gaping mouth?????

[LLinz]

There are no pet stores close by, so I don't have a humidity gauge yet. I know I need to get one asap, just gotta find the time.

[LLinz]

I gave him a bath tonight, he liked it. Shedded in strips still, but I'll make sure the next shed has perfect conditions

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by LLinz

Well I just got home from work, and he is 'dancing' around, playing in his tree and going all over his tank, so he seems pretty content! He's having a rough time shedding though, I've been misting twice a day now since he's been blue. His head shed, but his body is coming off in strips. I'll try to get a good pic of him doing the mouth thing soon. Any other symptoms I should look for?

its only carpet pythons i work with so cannot comment on your royal pythons needs but a bad shed is usually down to some husbandry requirements needing adjusted (not trying to be cheeky)

i'm sure some of the ball keepers on here will be able to help you out and get your guy shedding properly

cheers shaun

[mykee]

"My temps are just below 90 during the day and about 80 at night."

If you're not breeding him, why are you dropping his temps at night?
Completely unnecessary.

[LLinz]

They drop at night because I turn off the basking light. I was told that the temps should drop at night?? I've only had him a few weeks, and he came with the tank and everything, so I'm just trying to figure everything out. As I've said before, all information I've researched about ball pythons conflicts with other info...

[Lankyrob]

OUr BP has hot spot temps of 91f 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

[mykee]

"They drop at night because I turn off the basking light. I was told that the temps should drop at night?? I've only had him a few weeks, and he came with the tank and everything, so I'm just trying to figure everything out. As I've said before, all information I've researched about ball pythons conflicts with other info... "

It sucks that you took the bad advice from all the advice out there.
I breed most of my balls and even then I don't drop the nightt ime temps anymore.
It sucks that there is so much conflicting advice.
It was a smart move was to come onto a forum like this with a bunch of experienced, intelligent keepers who can set you straght.

That said, get rid of the overhead heat source and get that snake an under tank heat source. Ball pythons (top the best of my knowledge) spend their entire lives on thier bellies. It would stand to reason that their heat should come from below, not above. Overhead heat sources also dry out the air like crazy, and if I am right to assume that you are keeping this snake in a fish cage, then you're already behind the eight ball when it comes to proper humidity.

Cool side: 80-ish
Warm side: 90-95
Ambient air temps: 80-84
Relative humidty: (normallly) 60% (when in shed) 90%

[LLinz]

I'm going to build him a wooden enclosure as soon as I can get on a computer to have a good look at the ideas on here. He does have a under tank heat pad on his warm side. I got the temps all right, but I went to every pet store within 45 mins of where I love and none had humidity gauges!! So I'll be getting one on ebay asap. Right now, he has a strip of skin on the top of his body that hasn't come of yet, most of it came off after his bath last night. I know its my fault I'm learning lots though and eager to learn all I can

[sickvenom]

Originally Posted by mykee

That said, get rid of the overhead heat source and get that snake an under tank heat source. Ball pythons (top the best of my knowledge) spend their entire lives on thier bellies. It would stand to reason that their heat should come from below, not above. Overhead heat sources also dry out the air like crazy, and if I am right to assume that you are keeping this snake in a fish cage, then you're already behind the eight ball when it comes to proper humidity.

que the carpet guys toting their ches.

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by sickvenom

que the carpet guys toting their ches.

^^^^^
what ?

[sickvenom]

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

^^^^^
what ?

oh i was just being silly, cracking a joke. it seems like the carpet guys love ches and will recommend them for balls. balls owners don't like ches and use belly heat instead (for the reasons mykee mentioned.) i have used ches in the past and loved them. but, it took an extra effort to maintain humidity so now i use belly heat exclusively. all of the herps i currently keep that require high humidity levels, have a fogger attached to their cages.

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by sickvenom

oh i was just being silly, cracking a joke. it seems like the carpet guys love ches and will recommend them for balls. balls owners don't like ches and use belly heat instead (for the reasons mykee mentioned.) i have used ches in the past and loved them. but, it took an extra effort to maintain humidity so now i use belly heat exclusively. all of the herps i currently keep that require high humidity levels, have a fogger attached to their cages.

sorry i did not realise ches was heating chs ceramic heaters (im assuming)

i've never used them i use ceramic bulbs with guards except with the diamonds they get natural sunlight basking bulbs and 2.0 uvb tubes

thanks for explaining

cheers shaun

[sickvenom]

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

sorry i did not realise ches was heating chs ceramic heaters (im assuming)

i've never used them i use ceramic bulbs with guards except with the diamonds they get natural sunlight basking bulbs and 2.0 uvb tubes

thanks for explaining

cheers shaun

che = ceramic heating element. ches = ceramic heating elementS. same thing as a ceramic bulb. i really don't remember who it is, but there are a carpet guys who suggest using ches for balls. different strokes for different folks.

[stephanbakir]

Originally Posted by mykee

Ball pythons (to the best of my knowledge) spend their entire lives on thier bellies.

Mine went on its back when it was about to lay eggs, still didn't have a lamp though

[Jay]

Originally Posted by sickvenom

che = ceramic heating element

i always thought it was emitter