Problem

[snakeking2k13]

hello everyone my ball python is a bit dehydrated(i was in hospital when i found out) so how would i re hydrate him plus he's in shedding at the moment so thanks for all the replies as all the help is welcome

[SpOoKy]

How do you know he is dehydrated?

You can try a warm soak in a tub. (warm not hot)

[snakeking2k13]

his skin round the side is all wrinkly (i was just basing it on what i know about lizards)

[SnakeyJay]

Welcome... Do you not provide a big water bowl for soaking or a humid hide during shed? They should take care if their own humidity if given the right environment.

[snakeking2k13]

cheers i try the hide couse i got some moss and i do have a bigger water bowl

[shaunyboy]

ive pm'd you a great old method for re hydrating your snake mate

cheers shaun

[snakeking2k13]

what are the chances that it's the shedding that's causing his wrinkly skin.

[SpOoKy]

Can you post some pictures?

[snakeking2k13]

ye no prob just give me a minute

[snakeking2k13]

right then there's been a problem my phones not working as it should do so any way the old fashioned way when he turns his head the skin sort of comes towards each other like crimping a pie (weird but it's the only way i think of putting it) its the same when i hold him it just droops sort of when someone's grabbed him and stretched his skin an then let go sorry if this does not exactly help but it's the best way of putting it.

[Gungirl]

How often do you feed and what size prey? What are the temps hot side and cold side? What is your humidity kept at in the tank? We need more information.

[snakeking2k13]

he gets fed every 5 days on 1-2 11-20 gram fluffy rats warm side is 85'f he's in a rub so its a bit awkward for humidity

[SnakeyJay]

Humidity is easy.. What substrate are you using? You could mist the rub once or twice a day but some substrates mould quickly.

[snakeking2k13]

aspen and should i also spray my bp

[Gungirl]

Toss out the aspen, that is not made to hold humidity and will mold if kept at the humidity you should be keeping your royal at. Get some cypress and a hydrometer.

[SnakeyJay]

Cypress mulch is what I use for my brb.. Good stuff.

[snakeking2k13]

cheers any way so what you lot think is he thirsty or is it just shedding.

[Gungirl]

I think his humidity is causing issues. Get him on the right base and get a gauge to tell you proper humidity. Seeing as he is on aspen I am going to say 95% chance he is dehydrated.

[snakeking2k13]

cheers for that

[EmbraceCalamity]

As a note, use a digital hygrometer. The analogs are a bit cheaper, but total crap. Just in case you weren't aware, and I don't think anyone mentioned it.

~Maggot

[Gungirl]

Thanks Maggot.. I forget they even sell the analogs lol

[K.D.R.G.M.]

:bouncy: Just my lil bit.... yeah i would deffo change the substrate to Orchid bark ( it dark brown) it's great for humidity i use it for all my bp's:rolleyes::blink:
analogue...... wot analogue.....digital all the way

[snakeking2k13]

here is the pictures better late than never lol sorry about the quality he is very adventures(hopefully the pictures have been uploaded...first time doing it)

[Lankyrob]

Hos temps are too low, bump up the hot end to 90f and you NEED to know what the humidity is, no lower than 55% or 65% whilst in shed, better if you keep it at 60min and 70 in shed.

I also wonder why you are feeding such small items? What size are they girthwise compared to the snake?

[Aaron_S]

That's all stuck shed. He's already attempted to shed and you failed in your part.

He is not dehydrated as a snake that needs water will go drink. They aren't dumb. They know what their bodies need and don't need us to lead them to water.

Soak the entire bedding with water. Just dump a full water bowl into the substrate. Re-fill the bowl and place it in the enclosure.

Over night the snake should shed. If it does this, then clean the entire enclosure as it'll be too wet now. Voila.

[Gungirl]

Wow he is in rough shape, This didn't happen over night. By how thick the folds look I am guessing there is more than 1 stuck shed on the poor thing. Do as Aaron said ^ after he does shed buy new substrate and get your humidity up to 60% everyday and higher when in shed mode.

[snakeking2k13]

right all of you that said he was dehydrated (including me) are wrong the people that said it was shedding are right just had to soak him in warm water for 1 hour and he is as good as new no need for humidity

[Aaron_S]

right all of you that said he was dehydrated (including me) are wrong the people that said it was shedding are right just had to soak him in warm water for 1 hour and he is as good as new no need for humidity

You still need humidity in the enclosure so he doesn't die or get sick. Good for you for being so open-minded to proper advice.

