Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So my 07 Olive Python's belly scales appear dried out and almost flaky. I have soaked her 3x's this week, misting her cage more often and using a vitamin spray on occasion. This started about a week ago. She was off feed in the winter and started to eat again a few weeks ago. She takes 2 f/t fuzzies/hoppers a week. She's almost 4' and has the girth of a nickel. Her cage temps are mid 90's on hot side and mid 80' or so on cooler side. Any ideas?

Thanks
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0.1 Olive Python
0.1 BCI
0.1 BP
0.1 Dumeril's Boa
1.0 Woma

Sounds like it's too warm. Some of my snakes also get like that when they are entering a shed cycle and the humidity is too low. I would suggest placing a small sweaterbox full of damp sphagnum moss in her enclosure. See if she'll use it to help facilitate a shed.

I don't keep Olives, so I'm just giving you what I can. Perhaps one of the olive guys can charm in here.
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"He who would stifle debate rather than engage in it, does so at the expense of his integrity and credibility"

Mike Curtin

I don't think the answers Mike gave for Olives are any different than for other species. Give it a try, and watch for signs of a shed coming on.
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1.0 Blackheaded pythons
2.4 Woma
3.2 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.3 Bloods
2.2 IJ Carpets
2.0 Coastal Carpets
1.3 Macklotts
1.2 F2 Carpondros
2.1 Jungle Carpet
1.0 Jag IJCP
0.1 Carpondro
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow boas
1.1 Striped Bolivian Boas
0.1 Madagascar Tree Boa
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

What is the substrate? Is it too wet?

Sounds like a skin infection of some sort. I would see a vet if it doesn't improve very soon. This is one of those situations where diagnostics will be very helpful.

She is on fir bark. I mist her once maybe twice a day. She still seems dry. I'm still soaking her. I've enclosed some pics. Sorry about the quality. I've also included some pics of her housing. These are older but its the same bedding but cut a little smaller

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0.1 Olive Python
0.1 BCI
0.1 BP
0.1 Dumeril's Boa
1.0 Woma

OK. 2 things are coming to mind right away.

First of all, your set up is not allowing your snake to conserve its moisture. Glass tanks with screen tops are notorious for that. What you are doing by spraying is just wetting the surface, the air however stays very very dry. If you use a heat lamp its even worse. The light heats the air which rises up out of the tank and is replaced by new air. This cycle drys the heck out of the tank. By wetting the surface you provide an area for bacteria to grow and you wet the scales but you don't let the snake conserve moisture. Snakes don't absorb water through their belly skin, they loose it by breathing. In the wild a snake will drink rarely but it will spend most of its time curled up in a tiny relatively humid space where it stays hydrated.

You need to provide this. Your snake at the very least needs a humidity chamber full of damp spagnum most. At best I would make a solid top for the tank, change the substrate to something that holds water better like cypress, and provide several tight dark hides.

The second thing is that your snake may already have a skin infection that will not be cured just by correcting your husbandry. I can't see anything in those pictures but like I said before, I would see a vet, do a culture and get some antibiotics to prevent a secondary infection if you don't have one already.

You may want to keep the snake on something more sterile like newspaper for just a few days to let the skin heal, but you still must provide humidity. (not wetness)

good luck