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Bad First Shed

Skittlez
03-23-2005, 12:27 AM
My baby corn snake has been having trouble with his shedding. After his first couple feedings I noticed his eyes a little cloudy. He began his first shed and everything appeared OK. The first half came off with no problem. The second half from his mid-section to tail never came off. Three weeks later he began to shed again from his head and down a little. After 2 weeks of not eating I knew he was uncomfortable. He did finally eat a pinky and I noticed he is a little happier. I have him in a 20 gallon long tank with half wood chips and half green habitat turf. He has 2 medium size sticks. Any tips on helping him shed? He appears to be VERY dry. Should he be moist or slimy or can i dribble warm water on him to help? I recently made a small moist house for him. The pet store told me to use a small container with holes and loose, moist bushy moss. He's yet to go in on his own, its been 10 days. PLEASE HELP ME. Thank you very much. :)

thelyonsking
03-23-2005, 09:34 AM
Take a soft moist towel and let him crawl through it in your hands, that may help get some skin off. Don't pull the skin off! I would also go ahead and really increase the humidity in the viv this time since he's had/having problems. I did this for a bad shed by placing several moist paper towels in the viv and then misting often. I also put a cover over about 3/4 my screen top to keep the moisture in. He really needs to get that last half off soon, as he grows it can constrict. The pet store may also have some shedding aid spray. Thats the depth of my knowledge to now, so if that doesn't work, one of the other "senior" members will definitely have some ideas. Also, once he's ol, the next time he clears from blue, I'd suggest upping your humidity a bit and providing the moist hide.

Good Luck!

MegF.
03-23-2005, 09:44 AM
Are you saying that the shed never came off, and you didn't get it removed? Does he now have 2 sheds going on top of each other?? You need to get him moistened and the old skin off, or you're going to have a dead snake.

PtDnsr
03-23-2005, 10:13 AM
That old shed needs to come off and soon. I had to help one of my little guys once. He couldn't get it off by going through damp towels so I actually had to hold the shed for him. I just held the shed to his sides and let him do the rest. He knew exactly what to do, just needed help holding his skin because there was nothing for it to attach to (plus he had eaten again already). Whatever you do, make sure that the shed is wet or damp when you're attempting this. I had a bowl of water in front of me when I did this that I kept soaking him in so that it was loose and would make it easier to come off. I let him do the work as well - I did not pull anything off. I don't know if anyone else has ever done this or would recommend this - he's always been a problem shed though and wouldn't cooperate any other way - and my experience with problem sheds is limited to him. Try the paper towel idea first but that shed needs to come off regardless. It will eventually constrict him so that he dies. Keep us updated on what happens.

~Katie

Jujube
03-23-2005, 11:52 AM
I figured I'd ask in this thread since my question is quite similar to the original one. I've had my corn since Feb 10 and she hasn't shed yet. Her scales started dulling about 3 weeks ago and she's had a papery texture for the past week and a half. I haven't seen her eyes go cloudy at all. She gets feed once a week an adult sized mouse (25 grams or more) and she's eaten every meal without problems; she's 3 years old and 40" - 45" long. I thought adults still shed roughly every 4-5 weeks.. but this is definitely getting beyond that time frame. Should I be concerned or do you think she's okay?

MegF.
03-23-2005, 01:24 PM
My coming 2 year old is shedding less often than that, and adults shed even fewer times. I wouldn't be real concerned.

joypassion
03-23-2005, 03:02 PM
My corn is having problems also. I have tried raising the humidity, bathing him and even the shed ease at the pet store. His scales are raised and sometimes his eyes look cloudy and other times they look normal. I can see sometimes when he is curled up the loose, dry skin waiting to come off. I have a moist towel in his viv and he will rub against it but still no luck. I am not sure what else to do or try. Unforunately, at the same time I am trying to fight of mites! Anyone have any more advice or ideas on how I can help??

Jujube
03-23-2005, 03:12 PM
My coming 2 year old is shedding less often than that, and adults shed even fewer times. I wouldn't be real concerned.

