18" and 80 grams, HELP!!!

[simplechamp]

This is my first ball python. Someone bought it at a reptile show a few weeks ago and couldn't keep it (dumb, I know) and now I inherited it.

It seems way too thin, skin seems really loose and wrinkly, skin gets both vertical and horizontal folds when the snake moves. I can try to take some pictures you guys think that would help.

It ate one hopper mouse nine days ago and refused the mouse when I tried to feed it yesterday (I got the snake Monday).

What do I do?

[Inknsteel]

The wrinkles and skin folds you are referring to sound like dehydration. You may want to try giving the snake a 15 minute soak in luke-warm water and make sure there is a bowl of fresh water in the enclosure at all times.

To get any more specific about whether the environment needs to be adjusted, we'd need specific info from you.

1. What size/type of enclosure? (glass tank, tub, display enclosure)
2. How are you providing heat? (heat lamp, UTH, CHE, radiant heat)
3. How are you MEASURING the heat? (Digital thermometer, analog - dial type, temp gun?
4. How are you REGULATING that heat? (T-stat, rheostat, dimmer)
5. What kind of substrate (bedding) are you using?

Also, as a general rule of thumb, when you bring a new snake home from the store, reptile show, or wherever you got it, you want to put it in the enclosure and leave it alone to adjust. This means no handling the snake (except to clean and change water if/when needed) for a minimum of 1-2 weeks, but generally speaking, until the snake is eating regularly...

Good luck with the little guy... Pics of the snake and the enclosure would greatly help us to help you...

[littleindiangirl]

The wrinkles and skin folds you are referring to sound like dehydration. You may want to try giving the snake a 15 minute soak in luke-warm water and make sure there is a bowl of fresh water in the enclosure at all times.

To get any more specific about whether the environment needs to be adjusted, we'd need specific info from you.

1. What size/type of enclosure? (glass tank, tub, display enclosure)
2. How are you providing heat? (heat lamp, UTH, CHE, radiant heat)
3. How are you MEASURING the heat? (Digital thermometer, analog - dial type, temp gun?
4. How are you REGULATING that heat? (T-stat, rheostat, dimmer)
5. What kind of substrate (bedding) are you using?

Also, as a general rule of thumb, when you bring a new snake home from the store, reptile show, or wherever you got it, you want to put it in the enclosure and leave it alone to adjust. This means no handling the snake (except to clean and change water if/when needed) for a minimum of 1-2 weeks, but generally speaking, until the snake is eating regularly...

Good luck with the little guy... Pics of the snake and the enclosure would greatly help us to help you...

Ditto all that! Being specific in details will help us to help you.

[simplechamp]

The enclosure is a an aquarium, 24"x12"x6"
Heat lamp keeping hot side at 89 and cool side at 80, measured with digital therm.
Humidity at 50% +/- 5%, measured with a digital hygro.
Dimmer switch to regulate heat, haven't seen temps fluctuate more than 2 degrees
Aspen shaving bedding, always has fresh water and 2 hides

I would have to talk to the person I got it from to find out what they had it in before.
As I said I've only had it a few days so I don't think it was anything I did, the snake was skinny when I got it.

Can snakes absorb the water through their skin?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Get a 6 quarts or 15 quarts (max) plastic tub, buy (2) 6 inches plastic flowerpot saucers to use as hides, setup your BP in his new enclosure, leave him alone for a week before offering food (NO handling until he eats with consistency)

Security is ESSENTIAL, especially for a young BP.



Also keep in mind that it is higly recommended to let your BP settle for at least a week (no handling) before offering food (you might have rushed a little by already offering food after only 1 day)

[simplechamp]

so today when i looked the snake had shed,

and it's skin has tightened up a bunch, it still feels a little slim but nowhere near emaciated like before, really plumped up

what happened? did she take a drink and a soak? her skin is now beautiful and i'm feeling much better about her condition

[frankykeno]

They tend to look pretty ick right before they shed, very dulled in color, etc. A freshly shed snake tends to look a lot more improved. The snake also would have likely been drinking since you are providing water for it so has rehydrated itself.

You need to carefully consider the advice given to get this snake feeling secure. Secure snakes, especially little ones tend to be better hunters and you need that baby setting down a solid feeding pattern more than anything right now.