Bad Shed Situation - Page 2

Starbuck · 06-09-13, 05:55 PM

Are you saying that you arent providing a bowl of drinking water, because you dont want her to soak in it when she should be soaking in the altered water?

Im sorry but drinking water is MUCH more important to your snakes hydration than a product to help her shed.
If she is going to soak in her regular waterbowl, Thats Fine (at least she is soaking).

If you are really set on using the product, i think you are better off mixing up a bath outside of the enclosure, and soaking her (supervised) for 15 minutes or so once/day.

Deva · 06-09-13, 06:04 PM

No, I put the bowl of "unadulterated" drinking water back in. I put her in the bath with the aloe again this evening, but she didn't want to stay in it. Now I have just checked on her again and she is half in/half out of the "unadulterated" small water bowl.

My point was that she had been soaking in the regular water for some time now, and she still ended up stiff as a board.

Ourobouros · 06-09-13, 07:46 PM

I think the most important thing to remember is if you know your snake well enough to know something isn't right even after doing all that you can.. A vet is your best option. I would honestly bathe the snake once a day and keep up the misting.. Just enough to maintain close today 40% and not to handle it outside of the baths.. It's uncomfortable for them when shedding. Check on the progress of the shed each day.. If no improvement at all after a few days... please seek a vet...

Also... When giving a bath.. If your snake isn't staying in it just use a large tupperware container and make sure she stays in.. You may have to hold her and reposition her body at times and that's okay if you're gentle. I personally made sure my snakes body got fully submerged with the exception of her head.

Concept9 · 06-11-13, 06:44 AM

I may have missed this but have you checked for mites.

Mites can cause dehydration, weaken your animal causing the symptoms above ?

Deva · 06-19-13, 04:41 PM

I realized today that my problems only started when I moved the snake from the small plastic kritter keeper I had her in into a nice big exo-terra terrarium. While I thought she needed all the space, it appears that there is something about it that dried the heck out of her skin. This new terrarium is only about a foot away from the small plastic.

I got to thinking that maybe these milk snakes need or prefer a smaller enclosure or that the plastic holds humidity better. This is my first snake and I just don't know a lot about this.

She is still alive - I soaked her in a small plastic container overnight and then all day today. The skin still isn't off, but I put her back in her old cage with a rock as a rough surface against which I hope she will rub and get some of the softened skin off. She's not moving too much though, not enough to suit me. I hope she survives. It is just a shame that I didn't realize something was happening a lot sooner than I did.

Starbuck · 06-19-13, 04:50 PM

i would put a humid hide in your tank (if you havnt already). This can be made from any appropriately size plastic food container & lid. The container should be small enough that the snake feels secure inside. Cut a hole slightly larger than the snake (1.5 times diameter or so?), and fill the container with moist paper towels, and close the lid. I place my humid hide on the warmer side, but others use the cooler side.

Basically you want to create a microhabitat that the snake can access as needed.

Have you consulted at all with a vet? Since the problem is still going on, it sounds like that may be in order. does your snake still eat?

Ourobouros · 06-19-13, 05:28 PM

I would have gone to the vet by now if not even a little bit of skin has come off...

Deva · 06-20-13, 06:36 PM

Snake has improved a little. She is still soaking in the water dish in the small cage. The skin looks wrinkled and ridged a little like its starting to come off. She is more responsive and moves a bit more.

I had tried the humid hide a couple of weeks ago. She did go into it but did not stay there.

Now her eyes look clear and I think there is not as much stiffness. I have not seen her with her mouth partially open as I had before.

Thanks to everyone for their input. This is a difficult time.

Terranaut · 06-21-13, 05:09 AM

Yet another falls victim to the screen top enclosure.
I only scanned your thread so if I repeat what someone else said or missed something you said I am sorry.
If the snake sits in the water dish all day it is either dry or has mites. I suspect the first. Do you use a heat lamp? If so toss it and get a uth on a thermostat. Those tanks are great for looking at the snake but when you need humidity they can suck. Cover the screen top with either foil or a wet towel. You need to get the humidity up right away. Never put anything in your snakes water. Aloe and shed ease ect is not needed. Water is your friend. Keep it simple and fix your husbandry and your snake will be fine.
Good luck.

Ourobouros · 06-21-13, 07:29 AM

After all this time I STILL think a vet should see the snake

Starbuck · 06-21-13, 01:33 PM

i agree- see a vet. Can you post any pictures of the snake?

Deva · 06-23-13, 11:04 AM

The same conclusion I arrived at Terranaut. All my problems started when I moved the snake into the screen top terrarium. That is why I moved her back to the old plastic kritter keeper. She did fine in there for almost a year - although its way too small for her. She isn't sitting in the water dish now, and I am hoping she will rub this old skin off soon. No more aloe product being used.

Ourobouros · 06-23-13, 01:31 PM

A screen top cage is fine if you modify it, and provide a humid hide. Shed aid works in a pinch if the drying is too much for just water.

It's been 2 weeks... Your snake is still unable to shed.... please get it to a vet. Your snake's health is now at risk and it must be feeling pretty miserable...so I think it's too late to just see how it goes in its old tank...

ErikBush97 · 06-23-13, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deva

The same conclusion I arrived at Terranaut. All my problems started when I moved the snake into the screen top terrarium. That is why I moved her back to the old plastic kritter keeper. She did fine in there for almost a year - although its way too small for her. She isn't sitting in the water dish now, and I am hoping she will rub this old skin off soon. No more aloe product being used.

I have an idea. Stop being stubborn. Go to a vet. Every time anyone here suggests that, you completely disregard it. you don't even acknowledge what they're saying. Your snake could die, if you don't get it help... I recently had one of my animals die. It's not a good experience... I am very sorry to sound like a douche right now, but go to a vet... I have never heard of a snake showing these symptoms for 1 month + some. That's insane. That's like your puppy puking up blood for a month and you post on a forum asking what's going on. Again... I feel like a douche bag for being so straight forward/confrontational, but you really need to put your animal first right now.

formica · 06-24-13, 10:44 AM

agree with the above, 6 weeks is far too long; goto the vet, today