Young Ball Python

[robertag]

Hello, I purchased a small ball python at the local pet store last month. He is 84 grams and several months old. He has not been eating for me and became dehydrated so I took him to the vet. He was given a small feeding and fluids. He was starting to shed and I was told to soak on water for 10 mins a day and try to feed him. He still did not eat and was sdehydrated again, so I took him back to the vet, he had the same treatment again. This vet said he had not lost any weight since the last week and checked his body and found him slim but not that under weight. I also added a heat lamp to keep his cage warmer, he has an under tank heating pad but it was not keeping the warm side hot enough. I mist his cage several times a day keeping it 50 to 60 but it does go down to 40 over night. He is improving but still not done shedding, he does not appear to be dehydrated any more. I have been leaving him alone for the past few days no soaking. The shedding has been almost 2 weeks, I can see the fluid has build up between the new and old skin. The vet also mentioned IBD and terrified me. I am hoping because he is appears to be improving IBD is not the problem. As is the case when shedding he is staying in the hide but moving from hot to cool sides. Any advise would be appreciated. Thank You,

[CALM Pythons]

The first thing is husbandry. You need to provide a regulated environment that is quiet and safe or the snake will not eat. The hot side hide 88min & cool side hide 78min. What type of enclosure? If glass did you cover 3 sides. Have you used Tim Foil over the top with a towel to keep humidity up? How did you know he was dehydrated the 1st time you brought him to the vet? When you say the Vet gave him a small feeding and fluids how was that done? The Vet visits alone unless the snake is sick or on its death bed are enough to stress the snake out so badly it will continue not to eat especially since it sounds like you went a week after the first time. Only you know how bad it got, I am just trying to figure it out from the info you provide.
That weight at several months old sounds pretty bad, but I do know several BP's that are only 85-100 grams at a couple months..
If the vet Force Fed him and stuck him with needles im sure the snake is stressed right out. The vet IMO should never mention IBD unless there are signs and you did nit mention any characteristics of the disease. Dont let them scare you..

[Cheesenugget]

Use sphagnum moss for additional humidity. When my baby bp was going through his stuck shed, I raised his humidity to about 70%. 50-60% is the average or minimum when bp are not shedding. Put something in the tank like drift wood for him to scratch and walk over. Soaking definitely helps but you must supervise and fill up the water only half an inch high. Then, use a rubber glove to gently rub off any skin after the soak, it should come right off. It definitely helped removed a lot of the shed except the stubborn patches. A water bowl placed near the basking spot and big enough for him to soak in when he wants to (not too much water).

Do not peel by hand unless you tried everything for at least a week to see if he can shed it off naturally.

Substrate should be changed to cypress mulch or eco earth. I use eco earth for mine as it helps soaking up poop and pee as well.

Once he is finished shedding, you can go lower the humidity back down to 50-60%.

Fyi, I do the same thing for my Merauke blue tongue skink which is another high humidity reptile, so this procedure works for them too.

About the feeding, I am going through that prob with mine as well. I cannot help you with this part as I just moved my bp to a 6 qt tub as recommended by another post.

[robertag]

Thank you for the information. He was like paper when I took him to vet the 1st time. I was not sure about soaking I should have tried it. I will put up some tape up some paper to the sides to help him. It is a glass tank with screen top, the weather was very cold the week he became dehydrated and I was only misting with out knowing, I now have a gage in the tank. Have a basking light for the day that keeps temp at 85+ on hot side and the inferred for night, they do not work as well temps go down to 70 at night. I have 2 water bowls one on each side. I am leaving him alone hoping he can recover from the vet trip. Thank You,

[Craiga 01453]

Your temps are dropping too low at night. Also, BPs do not need basking lights, they actually prefer dark. The natural light in the room during the day is plenty.

Are your heat sources regulated by a thermostat??
VERY IMPORTANT!!! ALL heat sources should be regulated by a thermostat to prevent dangerous heat spikes which can cause serious burns or worse to your snake.
Regulating your heat sources will also stabilize temps.

I have used the dark purple night bulbs successfully for years. They shine just enough light that it's still dark inside the enclosures, but enough that I can see and read my thermometers/hygrometers.

[robertag]

I have a under tank heat pad but it only warms the floor of the tank on the hot side. I started using the basking light to keep the tank warm what else can I use? I have 2 inferred heat lights but it will only heat the tank up to 70.

[MD_Pythons]

I use CHE's to keep ambient temps up, I have one on a stand for a tub. I can post pics of that later. Is that heating pad on a thermostat? If not, unplug it now. Unregulated heat sources can get too hot and burn your snake. I'd also get dimmers or thermostats to regulate those lights.

Can you post pics of your setup? It sounds like your husbandry is off.

[robertag]

I will be going to the pet store to get a more proper heat light and a regulator for the heating pad . Thank You,

[Craiga 01453]

I suggest checking out the stickies on this forum.

Start with the basic husbandry 101 stickies and the how to set up a glass enclosure stickies. Read them through and learn them, they'll answer most of your questions.

There are more than one option, and when set up properly, all can work.

Just remember, ALL heat sources should be regulated by a thermostat to prevent dangerous heat spikes which can cause serious burns or worse to your snake.

[MD_Pythons]

You might be better off ordering a thermostat, this is a good lower priced one. Spring for a herpstat if you can afford it.