Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok so today I got a ball python from my brother in law. He has never owned snakes and didnt realize that it shouldnt take three weeks for the snake to shed. He also told me that the snake hadnt eaten in about four weeks, but that he had talked to the person he got it from and she said that during winter it wasnt abnormal for a snake to not eat for a while and that it could last a couple of months like this....Well when I looked it over today i realized that its eye caps had not come off and that the poor baby was almost compleatly covered in unshed skin, not to mention very skinny...i need some help on what to do to nurse her back to health, mainly what to do to get the eyecaps off.....thanks in advance everyone!!!

Jenn

I would soak her in warm water. How old is the snake? If it is a adult then it might not eat .It is breeding season for them most go off food at this time of year. IF it is a baby then you need to get it set up the correct way I would leave it alone for a week or so then try offering a smaller meal.As far as the eyecaps go. I read a good artical on pro exotics web site about this.You can go to the website thhrough the breeder and dealer section.
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1.0 Het for pied
0.1 Het for Pied
1.5 normal balls
1.1 bearded dragons
0.1.0 Sulcata tort
1.3 kids
1.0 husband
To many little critters list

I agree. It is not unusual for an adult or even subadult to not feed in the winter months. I would say more than half of my adults, maybe more are not currently eating. As far as the skin goes, I also agree with the other poster. Give it a luke warm bath and it should soften up the skin.
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Thanks,
Amy
www.myboids.4t.com
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2.17 Normal ball pythons
1.0 Pastel ball pythons
0.0.1 Sinaloan Milk Snake
0.0.1 Plains Garter
0.1 Normal Kenyan Sand Boa
2.0 Anery Kenyan Sand Boa
1.0 Mid-Baja Rosy Boa
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat
1.2 Dumeril's Boa
My list is too long, so I'll stop here!

Agree, but if it doesn't come off easily, do not "dig in" !!!
Instead of soaking, trying warm,very damp papel towel cover up.

Mike.

Just wanted to make sure that you knew that warm means around 85F and no more than 90F. Warm to a person might be as much as 110, and that is way to hot to soak a snake in. I would measure the temp and not guess. However if you do guess, error on the side of too cool.

thank you all so much...i got all the shed off lastnight....i will be looking up the artical for the eye cap and now i know not to freak on the not eating part yet...thanks again.....

Jennifer