Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, my ball python ate for the first time with me, yesterday. Now I need to know when is the time to bathe them, for help with shedding. I heard that their eyes will look normal, go to a white color, then go back to the normal color and then shedding will begin. At what time should I bathe him? I know that it needs to be lukewarm. Also, do I need to dip the snakes head under for a sec? Or what do you do when you bathe your ball python?

Yes, it is a well known fact that in Africa, natives go out into the jungle and collect ball pythons just prior to shed and bathe them. NOT! Sorry for the sarcasm but this forum is plaqued with proceedures that take away all common sense and dignity in letting a snake be a snake.

Travis, if you provide enough humidity or even an area within your enclosure where your BP can go to attain humidity like its hide box during its shed, it will shed fine on its own. Yes sometimes BP's have bad sheds and at that time you can simply fill a rubbermaid about halfway with luke warm water and place your BP in it with the lid on and leave it for several hours until the shed fall off. I generally leave them overnight.

Congratulations on owning your first ball python. They are great snakes with loads of personality! But the first thing you have to remember it to let it be a snake.

Now go have a bath and clean your room. Just kidding!

If you have any more questions please feel free to e-mail me.

MJ
Markus Jayne Ball Pythons

I really appreciate it, but I heard I believe off of Melissa Kaplan's site that you should bathe to give them a good clean full shed. Is a water bowl fine, so he can soak, because I don't have a humidity box, and I don't know where I can find one?

n/p

The people here know a LOT more about ball pythons than that woman does. Look at Mr. Jayne's website and you'll plainly see he knows what he's talking about. The ball doesn't need a bath. (although for problem sheds it might.) Misting it's cage with a spray bottle might be better as to not disturb it during the shed which can be a stressful time on the snake. Just keep the humidity above 60% and watch his skin come off in one perfect piece. Good luck.

thats only necessary if the shed isnt going well, not raelly something you need to do in anticipation of a shed.
as for the humid hide, what i did (and my ball LOVED when it was humid and now as an empty hide) is get a small rubbermaid food container and cut a entry hole in it. the snake can get nice and snug in there and it holds moisture. put some sphagnum moss in it (should be available anywhere garden stuff is sold, i got mine at walmart garden center) and moisten a bit. voila, nice humid hide for shedding, and a great hide the rest of the time without the moss.
-----
proud mama to:
1.0.0 ball python
0.0.1 albino florida kingsnake
1.0.0 leopard gecko
0.1.0 colombian rainbow boa
0.1.0 bearded dragon
1.1.0 colombian redtailed boas (on the way!)

Are you and Mykee related?

You probably misintepretted my attempt at dry humour. The British and Canadians are famous for it. It's OK...I understand.

And no I am not related to Mykee.

How's that big 17 egg clutch coming. All hatched out yet?

MJ

Jf, was that question meant to offend, or should I be honoured? Should Mark? haha!............

Hi Travis –

By “bathing” most people mean giving the snake an opportunity to immerse itself in water. Obviously ball pythons have access to free standing water from time to time in the wild – at least when in rains. As long as your snake has a bowl of water for drinking, you’ve got its basic needs covered. It’s when it has difficulty in shedding its skin that you might want to consider offering it a larger container that it can soak in.

Wait until it sheds its skin for the first time. Did it all come off in one or two pieces? Then you’ve no need to “bathe” it. If, however, the skin comes off in many little pieces and/or won’t come off at all on parts of its body – then you have an indication that the humidity in the cage is too low, and you’ll want to remedy the situation. You can read up on the forum on various ways to raise the overall humidity, including getting a completely different cage! A good short term fix, however, right around the time the snake is “going blue” (entering the end of a shed cycle) is just to give it a container of water in which to soak. Also, you could put some damp material like sphagnum moss in its hide box. During the summer time with its higher humidity, shedding problems usually disappear or lessen. During the winter is when most keepers have to address this husbandry issue.

By the way, I really don’t think it’s a great idea to take any snake out of its cage and stick it in a bathtub full of water for shedding difficulties. I’ve got to believe they don’t “like” the sudden drama of Swim for Your Life, Mr. Python! That, and potential problems like big temperature differentials and the possibility of the animal aspirating water as it struggles to escape, makes me opt for the less drama-filled solutions.

Don't hesitate to keep asking questions.

-Joan

Well I don't really know how to keep the humidity up in my tank. I do have a large bowl of lukewarm water(upon filling) that he can use. Is that enough? If not, where can I get a humidity box? Plus most of the skin has yet to come off of his head, from his last shed, and that was from a previous owner. The top part of his head that is. He did get the skin off of his eyes. Now the biggest thing I need to know, is where I can get a humidity box, so he can use it if he needs, or if it is even necessary, with the stuff that I have. Should I maybe mist the snake? If so, how should I go about doing it?

