shed help

archie · 03-25-13, 03:13 AM

hi my female ATB having problems shedding is there anything i can do to help i mist her every 2-4 hours a day i also tried putting her in warm water to help
so any more info would be gr8

Starbuck · 03-25-13, 03:47 AM

give her a day or to to see if it resolves on its own, keep misting etc. If it still persists, you can put her in a moist pillowcase for an hour or so and sometimes the friction from them moving around in the pillowcase is enough to get the rest off. Is it bits and pieces here and there, or the whole shed all together? Make sure she has a big, heavy rough rock or the like to rub against as well.

archie · 03-25-13, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starbuck

give her a day or to to see if it resolves on its own, keep misting etc. If it still persists, you can put her in a moist pillowcase for an hour or so and sometimes the friction from them moving around in the pillowcase is enough to get the rest off. Is it bits and pieces here and there, or the whole shed all together? Make sure she has a big, heavy rough rock or the like to rub against as well.

hi shes shedding in bits i bought her 4 weeks ago she started shedding about 2 weeks ago im more worried about her eyes as they look all crinkeld will it damage her eyes this is the 1st time ive ever had problems with my snakes shedding usally i put them in warm water with a rock and there fine

SSSSnakes · 03-25-13, 06:09 AM

Never put a snake in a wet pillow case. The water blocks the air and the snake can suffocate. Put the snake in tepid water in a smaller container and leave it in there for hours. the shed will either be floating in the water or it will peal off very easily. I don't put any thing in the water for the snake to shed against, because it is not necessary and the snake may use it to keep itself out of the water.

archie · 03-25-13, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

Never put a snake in a wet pillow case. The water blocks the air and the snake can suffocate. Put the snake in tepid water in a smaller container and leave it in there for hours. the shed will either be floating in the water or it will peal off very easily. I don't put any thing in the water for the snake to shed against, because it is not necessary and the snake may use it to keep itself out of the water.

hi thanks i will give it a try

**lady_bug87** · 03-25-13, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

Never put a snake in a wet pillow case. The water blocks the air and the snake can suffocate. Put the snake in tepid water in a smaller container and leave it in there for hours. the shed will either be floating in the water or it will peal off very easily. I don't put any thing in the water for the snake to shed against, because it is not necessary and the snake may use it to keep itself out of the water.

This is also the method I used when my GTP had a bad shed.

shaunyboy · 03-25-13, 07:51 AM

i stick my carpets in a bath then after 5 minutes soaking,i peel the stuck shed off while the snakes still in the bath

i check the water temperature with a lazer temp gun

i will pm you a treatment for retained eye caps mate

cheers shaun

Terranaut · 03-25-13, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

i stick my carpets in a bath then after 5 minutes soaking,i peel the stuck shed off while the snakes still in the bath

i check the water temperature with a lazer temp gun

i will pm you a treatment for retained eye caps mate

cheers shaun

I have only ever had 2 snakes have bad sheds and both were the first shed after I aquired the snake. I used this method both times. Aftermath of my male boas first shed.

bcr229 · 03-25-13, 12:41 PM

We got a rescue ball python last January that had retained eyecaps and stuck shed from bad husbandry. He came out of a house kept just under 70 degrees and very dry, with no heat or humidity controls in his cage and a water dish just barely big enough for a drink, never mind a soak.

Long story short, long warm soaks in a rubbermaid tub helped a bunch. Put the lid on the tub so it gets nice and steamy in there, and leave him for 30 minutes or more at a time.

Also, one of our friends with more snake experience suggested getting some hand lotion from the grocery store. Get unscented, hypo-allergenic generic stuff, it's under $5 for a big bottle. Put some on the snake from neck to tail after his last soak of the night, as it helps keep the moisture in. Just be warned it turns your snake into a greased pig.

nicolerae · 03-25-13, 08:18 AM

My bp used to be a bad shedder. I would soak him in a tub of warm water with shed-ease solution (basically has aloe in it) and i would help rub it off. For eye caps, I removed mine myself. but i DO NOT recommend it for someone who has no experience or doesnt feel comfortable doing so as you can damage the eyes. There are some eye drops you can use that is basically a gel. Im sure someone will suggest it later as I cannot recall the name of it.

Chu'Wuti · 03-25-13, 09:18 AM

Most of the time, I can prevent bad sheds by putting damp long-fiber sphagnum peat moss in the snake's hide; every few hours I redampen it and the snake usually completes its shed in 24-48 hours.

For the worst cases--such as during a remodeling project on our house when I had to move snakes out of their normal habitats--I save burlap bags when I buy rice (10-25 pounds at a time). The weave of the burlap is very coarse, so there's no chance of the wet burlap threads sealing to the point of inadequate air exchange (unlike the pillowcase), and the burlap is nice and rough, so the snake's movement inside the bag helps rub the shed off. I soak the burlap, wring it out some, and put the snake in.

I also check on the snake frequently, and I only do this during the day, NEVER overnight.

It's way easier to prevent a bad shed in the first place by increasing humidity when the snake shows the initial signs of a shed than it is to try to take care of a bad shed. Prevention is also less stressful for both you and the snake.

Good luck!

KORBIN5895 · 03-25-13, 10:30 AM

I recommend fixing your enclosure. I seldom mist my enclosures but I never have a shed issue, like maybe two bad sheds in two years and I keep around 13 snakes. I also don't check my humidity ever.

Lankyrob · 03-25-13, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

I recommend fixing your enclosure. I seldom mist my enclosures but I never have a shed issue, like maybe two bad sheds in two years and I keep around 13 snakes. I also don't check my humidity ever.

This, if the snake is shedding badly then it is dueto an issue with the environment.

You said you usually put the snake in water with a rock to shed? Every time??

If the enclosure is correct then there should be no need to do anything except take the complete one piece shedout of the enclosure.

Terranaut · 03-25-13, 01:40 PM

Putting hand lotion or mineral oil on your snake is a bad idea. Never do this.

rmfsnakes32 · 03-25-13, 02:29 PM

How is mineral oil bad for them? I have used it in the past for stuck sheds and to get rid of mites. Work liked a charm for both cases. It was recommended by my herp vet who has 25 years experience treating reptiles and its non toxic.