An angry Schnitzel

Onyx Cross · 08-07-11, 05:29 PM

So out of fear, I spent 10 minutes just trying to get Schnitzel out of the tank because I changed the screen top to a screen top that has this little "door" like thing that I call a latch...And you can lock it. She was finally okay with it and I had to hold her in my hands when she tried darting across my room, which she was also alright with. But my heart was racing, lol. I don't like being bit... My kitten bit straight through my thumb, through the nail and all about a month ago and it's still healing..
Well, she did NOT want to get into the shed ease bath, but I finally got her in after about 5 minutes of trying. Let her soak for 10 minutes, then softly helped rub some of her shed away, very slowly. She was alright with that also. Took me about 10 minutes to get 40% of her shed off.
Then I tried to remove some of the shed that was closest to her head, about 3-4 inches from her head and she hissed, hissed some more, and a little more, I got a little bit of it off, though.
I decided to let her try to remove the rest of the shed closest to her head after she hissed so loud and fiercely that I was actually afraid again. It really was something I've never heard. I wish I recorded it, it was insane.
So I let her chill for about 5 minutes and then helped her back into the tank with the hook cause there was no way she was gonna like me for awhile. After I got her in and closed the latch, she attacked the screen where my hand went over.
She's only got a little bit of shed along her tail and her head. I say I helped her get about, 75% of her shed off, and she only has about 20% left.

Thing is, I can't tell if the scale rot is getting better or not.. It looks like it is, but I can't be certain.

Another fun fact, I've found some scales that look like the rest of the beige-y scales, but if you look from certain angles, they actually are iridescent! She's got a few clusters of them around her body, about half the size of a dime. (:
I discovered this the other day when she was laying in the light. It looked very nice, wish I could've caught it on my cam but the batteries were dead.

Sorry for such a long, dragged out post, guys. Just thought I'd share a few things! >_<

SnakeyJay · 08-08-11, 10:17 AM

Congrats on getting most of the shed off. When you own snakes you have to accept that your probably going to get bit atleast once if not more eventually. Ive been lucky so far but ive been very close and theyve just missed. Gives you a little rush tho.

good luck with schnitzel.

Lankyrob · 08-08-11, 10:50 AM

Being bit by a cat is much worse than a snake bite (unless you are talking one of the big snakes, retic etc).

One thing tho - the more nervous you are about picking them up the more likely that they will bite defensively, especially coming form above. Most of their predators are falcons of some sort and obviously attack from above so if your hand is hovering above them they are likely to be defensive.

Picking a snake up should be an assertive single movement preferably from substrate level (tho this is hard with a screen top).

SnakeyJay · 08-08-11, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Being bit by a cat is much worse than a snake bite (unless you are talking one of the big snakes, retic etc).

One thing tho - the more nervous you are about picking them up the more likely that they will bite defensively, especially coming form above. Most of their predators are falcons of some sort and obviously attack from above so if your hand is hovering above them they are likely to be defensive.

Picking a snake up should be an assertive single movement preferably from substrate level (tho this is hard with a screen top).

Good catch there rob... didnt think about coming from above. And i'll definately agree with the being calm n fluid with how you pick them up. I fumbled picking up my baby bci when i first got her, this resulted in a hiss and strike.

TeaNinja · 08-08-11, 12:27 PM

also in the future, i'd let the snake try to resolve it first before you try to pull the shed off. i bet it adds a ton of pointless stress. if the humidity was fine, the shed would be one piece. like i said, next time you see him in blue or shed, just myst the HELL out of him allll over until he's nice and wet. do it again later if he dries out and keeps struggling.

usually my bp has beautiful sheds, but his last one the other day was wasn't the best. it started peeling randomly on him instead of him getting the head off and it being 1 piece. i sprayed him abunch, did it again a while later and he got the shed off just fine. it was my fault for not having the humidity high enough.

Onyx Cross · 08-08-11, 03:26 PM

Thanks guys. It's hard to keep the humidity levels high here, but I'm trying. I cover the cage 90% with a wet towel last night just to get it to 80% and then it dropped down to 60%. It's very hard. Schnitzel attacks the glass whenever I try to mist her tank cause she hates getting wet it seems. She hisses and attacks the bottle and the screen and all.

@TeaNinja; I was helping her along because she had been shedding for 2 weeks and I figured it was time to help her out.
She used to have full sheds before the scale rot, when her tank was not regulated whatsoever (before I stepped in and took responsibility for her). The temperature nor the humidity were regulated. She had sheds everywhere and the tank was disgusting. She even had little to no water in her water bowl, the poor girl.

Another question. I have some coconut husk chips lying around. I hear it's safe for use in reptile cages, and it helps maintain the humidity levels. I was thinking about using some after her rot was gone. Would this be okay?

TeaNinja · 08-08-11, 04:12 PM

i personally mix repti-bark and coconut husk shred stuff, but that's just me. tons of people use other stuff. good luck getting him all better.

marvelfreak · 08-08-11, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeaNinja

i personally mix repti-bark and coconut husk shred stuff, but that's just me. tons of people use other stuff. good luck getting him all better.

It doesn't get any better than Reptile bark and coconut husk mix IMO. Holds humidity great.

Onyx Cross · 08-08-11, 04:44 PM

Alright. Looks like the coco husk that my brother left in a ziploc is gonna come in handy.

I guess I'll look around for Repti-bark when I get some money, I'm broke lol.