BP shedding troubles..

moongooddess319 · 03-11-05, 01:10 AM

My BP is 1 year old this month. He seems to be having difficulty shedding. He's got most the skin off with the exception of some around his head and on his head, including one eyecap.

I've given him a couple of days as well as some warm water soaks, but he hasn't gotten the skin off on his own. I also used a preoduct called shed-aid by zoo med, which is supposed to loosen the skin. Since he hasn't done it on his own I'm figuring I'll have to help him out.

The problem is he is very very head shy. Most of the skin is on his head. I am wondering if anyone can offer some tips to remove the unshed skin with minimal possibilities for stress (the snake) or biting (me).

Thanks alot!
Diana

BornboreD · 03-11-05, 01:33 AM

A few things you could try......

Put him in a rubbermaid with a damp towel overnight.

Put him in a rubbermaid, with an inch of luke warm water, overnight.

Just keep misting him directly once or twice a day.

Double check your husbandry. Your ambient humidity may be too low. It also helps to mist the snake daily, from the time they go blue until they shed. Are you by chance keeping him in an aquarium with screen top?? You might want to look into a rubbermaid enclosure.

Hope this helps.

Colin

moongooddess319 · 03-11-05, 04:11 AM

Hi!

Thanks for the advice. He is in a glass aquarium. I have half the screen top covered with saran wrap (something I used to do to help humidity in my hermit crab tank) and I mist the enclosure every few days. I also mist him daily when he's about to shed, but it didn't help this time.

I am moving him to a rubbermaid as soon as I can. I will try putting him in with a damp towel overnight to see if it helps. Should I leave something in there (driftwood, branch ect) for him to rub against and should I keep a heat lamp directed at it?

Thanks!

BornboreD · 03-11-05, 05:25 AM

The damp towel should be fine. Just rubbing against that should be sufficient. I dunno about putting the heatlamp on it but, you should definately try to keep the rubbermaid at least within' the 85-90F range.

Colin

HeatherRose · 03-11-05, 09:40 AM

Heat lamps have been known to dry out air...

Have you actually measured the humidity in your tank? This way you could see if the saran wrap is actually doing anything. I tried saran wrap over a temporary hatchling enclosure (kritter keeper) once upon a time and to be honest it didn't do anything. Hygrometers are only 5-7$, it might be in your (and your balls') best interest to get one

Good luck.

nita · 03-11-05, 12:26 PM

Are you using an Under Tank Heater for heat regulation or a heat lamp? If you are using a heat lamp that would explain the poor shed like Heather said they dry out the air. When your snake is coming into shed put in a tupperware container that is filled with damp sphagnum moss, place it on the warm end of the enclosure and you should have no problem sheds.