ball python scale damage

Question
QUESTION: heya,
 today i finally rescued a ball python from a family down the road, who bought their son the snake, but both parents were scared of it. the snake bit the child about 3 weeks ago, and has not touched the snake since. in this time the snake shed her skin, but again, the family were all too scared to open the tank to spray the tank or fill the water bowl (and too proud to ask for help / didnt realise there was a problem). as a result the snake has had a really bad shed. they finally asked me to take the snake yesterday, so today i went out and got the relavant equipment to look after it (i keep corn snakes, but ive done my research for the python).
   i think the snake must have had a bit of skin near the base of its tail that did not shed (there are a couple of pieces on its back). i think maybe the snake then tried hard to get the piece of skin off, and in the process has really damaged its scales on its underbelly.
   shes roughly a foot long, so still very young, and the conditions she was kept in were very dry. i gave her a luke warm bath today, when i got her back to my house, and used a paint brush to take the remaining skin off her back. but i am really at a loss as to how to sort her belly out. to me, it looks like her new skin has 3 cuts on it, going width wise across her underside, and that another skin has formed underneath this - the raised, cut skin forms 3 small arches, so is detached from the body in the middle, but is fused at the sides to her normal skin, which makes me think it is not simply the old skin, but is instead, cuts, with the damaged skin raised, and new skin forming underneath.
  the "new" skin is a bit red, and looks sore and tender. when i gave her the bath, she tried to keep the area up out of the water, so it was probably causing her a bit of pain, but in her new enclosure, shes been exploring the tank, going in the hides, then exploring the tank some more. she seems to have no problem in moving about, shes active, and as far as i know, she hasnt lost her appitite. she flicks her tongue about alot, and when i hold her she doesnt feel limp at all.
   im pretty sure there is another skin under the raised skin, so my question is this, if the outer skin is damaged, will she still be able to secrete fluids to seperate the old skin from the new skin to shed? or will she secrete fluids underneath the "new" skin that i can see under the cuts, and try and shed 2 sets of skin in one go? should i be worried about infections? her new environment is as sterile as i can get it - seeing as all the decor, hides, water bowl etc are new today.. if you think she will sort herself out, then wonderful, but please could you tell me any signs to look out for? if you think she needs to be kept a close eye on, what should i be looking for? and obviously, if you think she needs vetinary help asap, then please say so!
   i hope ive made myself clear as to what the problem is.. is it usual for a snake that has a problem like this, to have pinkish/red scales around the affected area? or is this a sign of an infection? one last note is that the raised areas that are not attached to the body are fairly dry and shriveled, but i think where they contact the skin, its still living..
    any advice would be really apreciated! thankyou in advance, josh

ANSWER: Hey Josh,

She will sort it out herself. When she sheds again it that skin will shed off with it. Just keep the humidity level around 65% and the temp around 90 degree Fahrenheit.

Hope this helps and great job with saving her.
Eric

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: heya, you were right about her sorting herself out! she had shed her skin a week before i got her, and it was very incomplete, today, about a week and a half on, she shed her skin again, so i assume snakes can go into some sort of rapid shedding mode to try and sort any skin problems they have out.
   her skin is not 100% back to normal, but it has made a HUGE improvement, im very pleased with her progress! i think within the next two sheds i wont be able to find anything wrong at all!
   however, she did not manage to shed her skin easily at all, i know this is partly because for the moment, she is being kept in a tank with a hide, water bowl, and newspaper as a substrate, so there is roughly 0% humidity.. but over the last 3 days, ive been giving her a bath every morning and every evening to help with her shed, but it still didnt come off, and i had to sit with her and gently peal her skin off with a wet paint brush - but on the underside of her head, her chin i guess! it required alot of water and a fair bit of force to take that last little bit off - shes now completely shed.
   i have a few more questions for you - i think she may be dehydrated, her skin on her neck, gets vertical creases in it where ever she bends it, and a few more down her body wherever she bends. not very noticible further down her body though, mainly her neck, and i havnt yet seen her drink. i do not know if she is an import, as i got her as i said, from some people down the road who couldnt look after her. but ive read imports are often dehydrated. so my questions on this are, 1.) would what ive said indicate dehydration to you? 2.) if as i suspect, she is slightly, but not seriously dehydrated, could i simply inject water into her mice to make sure she is geting water every week? 3.) would this solve the dehydration? 4.) does a dehydrated snake have alot more problems shedding, even if humidity is high / bathed everyday in the lead up to her shed?
   the tank she is currently in is only temporary, i should have also mentioned she has all the correct temperatures in the tank. she has another tank already set up and waiting for her, but i dont rele want to put her in there untill im happy that no dirt will cause any infection to her damaged skin. this tank has many hides, a large waterbowl, as well as moss,wood logs and branches. so im fairly confident i can keep the humidity up (as well as having a few dry spots under spotlights and in certain hides). and hopefully any shedding problems will be eliminated! but i am a little concerned she is dehydrated..
   thanks for your help!josh


Answer
Hey Josh,

The only sure way  to help with shedding is maintaining your temps and humidity levels and feeding your snake the correct sized prey item.

It is great that the she is looking good and starting to heal. You can have her in a tank with aspen if you would like. Just spot clean when you see feces.

Keep me up to date.
Eric