Ball python shed

Question
I have had my 5.5 ft female ball python for about 7 years now. I got her as a baby, and she has always been a healthy eater. (she got obese for a while because she was eating a rat every week) However, she has a few ongoing issues that I would like some advice on. My main concern is that I soak her once a week, and keep her tank at a good humidity but she still seems to be retaining shed on her eyes. She has been to two exotics specialists for this - one tried to remove it with a wet q-tip (which didn't work) and the other said her eyes just naturally have reticulated caps on them (which I'm not so sure about). My mother is also a veterinarian and we have not been able to figure it out. It doesn't seem to affect her, but it has been an ongoing problem for years and I just want to know if i should be concerned or just let it go.

My other question is regarding her problem with heating pads. I normally keep a heating pad on under her hiding spot but she continually burns herself on it. She also has a ceramic heat emitter (which is now her only source of heat) that keeps that side of her tank plenty warm. I have tried numerous types of substrate, aspen bedding, newspapers, paper towels, regular towels, that green 'faux grass' reptile tank liner, and multiple combinations of these. However, she still manages to burn herself one way or another. I have resolved to leaving her heating pad off all together and her burns are now healing but I am worried that just overhead heat isn't good enough. Will she be fine without the heating pad or is there something I can do to keep her from burning herself on it?

- Thank you for your time, I really appreciate it

Answer
Hi Trudi,

Im sorry for the very very late reply, i did actually answer this question once but for some reason it appears it didnt go through.

i dont know where the vet gets their idea about reticulated caps, ive never heard that before and its completely false. however some bally pthons - usually when dehydrated - have eyes that appear wrinkled and mimic retained shed. so make sure its not just this. check her shed skin and her tank to see if the eye caps did infact come off. if you are sure then...

my advice would be to bathe her in some lukewarm water for a good 30 mins. if you can get ahold of a product called shed ease or similar use that in the water too - its a reptile skin moisturiser and helps losen old skin. after the 30 mins, take her out and try ease back the skin around her eye sockets to more easily get to the edge of the eye caps. when you find the edge of the eye cap, try using a fingernail to gently pick at it to try and help it come lose. once you lift the corner off it should come away easily. if you cant use your fingernails you can try some tweazers. the eye caps do need to come off, otherwise your snake will eventually go blind. if you really cant get the eye caps off, you may have to risk waiting for the next shed and hope thay come off then.

as for the heat mat problem. remove the heat mat completely. ball pythons can get a condition called scale rot from heat mats due to their wide belly scales. the ceramic heater should be enough on its own but check the temperatures with a thermometer just in case. they should be 82-84f in the middle and hot at one end, cooler at the other.

i hope this helps,

Andy