PDA

View Full Version : She hasn't shed yet--should I be worried?


She hasn't shed yet--should I be worried?

NewCornGirl
02-12-2012, 03:18 PM
I've had little A.J. for two months now, and so far she hasn't shed yet, and I'm a bit nervous. She's doing great otherwise--eating two pinkies every six days, drinking water, and pooping like clockwork every three days. She's six months old, and growing, too--she started out at 15 grams when I first got her, and now she's 26 grams. She seems to be behaving normally; she's very curious when I hold her and is getting used to being handled. But I'm worried she hasn't shed yet. Her colors don't look dull or anything--she's a candy cane, so it's kind of hard to tell. Should I take her to the vet? Is this something I should worry about? Any help will be much appreciated!

NewCornGirl
02-12-2012, 03:21 PM
Oops--forgot to add her cage temps! The hot side is 85, cool side is 75, and I try to keep the humidity between 50-60% with daily misting; with the heat on now it dries the air out something fierce, so I need to mist sometimes twice a day. I make sure she has plenty of clean water, too. Please help! I'm a nervous new snake mom!

bitsy
02-12-2012, 04:10 PM
Does her skin look "odd" in any way? Wrinkly, pinched, scruffy, uneven or peeling?

If not, and she's eating and pooping normally, then I wouldn't worry.

Temps sound exactly right, as long as you're measuring them at floor level with a digital or infra-red thermometer.

Lennycorn
02-12-2012, 09:50 PM
Oops--forgot to add her cage temps! The hot side is 85, cool side is 75, and I try to keep the humidity between 50-60% with daily misting; with the heat on now it dries the air out something fierce, so I need to mist sometimes twice a day. I make sure she has plenty of clean water, too. Please help! I'm a nervous new snake mom!

What type of gauge are you using digital??? Cause I'm more concerned about scale rot than a bad shed.
just sayin'

HeavenHell
02-12-2012, 11:58 PM
Seems a bit odd. My young snakes tend to shed after every 8 to 12 feedings.
I wouldn't be misting daily. It's a snake not a gecko :)

niki_g
02-13-2012, 12:15 AM
I would make sure that your hygrometer is working correctly. If it's one of those cheap ones, they are totally unreliable. You don't want to put the snake at risk of respiratory infection or scale rot.

I have a snow that hasn't shed in months. She's eating fine, temps are good, humidity is good, etc. She's even growing. Nothing else seems wrong. I've talked to several people about it including a vet, posted a thread, and everyone tells me not to worry about it. She acts perfectly healthy. One breeder I know told me that it happens sometimes to his snakes in the winter, and then they begin to shed normally again in the spring.

Sounds like you could be having the same thing. Or she's gonna shed tomorrow and prove that you're paranoid :)

NewCornGirl
02-14-2012, 10:03 AM
Thanks for the advice, everyone! Her skin looks perfectly smooth and shiny, not wrinkled or scrunchy looking. I'm using two digital thermometers, the ones made by Zilla. The warm side one has a built-in hygrometer, so that's how I'm monitoring the humidity--it goes as low as 43% if I don't mist--so that then makes me nervous and I mist. If this isn't an accurate thermometer/hygrometer, is there a better one you guys can recommend? I also think I'll invest in a temperature gun. What's an accurate one to use? Right now I'll keep a close eye on her. I'll do anything for my cute little corn!