Tesla's First Shed with us!

[Snakegirl2017]

Tesla came to live with us on January 13. He has had two successful feeds. I went to check on him and change his water today and noticed his eyes have gone blue. Belly is slightly pink. We know these are signs of a shed. His first shed with us! YAY!!!! Humidity is usually around 55%. Should it be bumped up a little during shed or just keep everything consistent?

[DJC Reptiles]

Yes, try to bump up the humidity to 75-80% during this period. Trust me stuck sheds and eyed caps are the worst. Do this by using a spray bottle once in the morning, and once in the afternoon. Remember they look completely cleared up before they shed, so keep the humidity up until you see a shed. You can also soak him in some shallow water once he clears up, this will help the shed come off nice and easy.

[EL Ziggy]

You can try misting or adding a humid hide but your humidity should be fine at 55%.

[Snakegirl2017]

Thank you!! We are hoping this goes well for him (and us...lol). Just nervous as this is the first time.

[Aaron_S]

Easier way to increase humidity is to dump the water dish right into the substrate then re-fill it. Your substrate is coco-husk and it'll soak it up and keep the humidity higher for the time period of his shed.

[kazz]

You can try misting or adding a humid hide but your humidity should be fine at 55%.
I agree. It's better than bump up the humidity. High humidity can cause respiratory disease and can increase bacterial growth.

[Andy_G]

I agree. It's better than bump up the humidity. High humidity can cause respiratory disease and can increase bacterial growth.

Stagnant dampness can cause what you mentioned, not high humidity. There is a difference.

[bigsnakegirl785]

Stagnant dampness can cause what you mentioned, not high humidity. There is a difference.

Yup, this here. I provide my ball python with humidity as high as I can get it without creating condensation (which also depends on temperature), and haven't experienced an RI yet. Low humidity can cause RIs by drying out the mucus membranes, damaging them and opening them up to infections. Too high of humidity only causes RIs when the conditions are also damp, especially if there's mold growth or it isn't cleaned well enough. But a high RH doesn't do much, even stereotypically "desert" species can be kept at much higher humidity than recommended so long as the rest of the enclosure is relatively dry.

I keep all my tropical snakes on slightly dampened EcoEarth, but it's allowed to go through cycles and isn't kept wet - just damp.

Excessive moisture can also cause scale rot.

[DJC Reptiles]

The reason you wouldn't dump a water bowl into the substrate is your putting too much water into the substrate, and preventing it from drying out. Spraying twice a day is the best option because it allows the enclosure to dry out prior, to the next spray. RI infections like BSG said, are more often caused by low humidity, and spraying the cage to keep high humidity, for this period of time will not leave the snake with RI. Keeping the tank at 55% relative humidity will result in stuck sheds, and it is easier just to spray the tank. A humidity hide should not be needed. But can be used, if one desires.

[Aaron_S]

The reason you wouldn't dump a water bowl into the substrate is your putting too much water into the substrate, and preventing it from drying out. Spraying twice a day is the best option because it allows the enclosure to dry out prior, to the next spray. RI infections like BSG said, are more often caused by low humidity, and spraying the cage to keep high humidity, for this period of time will not leave the snake with RI. Keeping the tank at 55% relative humidity will result in stuck sheds, and it is easier just to spray the tank. A humidity hide should not be needed. But can be used, if one desires.

Here's the reason you're wrong...

During a shed cycle you don't need a drying out period (It's like a week) and usually by that time at least half of it dries out (unless you have a water dish the size of the enclosure and your snake is swimming like a fish).

In addition, unless you're lazy or a crappy keeper you simply clean the enclosure after the shed and put new substrate in.

EDIT: Have you ever tried my method? Myself and 2 other friends do this for our collections and have used various substrates (paper towel, newspaper, coco husk, aspen) and found this to be the best and simplest method for literally thousands of snakes between us.

[DJC Reptiles]

Here's the reason you're wrong...

During a shed cycle you don't need a drying out period (It's like a week) and usually by that time at least half of it dries out (unless you have a water dish the size of the enclosure and your snake is swimming like a fish).

In addition, unless you're lazy or a crappy keeper you simply clean the enclosure after the shed and put new substrate in.

EDIT: Have you ever tried my method? Myself and 2 other friends do this for our collections and have used various substrates (paper towel, newspaper, coco husk, aspen) and found this to be the best and simplest method for literally thousands of snakes between us.

The drying out period, is not literally drying out the enclosure. It's letting the substrate dry a little so the snake doesn't develop scale rot, or mold doesn't grow in the enclosure. While I am sure your method can work, the substrate should not be constantly wet. But should remain damp. Yes, it's only about a week for most snakes, but why risk the chance? I have done this before when my snake was in a shed cycle, and the substrate never dried enough, and was still wet enough to squeeze out water. Sure, it also depends on the water bowl, but it's different depending on whether you use deli cups, or regular water bowls. It also depends on the amount of substate you use. Maybe it's easier to use the water bowl when your keeping more then a couple snakes, (and you keep the snakes in similar environments) but it shouldn't be a problem to spray the enclosure twice a day for most people.

[Aaron_S]

The drying out period, is not literally drying out the enclosure. It's letting the substrate dry a little so the snake doesn't develop scale rot, or mold doesn't grow in the enclosure. While I am sure your method can work, the substrate should not be constantly wet. But should remain damp. Yes, it's only about a week for most snakes, but why risk the chance? I have done this before when my snake was in a shed cycle, and the substrate never dried enough, and was still wet enough to squeeze out water. Sure, it also depends on the water bowl, but it's different depending on whether you use deli cups, or regular water bowls. It also depends on the amount of substate you use. Maybe it's easier to use the water bowl when your keeping more then a couple snakes, (and you keep the snakes in similar environments) but it shouldn't be a problem to spray the enclosure twice a day for most people.

Do you know how long it takes a snake to develop scale rot? Do you know how long it takes to develop mold? It takes more than wet substrate to develop mold or scale rot for a week at most.

I don't need the substrate to dry out during the shed cycle. I don't need it to because I'll clean the whole thing out once the snake sheds. If you're really hard up for mold/worried about scale rot then do it halfway through the shed cycle.

In addition, I never said misting is wrong just there's an easier way.

EDIT: You're really questioning the hundreds/thousands of sheds my friends and I see annually that we risk mold/scale rot? If we haven't seen it yet how can it be a chance as you try to point out?

[DJC Reptiles]

Do you know how long it takes a snake to develop scale rot? Do you know how long it takes to develop mold? It takes more than wet substrate to develop mold or scale rot for a week at most.

I don't need the substrate to dry out during the shed cycle. I don't need it to because I'll clean the whole thing out once the snake sheds. If you're really hard up for mold/worried about scale rot then do it halfway through the shed cycle.

In addition, I never said misting is wrong just there's an easier way.

EDIT: You're really questioning the hundreds/thousands of sheds my friends and I see annually that we risk mold/scale rot? If we haven't seen it yet how can it be a chance as you try to point out?

If it works for you, then that's good. I don't agree with the method, and that's all there is to it.

[Aaron_S]

If it works for you, then that's good. I don't agree with the method, and that's all there is to it.

That's fine. You don't have to agree with it but don't say I'm wrong because you disagree. You have no facts to back it up that I'm wrong.

[DJC Reptiles]

That's fine. You don't have to agree with it but don't say I'm wrong because you disagree. You have no facts to back it up that I'm wrong.

Ok, that's fair, I apologize.