Shed Help

liv2135 · 04-09-21, 07:19 PM

Hi! I have a rosy boa named Louie. He is about 5 months old (born in October 2020) and he is my first snake. He is going through his first shed and we r having some issues. He got the shed off his body in one piece (took him a little while to get it off though) and most of his head is off. He can't get part of the shed off his head though. I can tell he is trying, because he will rub his head against everything (including my hands) but he just can't get it off. He has eaten (and ate incredibly well for him) but he isn't acting himself. He isn't as curious and exploring as he normally is. I really don't want to hurt him and I read that you are not supposed to get the shed off their eyes because it can damage their eyes. However, that is exactly where the last bit of shed is stuck. I helped him a little bit on his nose and the top of his head, but the eye is tricky. I tried a humidity box (just a warm, damp towel in a box) and that seemed to help but not completely. I don't know what else to try and I am getting a little worried. Can anybody help me?

chairman · 04-14-21, 07:27 PM

First, small pieces of stuck shed are not harmful unless they completely encircle a body part. Little flakes, or eye caps, will come off with the next good shed.

If the skin encircles the body then it can cut off circulation and cause serious issues. In this case, provide a humid hide until the skin is shed. Also, soak the snake in lukewarm water for about 15-20 minutes at a time, releasing it in the cage to remove the skin itself. For a soaking container I use plastic tubs, with air holes poked in the lids, that are about 1/4 to 1/2 full (depending on size of the snake). Note: Snakes can drown, so keep an eye on the snake during the soaking period.

Adding a humid hide either permanently or for a week every month should help with future sheds.

toddnbecka · 04-16-21, 01:07 PM

For stuck shed I saturate a towel with warm water, place it into a tub w/out air holes, and put the snake in. Put the lid on and leave there for an hour or two. The humidity wil loosen the shed and it will come off as the snake moves around on the towel. No worries about the snake suffocating, and it works 100% every time IME.