another shed??

[LLinz]

Sneezy is about to go into blue.. Again!! He shed a few weeks ago! That was his first shed with me, and it was terrible. Came off in tiny pieces, and I had to give him two baths. The guy I got him from didn't give him any humidity at all, I've had him for about 2 months now and his humidity is up to 90% to hopefully get a nice shed
My question is, why is he shedding again?? Am I correct to assume that its because I've been feeding him every second friday, as opposed to the guy I got him from only feeding him every 3 months :mad:?? So he's growing?? Thoughts?

[Wolfus_305]

Hi,
I'm not an expert but how do you know he's going to go into blue? (i have a ball python and I don't notice anything until he goes into blue and his eyes are cloudy)

if he's getting bigger than he will shed, I also heard that if they have injuries they might shed more often to help them heal quicker. I'm not sure what condition he's in but that could be a reason for it.

I'm not sure you should have the humidity at 90% though, seems a tad high (but if i'm wrong please correct me). is it at 90% all the time? just for the shed?

[LLinz]

Its at 60% regularly, 90 for shedding. He started looking really dull and ashy, then his belly got pinkish, so he'll go into blue in a few days. He has an RI and is being treated for it with Baytril.

[Wolfus_305]

is it still ok to have the humidity that high if he has an RI (even though he's being treated)
i'm asking because I have no idea, just a good thing for you to find out though

I hope it's just because he's growing, sounds like he's doing better, let's hope the RI is gone soon!

[stephanbakir]

Shedding is pretty much always a good thing.

[mykee]

Shedding too often is a sign of illness.
Did the culture results come back from the vet yet?
I'm surprised with feeding every two weeks that he sheds at all (try feeding him every week).

[LLinz]

As I said, the guy I got him from fed him once every 3 months, he's been eating once every second week, so I'm going to try feeding him every week soon and see if he takes it. I didn't want him to pack on too much weight too quickly. He isn't showing any symptoms at all now, so he should be fine. He was pretty thin when I got him, but he's gained some weight.

[mykee]

"Did the culture results come back from the vet yet?"

Whether he is no longer showing symptoms is good, but if he's being treated with the (hence my question which went unanswered) wrong antibiotic, it'll come back (it will actually never really go away) and next time, it will be far worse.

[Wolfus_305]

Whether he is no longer showing symptoms is good, but if he's being treated with the (hence my question which went unanswered) wrong antibiotic, it'll come back (it will actually never really go away) and next time, it will be far worse.

Is that because it sort of becomes resistant to the treatment medications? (kind of like what can happen with human illnesses?)

[LLinz]

All they said about his culture was that "he'll be fine on Baytril". Hmmmm. Not sure if I'd go back there if I ever needed to. I was recommended to go to that particular vet clinic with Sneezy by 2 different vets from 2 different clinics. They were reluctant to take the swab (to them it didn't seem necessary) and have it cultured, then didn't give any other info when I asked for details on the culture. Sigh. He has no symtoms now, but I am watching him like a hawk. A loving, caring hawk. Hehe.

[LLinz]

He's in blue today. I'm hoping for a good shed, but the humidity still stays too low, after misting, within a half hour, it falls to 40%. So I have to mist it as often as I'm home :/ and there's a fountain in his tank. I'm working on sealing the screen, I just don't have any funds to do so, so I'll be hunting for scrap wood. I'm debating whether I should give him a bath to make sure he has a good shed.

[stephanbakir]

For now, saran wrap the lid and open it twice daily.
Making a humid hide might also be in order.

[LLinz]

I have it covered in heavy plastic, I'm actually taping it on right now as i type :P gonna get some plexi glass to cover it when I can. I don't know if he'd use a humid hide, he's very picky with his hides, he prefers cardboard boxes to fancy nice looking fake rock hides. Brat. Should I use a humid hide even though he has an RI? (With no symptoms anymore, after 5 treatments)

[mykee]

"Is that because it sort of becomes resistant to the treatment medications? (kind of like what can happen with human illnesses?) "

Exactly.

"All they said about his culture was that "he'll be fine on Baytril". Hmmmm. Not sure if I'd go back there if I ever needed to. I was recommended to go to that particular vet clinic with Sneezy by 2 different vets from 2 different clinics. They were reluctant to take the swab (to them it didn't seem necessary) and have it cultured, then didn't give any other info when I asked for details on the culture. Sigh. He has no symtoms now, but I am watching him like a hawk. A loving, caring hawk. Hehe. "

With a comment like that from a vet, that would invoke zero trust and end even less respect. I would find a new vet if you can.

Also, during the treatment of an RI, you NEED to keep the humidity as close to 100% as you can because ball pythons do not have the albility to cough to clear out there (one working) lung of pleghm, and a dry environment will dry out the mucus in their lung, choking them.
Do your best to get that humidity up up UP.