[Gungirl]

The reason this all happened was due to poor humidity. There is a HUGE need for humidity for a ball python.

[snakeking2k13]

let me put it this way my local reptile shop (where i got my bp from) has over 45 years with bp's and THEY said there is NO need for humidity any thanks for all the help no offence are any thing i would rather be taking advice from them

[Aaron_S]

let me put it this way my local reptile shop (where i got my bp from) has over 45 years with bp's and THEY said there is NO need for humidity any thanks for all the help no offence are any thing i would rather be taking advice from them

Okay. I'm done with you. Go kill your snake. Get off the forum. You're useless to everyone here.

[Gungirl]

Then why did you come here asking for advice?


Oh wait, because your snake has issues due to you following poor husbandry.
Yes take their advice if you wish but do not post here asking for help when something else goes wrong( which it will) or your snake dies.

[shaunyboy]

right all of you that said he was dehydrated (including me) are wrong the people that said it was shedding are right just had to soak him in warm water for 1 hour and he is as good as new no need for humidity

NO one actually said " your snake is dehydrated " .....

people merely suggested methods to deal with a dehydrated snake...

until pictures were posted,only you new how the snake looked..

its not a question of people being wrong,they gave advice on what little info was available...

re humidity
at the end of your post quoted above,you say NO NEED FOR HUMIDITY

BP's need to live at the correct humidity in order to shed eat and function properly mate

cheers shaun

[infernalis]

Um, OK.... Tropical snakes from one of the most humid parts of Africa don't need any humidity.

[shaunyboy]

let me put it this way my local reptile shop (where i got my bp from) has over 45 years with bp's and THEY said there is NO need for humidity any thanks for all the help no offence are any thing i would rather be taking advice from them

on this thread you have had excellent and correct advice from BP keepers...

if you actually believe the guy in the shop has successfully kept BP's without humidity,then your just going to ruin every BP you get mate

i can count on one hand the amount of snake keepers around 45 years ago in the UK,so forget 45 years ago,go back a mere 20 years when keepers were using normal house hold bulbs to keep snakes alive,there were no reptile shops,reptile forums,reptile thermostats...

it was these people who helped turn the hobby into what it is today,all the old timers made it possible...

the guy in your local shop is a complete arsehole,you would be better conducting your own research,gleaming info from well established reputable Ball Python Keepers,and the many good books out there

i'm NOT being cheeky...

but look at the state your snake got into,keeping it the way the guy in the shop told you to...!!

cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

let me put it this way my local reptile shop (where i got my bp from) has over 45 years with bp's and THEY said there is NO need for humidity any thanks for all the help no offence are any thing i would rather be taking advice from them

Can you name the shop? I want to ensure i never go there :(

Balls need a MINIMUM of 55% humidity, now, in the UK we have high humidity but it isnt always over 55, and the snake needs over 60 when it is in shed.

If you are keeping him in a tub then it is possible that the humidity will stay above 50 in our climate but if you dont keep it over 60 during shed he WONT shed properly for you.

[EmbraceCalamity]

right all of you that said he was dehydrated (including me) are wrong the people that said it was shedding are right just had to soak him in warm water for 1 hour and he is as good as new no need for humidityOkay, hun, let me try to explain this. Your snake was dehydrated because your humidity is too low. Once it got to soak, it was rehydrated - but that's temporary. It'll get dehydrated again unless you fix your humidity levels. Just because that pet shop has allegedly kept balls without keeping proper humidity levels, that doesn't mean they're thrived or that it's the way they should be kept. And I seriously doubt every single one of them was perfectly health, thriving, and lived the 20-30 years they should have.

~Maggot

[jarich]

Can you name the shop? I want to ensure i never go there :(

Balls need a MINIMUM of 55% humidity, now, in the UK we have high humidity but it isnt always over 55, and the snake needs over 60 when it is in shed.

If you are keeping him in a tub then it is possible that the humidity will stay above 50 in our climate but if you dont keep it over 60 during shed he WONT shed properly for you.

Rob brings up a good point. Unlike here in most parts of the States, in the UK you could keep a snake in a carefully ventilated tub, with the proper substrate, at 60% or even higher without too much trouble. Its quite possible that this is what the shop does that the op was talking about, hence them saying that no extra humidity was needed. However, there is too much information we dont know to say that is true or not in this case, I suppose.