ATB won't shed, causing problems.

[biteme]

I've had snakes have bad sheds but they always start it. This ones not even trying. Which normally wouldn't concern me, he'll shed when he's ready.. except his skin is abnormally wrinkled and yesterday I noticed his mouth starting to gape a little.. which concerns me.

I've never seen this happen, but I've never worked with ATBs before.. Obviously I've raised his humidity as much as I can (misting pretty frequently in addition to the mistking he normally has) and tonight I put him in a container with a soaked cloth for awhile. I hesitate to leave him overnight like I would some of my other snakes since he gets stressed a lot easier..

Behavior wise he's fine. Acts normal, curious, active.

Anything I should do?

[biteme]

...

He got it started and past his eyes, lips a few days ago. I've been soaking him and keeping his cage humid and letting him do it himself but he's been working at it for two days now with no progress. I soaked him for awhile and tried sloughing with a wash cloth which normally works for me but can't get anything loose.

I gently pulled at it and can't get it to budge. It pulls his skin/scales pretty hard and I hesitate to continue. It's really really stuck on there.

[biteme]

I'd post pictures but the forum won't allow it.

[millertime89]

Gotta hit 5 posts for pictures. Just post two more meaningless things to get there. It sounds like you're doing the right things, just keep at it. Did he get the tip of his tail off? That's the other spot you need to watch carefully.

[biteme]

Gotta hit 5 posts for pictures. Just post two more meaningless things to get there. It sounds like you're doing the right things, just keep at it. Did he get the tip of his tail off? That's the other spot you need to watch carefully.

He hasn't gotten to the tail yet. He's only gotten his face started. Nothing past the neck yet.

If this was any of my other snakes I'd have it off already.. His being an ATB scares me. He's so fragile.

Thanks for the response. 5 posts should be easy enough lol.

[millertime89]

How old is he? I would try and remove the tip of the tail manually on your own. Yes they're more delicate but they're still fairly hardy.

[biteme]

How old is he? I would try and remove the tip of the tail manually on your own. Yes they're more delicate but they're still fairly hardy.

He's not at the tail. He hasn't gotten past his neck.

I don't know exactly how old but under a year. 8 or 9 months I'd guess.

[biteme]

..still can't post pictures.

[biteme]

Here he is the day I made the thread. I wasn't home when he went into shed and it was too dry. He tried for days to get it started and couldn't.

http://i.imgur.com/XsdyxWIl.jpg

This is the mouth I referred to. It's what concerned me the most (looked infected or something) but once he got the shed off his lips it was back to normal.

http://i.imgur.com/1ciJWEGl.jpg

Here he is now. Everything is still un-shed except his head. The top of his head is completely off, down to his neck. His lower jaw is about half way. You can see that here. I can't seem to pull that loose and neither can he. Really damn stuck.

http://i.imgur.com/0oSTPuMl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/gVEZ4f1l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/9j2KW6Sl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/o7mOnk0l.jpg

doesn't look like a big deal and it wouldn't concern me but its so stuck..

[CrotalusR#1]

He's not at the tail. He hasn't gotten past his neck.

I don't know exactly how old but under a year. 8 or 9 months I'd guess.

It doesn't matter if he's not at the tail yet, we get that he's only got part of the head done. Physically take the shed of of his tail.

It's really rare but every now and then a snake will need to be completely shed by the owner taking it off tip to tip. Iv seen it in gaboons.. They'll go weeks and weeks after the blue eye phase and nothing will happen.

You may end up having to manually shed that snake. It's really not hard to do.
Best of luck!!

[biteme]

It doesn't matter if he's not at the tail yet, we get that he's only got part of the head done. Physically take the shed of of his tail.

It's really rare but every now and then a snake will need to be completely shed by the owner taking it off tip to tip. Iv seen it in gaboons.. They'll go weeks and weeks after the blue eye phase and nothing will happen.

You may end up having to manually shed that snake. It's really not hard to do.
Best of luck!!

Ah. Never heard of taking the tail tip off first. I'll do that.. or ust take it all off.

