Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I currently work at a pet store where we specialize in reptiles. I mysef take reptiles very seriously and keep 7 of my own. Today a customer brought in a ball python that needed help and he was looking to give away. The owner of the store said it was ok for me to take it so i did. The snake is very skinny and pretty dehydrated. Also the snake is suffering from a very bad shed. The snake is slowly getting it off but in very small sections. Since none of my animals at my house have evered had a shed like this i was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to help the snake along.

Any help would be appreciated.

I've tried many things and I've found the best/easiest and in some ways less stressful is to create a modified humid hide (I like to call it the Snake Sauna).

Use a tupperware bowl, filled with damp spaghum moss, but instead of putting an access hole in the top of the lid add ventilation holes. Place the snake inside and sit in the cage ( I try to find a spot that has a 'medium' temp - not the hottest but not the coolest, or just put on the warm side). Leave the snake in there for at least an hour. I do this at night since the bowl is clear and so the snake can feel more secure. Then when it's over I take the lid off allowing the snake to leave the hide whenever he wants or replace the ventilated lid with a lid that has an access hole in the top so the snake can leave when it wants. Then of course make sure the humidity in the tank is in the proper range and that there is something rough he can rub on.
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"