Advice needed - Australian Woma

sophiedufort · 06-30-15, 02:03 PM

Ok, here I post again, this time about a puzzling situation, and I need informed advice, please.

As some of you may know, I bought an Australian woma python not long ago. The breeder told me that she is about six months old, but I suspect she's older, as she is almost three feet long. I wanted a woma, so I basically picked the first and only that was available online at the time. I know, I know, that's not how you buy snakes, but I did it.

She's a beautiful girl, and had a ferocious appetite from the beginning (of course, we didn't feed her right away, she ate within a week of her arrival). Very gentle too when handled, great temperament.

She has her own enclosure, 20 gallons, hides, a sand pit (which she doesn't use, although she's a burrowing snake), water bowl, a tree branch that she rests on every now and then. Humidity is about 50%, which is more than enough for a woma, temperature - same as in the room, low 80s. She doesn't need more than that either, I read about it in several care sheets.

She ate very well until last week, only too eager to hunt and swallow her prey. Active too, very inquisitive and fearless. Not in contact with any of our other snakes. We were not taking her out much, and not at all in the past couple of days.

So, all was going well, but for the past 3 days she seems to be very lethargic and weak. She sleeps a lot and stopped exploring. We decided not to handle her at all, we just check on her every now and then, and we are worried. Could she be shedding? She doesn't look dull, but with her colors it is hard to tell. If not exposed to a full spectrum light, her colors are not standing out at all.

If she is lethargic because of stress, then I have no clue what may have caused it.

Any advice?

**millertime89** · 06-30-15, 02:31 PM

When was the last time she ate and shed? My guess is she's about to shed. Hopefully Randy will be along in a bit.

sophiedufort · 06-30-15, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

When was the last time she ate and shed? My guess is she's about to shed. Hopefully Randy will be along in a bit.

She never shed while here. We had her since approx June 10th. She ate two days ago. She was already lethargic and weak, since Saturday morning.

**millertime89** · 06-30-15, 03:03 PM

She's probably going into shed then. Can't be 100% sure though. Pictures? Use flash.

sophiedufort · 06-30-15, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

She's probably going into shed then. Can't be 100% sure though. Pictures? Use flash.

Here's a link to a picture I just posted on Imgur. http://i.imgur.com/q0Qjcl7.jpg

Flash used. You can't really figure it out, since her colors get so bright when using a flash. In reality, her colors look a little muted right now, but not much.

Mikoh4792 · 06-30-15, 03:45 PM

Looks like a shed coming soon. Colors dull, eyes get cloudy. A few days before she sheds out, her eyes will become clear again. Also, animals going into shed will stay hidden away.

sophiedufort · 06-30-15, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

Looks like a shed coming soon. Colors dull, eyes get cloudy. A few days before she sheds out, her eyes will become clear again. Also, animals going into shed will stay hidden away.

I hope that's all there is. Thank you. Her eyes aren't cloudy, though. The flash makes them look as if they are. It's so hard to tell with her, because of her colors. I can always tell with my other snakes, except for the albino ball python.

Mikoh4792 · 06-30-15, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sophiedufort

I hope that's all there is. Thank you. Her eyes aren't cloudy, though. The flash makes them look as if they are. It's so hard to tell with her, because of her colors. I can always tell with my other snakes, except for the albino ball python.

I'd just keep a close eye on her while leaving her be. If she is indeed going into shed you'll be able to tell within the next few days anyways.

sophiedufort · 06-30-15, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

I'd just keep a close eye on her while leaving her be. If she is indeed going into shed you'll be able to tell within the next few days anyways.

Will do. Thank you.

**millertime89** · 06-30-15, 04:49 PM

Oh yeah, that looks like she's going to shed. Her eyes are very cloudy.

sophiedufort · 06-30-15, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

Oh yeah, that looks like she's going to shed. Her eyes are very cloudy.

They're not, that's the thing. It's just the flash of the camera reflecting in her eyes. I know what a shedding snake looks like, I have eight of them. She shows no sign of shedding, but that's probably because it's so hard to tell, due to her natural coloring. As I said before, the bright colors only show when I take pictures using the flash.

prairiepanda · 06-30-15, 07:39 PM

The area I circled in red makes me believe she's in shed:

I have noticed that when snakes are in the early stages of their shed cycle their skin picks up flash in a way that makes it look like their old skin is a sort of dry layer on top of the new skin. Not sure if you can really see what I'm talking about, but it's something I've seen in all my pictures of snakes in shed when I've used flash, which hasn't been there on snakes that are freshly shed. Often I can see this effect just looking at them under fluorescent lighting, but in photos it really only shows up when you use flash. I would expect this to be visible on the other areas where the snake is curved, too, but those other curves are out of focus.