shedding problems

DeesBalls · 01-14-10, 09:50 AM

ok so you guys prolly know that i have not been on for a long time, i didnt have a computer until just a couple days ago, anyway my albino corn once again had a bad shed!! the 1st one came out in two nice peices so i thought all my stuff was good ( tems ect...) but the last 2 are terrible and im having to get alot of it off. what are some good ways to ensure a good shed? ive tried a humitity box that worked alright but not that great... any minerals or oils i can give him to help with shedding? thanks!

infernalis · 01-14-10, 10:33 AM

It's all about Humidity.

During the winter humidity drops very low. This dry air makes reptile sheds crumbly.

Most species that reside in parts of the world that have cold winters are brumating (hibernating) now, so they miss a few shed cycles.

Tropical regions are very humid, (deserts excluded) so pythons, boas and a lot of exotic snakes require high humidity.

Corn snakes are like somewhere in the middle, they range from Florida up into the snow belts, so moderate humidity is best.

Try this, if you are housing your corn in a glass tank with a screen top, Cover 75% of the screen top with something flat (magazines, a sheet of cardboard, etc...) so the air cannot circulate as much.

Mist the cage with a spray bottle once or twice a day, not enough to make it soggy and promote mold, but just enough that it is lightly damp.

If you have not already, really big generous water bowls that the snake can crawl up into and lay in whe the snake feels it needs to are helpful.

My corn lays in his water bowl for a day or two just before he sheds, and they always come off in one long "stocking".

Do you have forced air heat?? (Blowers in the floor)

Good luck!

DeesBalls · 01-14-10, 01:02 PM

ok. right now i do have almost all of the top of the cage covered with suran wrap and its taped down... i have a nice size water bowl in the cage but she/he never gets in it. also i do mist the cage but only 1 time every couple days ( i was told not to do it more than 1 time a day... ) i will try and mist it a little bit more and soak him and see what happends, thansk!

infernalis · 01-14-10, 02:53 PM

Sounds like your doing everything right. Kudos to you for that.

Bad sheds are about the most minor problem you can have unless the eyecaps get retained or a shed sticks at the tip of the tail.

My corn had a stuck shed once that choked off his tail and now he's a stubby.

Stuck eye caps are a real bear.

DeesBalls · 01-14-10, 09:24 PM

well the eyes always come off great!!!! lol and the tail but the mid body is where it gets crappy... now my BP shed and has a lil spot where it didnt come off on his mid side.. is that a really big problem or is that just going to come off with the next shed?

infernalis · 01-15-10, 12:53 AM

A warm wet wash cloth and a few minutes, it should come right off for you.

seann · 01-15-10, 08:12 AM

Throwing a towel or anything over the side that has the water bowl, works pretty good for me.

DeesBalls · 01-15-10, 02:19 PM

ok i will try that monday, ( hate working weekends ) but hopefully it will get it off for her! thanks guys. and i do put the seran wrap on the side that has the water.

Squisher · 01-15-10, 03:08 PM

My BPs i don't normally have too much of a problem with but my 'Tics have given me problems before. All my snakes are on paper. I often wondered though if maybe that substrate isn't coarse enough to aide in pulling the shed off.