I've shed snakes manually before, I figured I'd have to do it to this one, just wanted to give him every chance first since I feel less than comfortable shedding an ATB and since its so damn stuck.. but I think I'll go at it tomorrow.

Thanks for the help.

[Minkness]

I'm not familiar with the ABT, what is this snake's common name? Is it venomous?

[CrotalusR#1]

Ah. Never heard of taking the tail tip off first. I'll do that.. or ust take it all off.

I've shed snakes manually before, I figured I'd have to do it to this one, just wanted to give him every chance first since I feel less than comfortable shedding an ATB and since its so damn stuck.. but I think I'll go at it tomorrow.

Thanks for the help.

Ya that's not a fun bite but it's not the end of the world. I'd soak it very well before you began. If worst comes to worst you can always pin him and firmly hold is body so he doesn't hurt him self. Iv done it on rattlesnake and it's always worse going into it, but once you have the snake pinned and am working on it, it's seriously like second nature.
Good luck, I'm looking forward to knowing how it went.

[toddnbecka]

My little carpet python had nearly all the old skin stuck in place for several days. I finally covered him/her with a damp washcloth and set that close to the ceramic heater before I left for work. Was still there when I got home, the old skin was soft and supple, and it came off pretty cleanly. I found the problem was low humidity. The gauge was at the bottom of the enclosure, reading good humidity level, but higher up where the carpet likes to lurk it was much too low. The snake kept going back and forth between the warmer area and soaking in the water bowl, but the old skin just dried out again. Shouldn't be a problem next time, I changed the substrate to cypress mulch and moved the gauge to the level the carpet prefers.

[biteme]

I'm not familiar with the ABT, what is this snake's common name? Is it venomous?

Amazon Tree Boa. Not venemous.

They're awesome snakes.

Ya that's not a fun bite but it's not the end of the world. I'd soak it very well before you began. If worst comes to worst you can always pin him and firmly hold is body so he doesn't hurt him self. Iv done it on rattlesnake and it's always worse going into it, but once you have the snake pinned and am working on it, it's seriously like second nature.
Good luck, I'm looking forward to knowing how it went.

Ha I didn't mean the bite. It's why I love these snakes. And actually he doesn't bite much. . It's his delicate frame, especially his neck that concerns me.

Thanks again. I'll let you know it goes.


My little carpet python had nearly all the old skin stuck in place for several days. I finally covered him/her with a damp washcloth and set that close to the ceramic heater before I left for work. Was still there when I got home, the old skin was soft and supple, and it came off pretty cleanly. I found the problem was low humidity. The gauge was at the bottom of the enclosure, reading good humidity level, but higher up where the carpet likes to lurk it was much too low. The snake kept going back and forth between the warmer area and soaking in the water bowl, but the old skin just dried out again. Shouldn't be a problem next time, I changed the substrate to cypress mulch and moved the gauge to the level the carpet prefers.

Yeah it was definitely too dry when he started out.. Cold weather I guess.. but I fixed the humidity. Hopefully mine comes off cleanly too.

[Minkness]

Ooooh. Ok then.

I have a leopard gecko that has ALWAYS had a bad shed and I have to help him every time. What I use instead of just water, is mineral oil. Take a bit, soak a corner of a small cloth, and gently rub it into him. Let it sit for a few minutes, and reapply. Test the shed, if it's still holding, reapply. When I first got my 'problem child' it took about 5 applications and 3 days to get the stuck shed off. Now I only have issues with his eyes, nose, and toes and he KNOWS when it's time for me to help lol. Poor thing.

[shaunyboy]

you sure he's not dehydrated mate ?

dehydration can cause wrinkles and the skin to tent up

the gaping mouth would have concerned about a possible RI

or nostrils blocked with retained shed,if it's a shedding issue ?


cheers shaun

[biteme]

you sure he's not dehydrated mate ?

dehydration can cause wrinkles and the skin to tent up

the gaping mouth would have concerned about a possible RI

or nostrils blocked with retained shed,if it's a shedding issue ?


cheers shaun

Those were all concerns of mine when I made the thread.

