Snake Sheding

[Rolly]

My python has shed just his bottom half, but has alot of like peals, is it bad to pull of the bigger ones? Or is there something I can do to help him along? I have put a rock with a wet face cloth in the tank. Any help on this would be great.

[Joe]

you can try soakin him in luke warm water for about an hr, then when you take him out you should have no problems removing the retained shed by hand, good luck let us know how it goes for ya!

[Aaron_S]

Joe's method is a good one. I prefer to soak a pillow case in luke warm water, stick the snake in it and tie it up. Give it about 30 minutes or an hour and the snake should have done most of the work for you.

[bassteck76]

I too use Aarons method..........works like a champ.

[Joe]

only problem with that method is the water can block the small holes in the fabric, I know of 2 seperate instances personally where someone has lost there snake due to suffication using that method, if you choose the pillow case just keep an extremly close eye on your animal, again good luck!

[Rolly]

Thanks for the great info. I will try it tonight and post the results later.

[Aaron_S]

Really Joe? I've never heard of that. Thanks for the tip! Of course I've never left one unattended anyways, but thanks!

[bassteck76]

Sounds like the bag was entirely to wet to me..........I just get it damp and wring it out really well..........not heard of that myself either.

[Rolly]

Ok I let it swim in some water for a while. and the skin came right off. I was gonna do the pillow case one, but I could not con the wife into letting me use her pillowcase. Thanks Joe, and Aaron

[gonesnakee]

I have heard of it also & as well of many folks killing them by thermal shock by using too warm of water. Heres a few facts for ya folks. Our body temp is 98.6F luke warm water is actually too hot even. If it is "luke warm" to us it is well over 100F which is too hot for them. Water around 85 F is best which in all actuality is slightly cool water to the human touch ;) Lets look back to the source of the problem. Humidity was too low for the snake during its shed cycle. Things to improve this are misting during shed, large water dish for soaking (& to help provide extra humidity), baths & a humid hide. A rubbermaid hide with damp spagmun moss works great, snakes love spagnum LOL. For now what has been suggested works good & I will also use a wet towel on the snake as well & gently help it by pulling off pieces of shed. Make sure that its eyecaps come off & the tip of its tail. They are the "pieces" that can be retained that can cause issues, anywhere else isn't a big deal to retain shed. Mark

[Rolly]

Lets look back to the source of the problem. Humidity was too low for the snake during its shed cycle. Things to improve this are misting during shed, large water dish for soaking (& to help provide extra humidity), baths & a humid hide.



The humidity in the tank is between 60-70%. Is that not enough? I have a large dish, but I have never seen him in it. I have seen my friends female in the dish (they are in the same tank.)

[gonesnakee]

If the snake did not shed in 1 complete piece NO unless it has other issues such as mites (external parasites). Also housing them togther is a big NO NO. Is the female an adult ready for breeding? If not you are putting her at serious risk of unwanted breeding by housing her with a male. Snakes are best housed individually other than for breeding purposes. There are tons of resons why, I don't have the time to start explaining them all, but a quick search will come up with lotsa of negatives & not one positive. Other than only having to have 1 enclosure & that is a positive for you not for the snakes. Mark