Hoggie Shedding questions...

janicemarie29 · 10-17-05, 09:17 AM

I have a 3 year male, Hogg Island Boa. I bought him about 2 1/2 weeks ago. The first time he ate for us, he turned blue that same day. Then the blue cleared up, and he still hasn't shed. Yesterday he ate again, and turned blue again. Is this normal?

hbwright · 10-17-05, 12:10 PM

Doesn't sound normal. Usually their skin gets dull and cloudy followed by the eyes clouding for a short period of time (a few days) and then they will clear for another short period of time before shedding. I find it odd that his eyes clouded up again. Interested in hearing if anybody knows why this would happen.

When you get your guy settled in please share pics.

janicemarie29 · 10-17-05, 01:44 PM

It's not that his eyes have clouded, his skin is blue. All dull but bluish. I was wondering if it was a shedding thing, or if it's stress related. Maybe I should take pics....

janicemarie29 · 10-17-05, 01:46 PM

I know that normally, it's the eyes clouding over that people refer to as going blue. It's his skin that has gone the blue colour. I'm worried if it's stress. and his temps are fine, he's not cold.

hbwright · 10-17-05, 01:58 PM

Usually the skin clears up as well. Yes, the skin does turn dull and kind of grayish, I guess it could be called blue in some ways. When a snake goes into shed there is a secreted oil that lays just beneath the skin that is about to shed. This causes the dull, opaque look in both the body and the eyes. The eyes clear and usually the skin does too and within days (in my experience 3 days) there is usually a shed. Keep your humidity up while in shed, up to 70% is good and a good mist a few times a day is good for them. I'm betting you'll get a shed really soon. A new environment is stressful but eating is a good sign and as long as your temps and humidity is fine then you should be fine.

After thought.....don't hold much weight to this. Hogs are not supposed to need as much humidity as colombians but I'm sure wouldn't hurt, especially in shed.

BTW.....Always a good idea to take a new snake in for a vet visit and fecal check. And if you have other snakes then it is a good idea to quaranteen in any case.

janicemarie29 · 10-19-05, 01:36 PM

In my experience with snakes, they usually dull, and when the dullness disappears, and they are starting to look shiny, is when they will shed. This process in full usually takes about 5 days. My question is about the hoggie looking dull, and bluish, then clearing up, and then a week later, turning all dull and blue again. We've had him almost 3 weeks, and he started what I thought was his shed process about 2 1/2 weeks ago. He eats fine because his eyes are not cloudy. His temps and humidity are fine. This particular snake is just over 3 yrs old. Do older snakes take longer to shed?

TheSnakeMaster · 10-20-05, 09:28 PM

So all the bady is blue or only part oh it?Take some pictures next time and post here.That I am thining that can be some cyanosis. Cyanosis may be caused by lung problems when not enough oxygen is getting into the bloodstream, or by circulatory problems.So maybe the pray after eating press too much lungs ot some big veine.Feed some very small prey next time and see if that will ocuur again

Vlad