Snake shed recently but seems about to shed again

LtTawnyMadison · 05-11-20, 08:16 PM

Hi, my daughter's 9yo corn snake was usually shedding once a month (since we got him about a year ago) but then hadn't shed at all yet in 2020 until about 2 weeks ago. (We're going to start keeping a log). But it seems like he's already about to shed again. Last Sunday he didn't eat, and he hasn't come out for a few days now. He's under his warm-side hide and he looks very dull. I'm just not sure that he's actually getting ready to shed or if something else might be wrong, so I'm trying to find out whether we should be worried. The temp and humidity is OK, and when I checked on him he lifted his head and seemed alert.

One thing I just thought of -- last Sunday when my daughter tried to feed him she accidentally left the lid off. A couple of hours later we heard something fall and went to investigate, and very luckily saw him on a shelf of her bookcase. Now I'm hoping he didn't hurt himself somehow. He seemed fine at the time.

BlackKing Nacho · 05-13-20, 01:53 PM

snakes can go sometime between sheds. older snakes will shed less then young snakes. so he completley shed 2 weeks ago? did you find the actual shedded skin? only reason he would be shedding again is mites or something of the sort bugging his skin. IF you found shedded skin 2 weeks ago and hes deff going into shed ( blue stage would be the best marker) then I'd take him to see a vet if i was you.

LtTawnyMadison · 05-13-20, 06:46 PM

Yes, he shed his entire skin. Thanks for the input.

I just now took a photo of him. His skin does look very different than I've seen it before - though when we realize he's in shedding mode we usually leave him alone until he's done, so maybe it always looks like this when he sheds.

Here is the photo I took just now, and another one of how he usually looks. https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...Lm?usp=sharing

chairman · 05-13-20, 08:32 PM

Your daughter has a good looking corn snake.

Based on the picture, the snake is in shed. The snake will look like that for a short period of time, return mostly to normal in terms of color, and then shed. Now is the time to make sure the humid hide is humid so the snake can shed easily.

I really don't keep track of when my snakes shed. That said, we just exited a breeding season for corn snakes. Many corn snakes will refuse to eat around this time of year and shed cycles can get thrown off "schedule." Snakes can shed frequently because of health issues but the pattern of shedding that you described doesn't mean there is a health problem. If the snake is eating and behaving normally then I wouldn't be too concerned.

As far as the fall goes, corn snakes are known to rob nests in the wild. Woodpeckers will damage the tree below their nests so the sap makes snakes, like corn snakes, fall from the trees before reaching the nests. I'm not saying that a snake never gets injured from a fall but they're pretty tough little creatures. I doubt the snake was injured during its little jaunt on feeding day.

Just keep an eye on the snake, and maybe track its weight if it stops eating, but it should be fine.

BlackKing Nacho · 05-13-20, 08:38 PM

i agree but with caution. you can watch his eating, behaviour, but if he does continue to shed in very short time frames....better to be safe than sorry.

and colubrids stop eating in the winter season, rare in captivity (ive had colubrids for 20 years). sometimes even when sick they will eat.IMHO not eating is not the BEST hint if a snakes sick or not. they can eat when they have mites, they eat with scale rot. it all depends on the snake. yes some snake will NOT eat when sick, but i had a cali king with a nasty parasite, and he still had his voracious hunger.

LtTawnyMadison · 05-14-20, 07:47 AM

Thank you both. We'll start keeping a log and if it stays frequent (or there are other signs of an issue) will see a vet!

LtTawnyMadison · 05-21-20, 04:22 PM

So (s)he shed on Sunday, and there was what looks like an egg stuck on the outside of the shed skin!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d4A...ew?usp=sharing

chairman · 05-21-20, 08:02 PM

I'm going to say he's a she. You can post a picture of the underside of its tail, from the vent to the tip, and we can probably confirm sex based on a combination of tail shape and scale count.

What she laid is referred to as a slug. Slugs are eggs that don't fully develop. I would expect to find more in the cage. If you don't see any more in the next couple days then I'd consider going to a vet and getting an x-ray. It is expensive but a scan would let you know if the snake has additional slugs that it cannot pass. Failure to pass slugs is fatal. Vets can either give oxytocin or surgically remove any stuck slugs/eggs.

BlackKing Nacho · 05-21-20, 08:41 PM

ah man is that ever good news. that explains all her wierd behaviour. female snakes sometime lay eggs even when not mated. i would listen to chairman and wait to see if anymore eggs are passed. she MAYBE could only lay 1 but not likely. get an xray if she doesnt lay at least 2 eggs.

LtTawnyMadison · 05-22-20, 08:43 PM

Thank you guys!!

LtTawnyMadison · 05-24-20, 10:04 PM

I looked today and found 10 more slugs in her cage! (Is there still a question it's a female so I should post a pic? No, right?)

chairman · 05-25-20, 02:33 PM

Glad she passed more. 11 slugs would be a normal sized clutch so you may be good. You could still post a picture of a side profile of the back end of the snake. If there are any additional slugs then they'd be visible, much in the way that you can usually tell when the snake is about to defecate. But, in general, I'd say she's sorted everything out now.