But it is definitely a shedding issue and I can't see how he'd be dehyrdated and the wrinkled skin is only the "layer" or whatever needing shed.

The gaping mouth concerned me about RI and infection but it's perfectly normally now that the skin is off his lips. Nostrils aren't blocked. His whole head and face are healthy now that the shed is off.

My only concerns now are getting the shed off. It's stuck on there like glue.

[biteme]

Ooooh. Ok then.

I have a leopard gecko that has ALWAYS had a bad shed and I have to help him every time. What I use instead of just water, is mineral oil. Take a bit, soak a corner of a small cloth, and gently rub it into him. Let it sit for a few minutes, and reapply. Test the shed, if it's still holding, reapply. When I first got my 'problem child' it took about 5 applications and 3 days to get the stuck shed off. Now I only have issues with his eyes, nose, and toes and he KNOWS when it's time for me to help lol. Poor thing.

Good to know about the mineral oil. Might give that a try.

[biteme]

Soaked the snake today for 45 minutes and then spent the same amount of time trying to shed him. I made little to no progress in the head area and only got it to flake everywhere along the body. All I did was piss him off and stress him out.

Most problematic is his bottom jaw/chin. Where the stretchy skin is. I cannot get it off. It's so stuck. All it does is break and then I have nothing to grab. Wash cloth, q tip, even a soft little brush couldn't get it any kind of loose.

I couldn't get the tip of the tail off either. Someone suggested doing that but how do I do it when there's no loose skin to start at?

Hope you all had a good Christmas by the way.

[biteme]

Tried to get the tail off again. Can't.

[SSSSnakes]

Here is a video made by one of the top breeders of ATBs on shedding issues. Mike told me to allow the snake to soak over night. I have done this many times and it works great. Search; www.youtube.com/user/boakingdom , and chose the video labeled, ATB soaking and shedding. Mike Heinrich has done extensive research and breeding projects with ATBs.

[biteme]

Here is a video made by one of the top breeders of ATBs on shedding issues. Mike told me to allow the snake to soak over night. I have done this many times and it works great. Search; www.youtube.com/user/boakingdom , and chose the video labeled, ATB soaking and shedding. Mike Heinrich has done extensive research and breeding projects with ATBs.

Thanks for that.

I guess I'll try leaving him overnight.

[lady_bug87]

It doesn't matter if he's not at the tail yet, we get that he's only got part of the head done. Physically take the shed of of his tail.

It's really rare but every now and then a snake will need to be completely shed by the owner taking it off tip to tip. Iv seen it in gaboons.. They'll go weeks and weeks after the blue eye phase and nothing will happen.

You may end up having to manually shed that snake. It's really not hard to do.
Best of luck!!

no. Just no.

Snakes kept properly never need you to peel them like a banana. Especially these snakes.

OP your animal looks dehydrated. It sounds like you're doing what you can to fix it. Here's my advice:

Set up a small sterilite bin with perches. Line it with newspaper and put about an inch of water in the bottom. set it on a heat mat with a tstat set to 88 and leave the animal in there for a few days. Just make sure you make a few ventilation holes.

The gaping could be the skin pulling tight on the jaw. The most handling i would do is let the animal run through a wash cloth draped over my hand.

[Aaron_S]

no. Just no.

Snakes kept properly never need you to peel them like a banana. Especially these snakes.

OP your animal looks dehydrated. It sounds like you're doing what you can to fix it. Here's my advice:

Set up a small sterilite bin with perches. Line it with newspaper and put about an inch of water in the bottom. set it on a heat mat with a tstat set to 88 and leave the animal in there for a few days. Just make sure you make a few ventilation holes.

The gaping could be the skin pulling tight on the jaw. The most handling i would do is let the animal run through a wash cloth draped over my hand.

I'm just going to +1 this.

[Minkness]

I'd be distraught if my girl was having this issue x.x

Good luck and I hope it all works out.

[millertime89]

I'm just going to +1 this.

If I +1 this as well does that mean you're +1'ed or she's +2'ed? Both?