[LLinz]

I literally mist it every hour when I'm home :/ I covered the screen a bit, so it stays at %40 during the day when I'm not home, even with the fountain and the water bowl under the infared lights, so I'm trying desperatly! I'll be geting some plexi glass to cover the screen as soon as I can. If I notice any signs of the RI coming back, I'll have to find another vet. It sucks when a vet that was highly recommended doesn't live up to expectations! He has no symtoms right now, but I'll keep a close eye on him. First sign of RI, he'll be going to another vet. Thanks for all the advice, Mykee.

[LLinz]

So he's still in blue, my concern now is that he's normally a very active lil guy, but since last friday, he's been staying in his hide, only moving from the cool side to warm side, and doesn't come out like he usually does. I know its normal for them to not be as active during shed, but during his last shed, he was still very active. Should I be concerned??

[TeaNinja]

not in the sligtest, snakes are very often hiding while in blue. if my eyes were clouded over and i couldn't see anything, i'd prolly hide too ;)

[LLinz]

Yeah that's what I figured, its just weird to see him staying in his hides all day and night, he's usually so active. He's been hissing like crazy every second day when I have to give his needle! Its kinda funny because he'll hiss all ferociously, then tuck his head into his coils and hide. He hates me now, I can't wait for his meds to be done!!

[TeaNinja]

my bp will be roaming the cage while i'm gone and when i come home he'll creep back into the hide like a ninja.

[LLinz]

Sneezy is the opposite. I come home, and he 'greets' me. He's very curious and always pokes his head out to see what's going on / to look for dead rats to drop from the sky. I'm hoping he sheds soon, must be so stressful to be getting the injections while he can't even see.

[TeaNinja]

mine is in the first days of blue right now. he's got a pink belly and dull skin.

[LLinz]

Sneezy shed last night. It wasn't a perfect one piece shed, but it came off in huge strips. At first when his belly was very pink a few days before he went in blue, I was panicking, but then I remembered that its a sign of going into blue.

I am probably going to buy a CHE and get some plexi glass for the top. Either that or keep the hood with the 2 infareds and basking light and put the plexi around it. Would be easier to just get a CHE I'm thinking. My freezer crapped out and wasted 2 rats :( gotta pick some up for feeding day on friday! Its so nice to see him out and about finally, after a wayyy better shed then the one he had right after I got him.

[TeaNinja]

sucks about the freezer, but that's good his sheds are getting better :)

[LLinz]

$6 worth of delicious rats. Oh well. I'm happy that his shed was way better, but I won't be able to get him a good enclosure until I have money. Like 6 months :/ so till then I'll be spraying his cage several times a day everyday. I'm hoping that a CHE and a plexi glass top will help keep in heat and humidity until I can afford a new enclosure.

[TeaNinja]

i've heard CHE's can suck all the humudity out of the air. i have one on my bp and i too have to spray his tank a lot.

[LLinz]

The reason I'm thinking of getting one is because I have 2 infared bulbs and a basking light. I'd rather just use one good light instead of 3, and with a plexi glass top, I think it would be easier to keep up humidity. Possibly?

[Lankyrob]

Personally, with all the things i have read i would never put a CHE in a glass tank whatever the top you have on it. Glass tanks have humidity issues, screen tops have humidity issues, adding the bulb wont help.

CHE in themselves do not create humidity issues - my 7 snakes all have wooden vivs and CHE and no humidity problems but mixing in glass tanks, screen tops and che's is asking for problems.

[TeaNinja]

i maintain pretty nice temps in mine, but the top is also 2/3 taped and i spray it at least twice a day to keep the humidity up.

i bet i wouldn't need to spray nearly as often in a wooden viv. but then again, my bp is much bigger then he was when i first got him. he can nearly stretch across the whole tank now. he will be in need of an upgrade pretty soon.

[LLinz]

Hmmm maybe I'll just stick with what I have until I can get a new enclosure. There's a guy in the city closest to where I live that sells really nice wooden enclosures for $150. I'm going to look at the cost of building it myself and maybe just buy one that he's selling. It'll save me a lot of time and guess work.

[Mikey T]

hey if you are still having an issue with the humidity try covering the screen with a damp/wet towel or ball it up and put it in the cage, i have seen the towel on top method work very well

[LLinz]

That's the one thing I haven't tried yet. He has a fountain and water bowl on the warm side and the tank always goes down to about 45 % an hour after misting heavily. So I'll give that a shot, as I'd like to keep it at 60% now that he's done shedding.

[Damion930]

Its purdy dry here I can soake my bp tank and it would dry out to 30% in a few min so I got a very cheap ultasonic humidifier at a thrift store for like three bux and all is well now hope you get everything sorted out best of luck.