My red-tails skin seems dry and stiff, HELP

BIG SCOTT · 07-17-02, 10:07 AM

Recently my Red-Tails skin has seemed kind of dry as some of the scales seem bent back and when I pick her up my hands just don't glide over her scales anymore the scales get caught on my hands. Know scales are coming out or anything . I just want to know why this might be happening . I'm pretty sure nothing is to wrong her because she is always moving about her cage and is always flickering her tongue in the air. I know snakes will not eat if they are sick or feel bad and she ate yesterday. Her skin has been like this for about 2wk's now. I thought maybe she is getting ready for a shed as it would be about the right time. I have never misted the cage on a regular basis and thought that maybe not enough humidity could be the problem . Anyway if anyone could help me i'd appreciate it.

Thanks, BIG SCOTT

Darren Hamill · 07-17-02, 10:43 AM

Sounds like she's about to shed Scott. Just make sure she is well hydrated.

Have you ever had a problem with mites before? Mites can cause the same problems. They crawl under the scales of the snake causing the scales to lift. They will also make the eyes become puffy from congregating around them. Can you see small black mites about the size of a pin head on you're snake?

cross · 09-04-02, 02:23 PM

i had the same problem with my redtail ..he was 8 weeks old and he started 2 get dry and stiff ..so i put him in water every night 4 a week it would go away ..but i would just come back .so he started 2 shed ,and i figured taht he was just in a peg ...but .....he was half shed ...and i found him in his water dead ....i have no clue why his cage temp was always 90-95 ...he was eating regular ...so i hope yours dont kick the bucket .....oh ya he was almost a salmon too!!!

J.J. · 09-04-02, 03:28 PM

maybe you could call the local vet or something?! Huh, i am really stumped on this one, but ,maybe if you do get ahold of the vet, he will probably schedule you for an appiontment. Well, i hope all turns out ok!!! bye bye!

09-04-02, 05:43 PM

One way to help up humidity is to put an appropriate sized hide half filled with moist spagnum in the box, the environment inside the hide will be plenty high in humidity. Mine use it often and seldom deficate in it (unlike the waterdish, don't think my female Bco has gone outside of it in a year) so keeping it damp is the only regular thing.

dilwann · 09-30-02, 11:19 AM

Do you have anything small enough for your snakes head to fit into but not big enough to fit the rest of the body throu. I had some mesh around a light fixture and my snake tried to fit into it but could not fit so it backed out and bent some scales out and felt dry.