A humidity box is a moist place for your snake to hide. I use tupperware/rubbermaid type of plastic containers with a hole cut in the lid so the snake can get into them. I put damp spagnum moss in and rinse it every few days (or sooner if the snake defecates in there). This gives the snake a safe damp hiding spot. I keep Brazilian Rainbows that require high humidity and this works well for them. For Ball Pythons, you may want to have a dry hiding spot too, to make sure your snake has a choice. Depending on your substrate in the cage, you can just keep portions of it damp to raise the humidity. If you've got a screen top on your cage you can cover 1/2 to 1/3 of it with something (plastic wrap, aluminum foil) that will prevent the humidity from excaping. If all else fails and your snake really has a rough shed, soaking in shallow water will help. Some snakes really don't like it though. Lastly, your snake may need something to rub it's shed off with in the tank. A rock with a few rough spots on it is the easiest thing to use.
Hope that helps
Lora

Ok, I have a rough tree type thing, so the bottom is rough, but he can also climb on smooth parts. It works well. Now, I am wondering, if you can show me a few good pictures, so I can see how your humidity box is. I intend to get one ASAP, as soon as I know how to make a good one. Thanks.

Travis, there really is no need for moss in the humid box in my opinion. I have rubbermaids in a rack system, and I have a hide that I have in the enclosure all of the time. When I see my snake go blue, I just use a spray bottle and spray the unprinted newspaper substrate on the hot side of teh enclosure. I also spray the newspaper UNDER the hide box. The humidity tht builds up insode the hide is more than sufficient for your ball to have a beautiful one-piece shed.

Ok, I think I understand what you are getting at, but I want to see what the box looks like, and how big the hole is, etc. I would like a few pictures please!

I use use cypress mulch in a Rubbermaid container.
Here is Petunia poking her nose out of hers.

Ok, that looks very good. Thanks for the pic. When I get Cypress Mulch from the store, is it safe to just use it straight from the bag, and no sterilization process?

Also, how much misting is required to keep the humidity up? Is it a few times a day? Should I leave the hole shut while I allow the humidity to build up?

Also, how much misting is required to keep the humidity up? Is it a few times a day? Should I leave the hole shut while I allow the humidity to build up? It's ok to mist the mulch directly right?

itll hold humidity on its own; no need to close it. i dont know about mulch, but sphagnum moss i mist directly. just look and/or feel to tell when its drying out. its not as complicated as it seems
-----
proud mama to:
1.0.0 ball python
0.0.1 albino florida kingsnake
1.0.0 leopard gecko
0.1.0 colombian rainbow boa
0.1.0 bearded dragon
1.1.0 colombian redtailed boas (on the way!)

I have a link that shows a picture of a moss pet product. Is it fine to use as the bedding in the snakes humidity box? http://www.petsmart.com/products/product_19247.shtml

that *looks* fine to me, but its probably still easier and cheaper to go with something from a garden center. i think my big bag of moss cost 3 bucks or something
-----
proud mama to:
1.0.0 ball python
0.0.1 albino florida kingsnake
1.0.0 leopard gecko
0.1.0 colombian rainbow boa
0.1.0 bearded dragon
1.1.0 colombian redtailed boas (on the way!)

Where do I get sphagnum moss from? Is it really called sphagnum moss? And, is there any need for sterilizing, or does it come sterilized?

yup, that what its called. any gardening center should have it; i got mine at the garden center at wal-mart. i didnt do anything to it, just put it in the hide and sprayed some water in and i havent had any problems.
-----
proud mama to:
1.0.0 ball python
0.0.1 albino florida kingsnake
1.0.0 leopard gecko
0.1.0 colombian rainbow boa
0.1.0 bearded dragon
1.1.0 colombian redtailed boas (on the way!)

Thanks, now I feel that I know exactly what to do. Thanks everyone so much, and especially somegirl. Now here is the final question! Can I get it at a hardware store that has flowers, like home depot?

havent checked, but you should be able to
-----
proud mama to:
1.0.0 ball python
0.0.1 albino florida kingsnake
1.0.0 leopard gecko
0.1.0 colombian rainbow boa
0.1.0 bearded dragon
1.1.0 colombian redtailed boas (on the way!)

Ok, thanks and now I have a lot of useful information and I thank you so much! Now my snake will have clean sheds!

I have read that you can raise the humidity by just moving your water bowl closer to the warmer side of the cage... it might help a bit.

Hey Travis,

I had some shedding problems with my ball pythons until I started using Cyprus Mulch as their bedding. The mulch keep the humidity in the cage up, thus helping them to shed. I just mist the cage down a couple times a week, to keep the humidty where want it. I don't bother with a Humid Hide box, because my BP's are 4 feet long and I can't find rubbermades that size. LOL, they just get a regualr hide box.
-----
2.9.8 Leopard Geckos
1.2.1 African Fat-tails
0.1 Gonisaurus Luii
1.1 Central American Banded Geckos
0.1 Gargoyle Gecko
1.1 Calabar Pythons
1.1 Savu Pythons
0.0.2 Cornsnakes
0.1.2 Chondropythons
0.1 Standing's Day Gecko
1.0 Frog-eyed Gecko
1.1 Ball Pythons