Ball pythons are supposed to shed in one complete piece (which includes the eye caps). They sometimes do not, however. When they do not, it is because they were not as hydrated as they needed to be before and during their shed, which happens only when the humidity around them is not high enough.
Normally, the humidity in a ball python’s enclosure should be approximately 55-60%, never reaching below 50%. However, when a ball python is in its pre-shedding stage, which normally happens a week or so before the snake sheds, ball python pet owners should increase the humidity at least 10%, to be approximately 65-75%.
If your ball python has had shedding problems, meaning it has not shed in one piece, this means the humidity in the enclosure was not high enough for the ball python to have a good shed. The problem could be that the humidity was not increased enough, or because it was not increased for long enough before the ball python shed. In order to prevent this from happening in the future, be more attentive of your pet, being sure to watch for any signs of a ball python’s impending shed. If your ball python shows these signs, increase the humidity immediately.
Also make sure that your ball python’s water bowl is always full, as they will usually soak in water if they are feeling overly dehydrated. Please keep in mind, however, that simply keeping the water bowl full is not enough for a ball python to have a good shed. If the humidity is not high enough, a ball python will still be too dehydrated to have a good shed, regardless of the water bowl being full.
Glass tanks and enclosures often make it difficult to increase the humidity for a ball python. If you are having trouble increasing the humidity to be where it needs to be, try using the wet towel method. It’s both cheap and effective.
