help??

Lamarchemallow · 10-16-14, 06:22 PM

Hey everyone,

So the other day I took on the care of a previously abused kingsnake. I'm told that when her previous guardian got her she was starved, dehydrated and very skiddish. The guy that I got her from managed to get her to a decently healthy weight again, but was pretty clueless about how to care for her in every other aspect. For example he was using aspen chips as a substrate, took away her hides because "what's the point in owning a snake if I can't see it?", admitted to leaving live mice in her tank for days, and up to 2 weeks at a time, because he didn't like taking them out, and has her in a tank so small she can touch her mouth to her tail wrapped around it. This is all fixable, and things thay I'm working on, but the most pressing issue is that the shed on the tip of her tail is so built up that shes losing scales around it. After all she's been through already I would love if she could keep the tip of ger tail. So my question is has anyone dealt with shed this badly built up before? And if so, how should I go aboit getting it off with the least amount of discomfort to her? Any help is appreciated!

**EL Ziggy** · 10-21-14, 10:40 AM

Welcome and best wishes Lamar. Have you tried soaking her in warm water to see if the stuck shed will come off? I've also heard you can take a damp towel and hold the snake as it moves through the towel. Keep us posted.

**Aaron_S** · 10-21-14, 11:16 AM

Pics are needed.

Very likely the tail may need to come off if the tip is beginning to die.

Lamarchemallow · 10-22-14, 12:46 AM

I've tried a few things but the more I look at it the more I thinkshe's going to end up losingn it as I don't see a non painful way to get it off. I'm im bed at the moment so ill take a picture tomorrow so you can see the severity of it.