't like to soak probably because their water bowls aren't big enough for them to even have the opportunity to soak.

Besides, Seven-Thirty just stated a physiological fact: the oils are UNDERNEATH the skin so the skin can slide off. Soaking can't affect that.

Sorry folks, I have first hand EXPERIENCE on my side, NOT second hand statements that I have read on the Internet.


Elvira, Ball Python



Esmarelda, Jungle Carpet



Punch, Boa

I'll stop here, I have photos of my other four snakes doing the same.

[paulh]

My little Beep is having his shed, and it looks like he's going to need a little help. I helped him out a little last night. But during one bit he jerked away as if it hurt him, but then came back and pressed against my fingers. After a little bit he seemed overwhelmed or overstimulated and wanted to hide. I kept a wet towel on him under a lamp, and the shed was loose in some places, but more firm in others. It's coming off in pieces rather than all together.

When I was helping him take it off, I was peeling it off him. I was trying to go head to tail, but some pieces of it went backwards. I tried my best doing it slowly and carefully so I didn't take out any scales, but around his neck and head he kept pulling himself away after I'd get ahold of some of the skin. After two times of this, I gave up with that and put him back. Currently he's sitting in his hide still half in his skin.

Secondly... He seems to have nothing against pooping on me. Is this a sign of stress? I've heard that snakes poop when stressed, but I've also heard this is a rumor resulting from anthropomorphizing them, and that it's actually because they are relaxed. He seems more apt to sit and chill on me when he's had a good poop. Sometimes he will fall asleep directly after.

Many creatures are head shy. Including humans. Ever tried touching someone's eye? They pull back or turn away. So I'd call that ball python's behavior normal. IMO, he will need a little soaking and then start peeling off the old skin around the lower lips. Good luck with that.

Nearly every wild snake I have caught has pooped on me. Garter snakes not only poop but wipe it everywhere they can reach. So I would call it a sign of stress in many cases. It's not the only sign of stress, and there are other reasons for pooping, though.

If there are natural oils on a snake's skin, shouldn't they feel oily to the touch instead of dry? Shouldn't dirt stick to the skin?

[PythonBabes]

I read something about a lamp? That might have dried things out. About the soaking, I never soak Karma before/during her shed. I lightly spray her with some warm water when she clears up from being in blue and that does it for her.

I wouldn't hold a baby BP every single day, stressed or not. Ball pythons are not social or display animals they want to hide. I take any snake pooping or peeing on me as a 'leave me alone, put me back in my home'.
And yeah,snake don't have the capacity to hate or love. They either associate you with good or bad experiences and respond to you based on them.

[cchardwick]

All of my snakes poop when they shed, I don't think I've ever had one shed that hasn't pooped at the same time. I think that's totally normal. Personally I wouldn't use an overhead lamp, just dries stuff out a bit too much. If you have an undertank heater I'd probably turn off the light just before a shed and crank up the humidity. With a coconut substrate like Reptichip you can really soak the substrate and it will still be fine, it won't mold at all. I spray my substrate down until the coconut is dark brown, just before it really gets drenched, just nice and wet. And in 2-3 days it dries out quite a bit so I'm always spraying it down with a lot of water. If you are having mold issues I would certainly change to a different substrate.

[KingWheatley]

All of my snakes poop when they shed, I don't think I've ever had one shed that hasn't pooped at the same time. I think that's totally normal. Personally I wouldn't use an overhead lamp, just dries stuff out a bit too much. If you have an undertank heater I'd probably turn off the light just before a shed and crank up the humidity. With a coconut substrate like Reptichip you can really soak the substrate and it will still be fine, it won't mold at all. I spray my substrate down until the coconut is dark brown, just before it really gets drenched, just nice and wet. And in 2-3 days it dries out quite a bit so I'm always spraying it down with a lot of water. If you are having mold issues I would certainly change to a different substrate.

I don't have any mold issues, thankfully

[KingWheatley]

I've also heard that bathing before a shed is bad because it strips away natural oils that aid in shedding.

Do you keep the humidity at 50% to 60% when not in shed and then 70% to 80% when in shed?

I haven't come across a tool to measure the humidity properly. I just spray his enclosure plenty.

also, I can tell you why it doesn't strip oils... I'm using just water and soaking him. Have you tried washing oil off anything with just water? It doesn't work.

[KingWheatley]

Also, he had a wet tshirt around him. The lamp wouldn't have dried him out but would have kept him warm in the damp tshirt. This was something Google had to offer...