problem with my ball python (help asap)

[Ezekiel]

2 weeks ago i bought a 100% het for axanthic which has cost me a lot of money. it is shedding its skin at the moment and has been for the past 2 weeks. it is making no attempt to remove the shed its self i have been spraying it with water every day and soaking it every other day its skin is loose but yet it still has not shed. please can some 1 give me some pointers in wot to do asap please thankyou.

[TallBaldNTatt2ed]

I found that instead of soaking them, soak a pillow case in hot water, then take it out and let it cool a minute and put the snake and a rock in. The pillow case holds the humidity very well and the snake doesn't get frightened by all the water. This usually worked with mine, because there was no option to escape. Be sure to check the pillow case, because it'll get chilly pretty quick. I also have a "mist" setting on my shower head, and that helps keep the humidity up, without too much water.

[Russel]

I would say at this stage you have to peel it all off yourself, then next shed make shure you have the right humidity in the cage. :wink:

[Mochasr4me]

I'm sorry to disagree, but don't just pull the shed off yourself! You can seriously damage scales in this manner.

You can continue to soak, just add a few drops of mineral or olive oil to the warm water. This helps to loosen the old skin from the new.After the soak, take a damp, rough towel and let the snake crawl thru it while you apply gentle pressure.

Give your snake a humid hide. This is easier than trying to raise humidity in the whole cage. Use a plastic bowl w/ lid ($1 store brands are great), cut a hole in the side, not the top and fill with damp moss. Place over your heat mat or under the heat lamp area. Take out any other hides for the time being.

The pillowcase is also a good way too. To keep it warmer you can place the whole thing back in its cage where its warm, keeping an eye on it so he doesn't get too warm or some keepers will sit the pillow case in a 1/2 or so of warm water to keep it warm and humid.

If your snake does shed and retains the eyecaps, don't try to remove them at this time, wait for the next shed as they will usually come off then. Be more concerned if the tip of the tail does not come off. This can cause lack of circulation and cause your snake to lose the tip of its tail as it drys back up. Just use a warm damp cloth too help remove the tail shed.

When it is near the next shed (watch for pink bellies) place the humid hide back in the cage, removeing other hides again.

[Russel]

It depends, If there are many pieces of shed on him/her, you should try to take them off manually, that is just seriously exhausting.

But if they are larger pieces of skin, you can take them off by hand after soaking him/her, yes, you can damage their scales by doing that, but thats a worst case scenario and only if oyu pull the skin off from back to front/against the scales

[Grimlock]

are you giving the snake enough privacy? the fact that the skin is ready to come off but the snake has not yet done anything about it might indicate it is feeling insecure. does it have a nice, dark hide? have you given it at least a week alone without disturbing it in any way?

ahh, just re-read your post. i think you should stop with the daily spraying and soaking now, and just leave the snake completely alone for one week, and see if it sheds by itself. it doesn't sound like a case of insufficient humidity to me.