Ahh.. that's a relief. Thank you. Do you know how often adults shed though? That way I can keep track of her cycles and know when I should be properly worried. :p

Skittlez
03-23-2005, 04:29 PM
That old shed needs to come off and soon. I had to help one of my little guys once. He couldn't get it off by going through damp towels so I actually had to hold the shed for him. I just held the shed to his sides and let him do the rest. He knew exactly what to do, just needed help holding his skin because there was nothing for it to attach to (plus he had eaten again already). Whatever you do, make sure that the shed is wet or damp when you're attempting this. I had a bowl of water in front of me when I did this that I kept soaking him in so that it was loose and would make it easier to come off. I let him do the work as well - I did not pull anything off. I don't know if anyone else has ever done this or would recommend this - he's always been a problem shed though and wouldn't cooperate any other way - and my experience with problem sheds is limited to him. Try the paper towel idea first but that shed needs to come off regardless. It will eventually constrict him so that he dies. Keep us updated on what happens.

~Katie
Thanx for all the good ideas. I will first start with covering 3/4 of the screened lid. Humidity seems obviously very important. Also, I'll try some moist paper towels for a day or two to see if anything changes. If all else fails, I will try holding his shed with moist paper towels as well, and let him try to wiggle off his shed, because he just started his 2nd shed beneath his neck and I am very concerned. I will definately post the results ASAP and thanx again everyone...

ozone
03-23-2005, 05:47 PM
Skittlez,

You may also wish to add a second bowl of water on the warm side of the viv to further increase the humidity - this has always worked for me. Covering the screen lid (even completely) to reduce escaped moisture was an essential tip as well. This typically increased my viv's humidity by about 8-10% and the snake would respond with a good shed within a day or so.

Also, I once had a vet who owns 12 snakes herself recommend the following course of action...although I've never tried it myself, and I don't know how the experts on this forum would respond: She said to place the snake inside a clean, wet sock (like a large athletic tube sock), then let the snake squirm around inside the sock for 20-30 minutes at a time. Repeat a couple times per day as necessary.

Any experts wish to chime in on this 3rd party suggestion? Any real chance this could do more harm than good? Secondary sheds on top of old sheds seems like something that calls for extra measures such as this. It sounds like her second shed is starting at the neck instead of the face, so more trouble may be on the horizon.

Joejr14
03-23-2005, 07:11 PM
Ahh.. that's a relief. Thank you. Do you know how often adults shed though? That way I can keep track of her cycles and know when I should be properly worried. :p


Snakes shed based on one thing--their growth. If you feed the snake a lot, it'll grow more and thus shed more.

You have an adult. Dont be surprised if it takes 2 months or so between sheds.

Rosebear
03-24-2005, 02:35 AM
Also, I once had a vet who owns 12 snakes herself recommend the following course of action...although I've never tried it myself, and I don't know how the experts on this forum would respond: She said to place the snake inside a clean, wet sock (like a large athletic tube sock), then let the snake squirm around inside the sock for 20-30 minutes at a time. Repeat a couple times per day as necessary. Any experts wish to chime in on this 3rd party suggestion?
Hmmm...sounds sensible, and I may try this. Legoless shed the last time rubbing against my flannel nightgown. It had just enough friction for him to get started good.

Skittlez
03-25-2005, 09:45 PM
I'm posting to let everyone know the status of my baby red corn snake. I took on many of the tips for the humidty, and ways to help him shed. The extra bowl of water in the hot side of the tank worked well, along with the idea of covering 3/4 of his tank. (Since I have a heat lamp for him through the screened lid.) I noticed within 1 1/2 days humidity was higher in the tank. After that I took a very wet, warm thick hand towel and layed him between and just let him wiggle and work his way out. And wouldn't you believe it.. the next day I came home from work to find that he shed an ENTIRE layer of skin, (his 1st really). So he looks great, I know he's feeling better and everything couldn't have worked better. Thanx again Ozone! :)

ozone
03-25-2005, 11:44 PM
Great news Skittlez! glad it worked out.

oldhand
03-26-2005, 07:12 AM
Good 1 Skittlez glad it worked out ok.

Next time s/he goes blue put the extra water bowl in and spraytwice once a day to get the humidity around 40%, it works for me and you ONLY need to do it for a week.

thelyonsking
03-26-2005, 08:36 AM
:crazy02: Woo Hoo! Great!

PtDnsr
03-26-2005, 09:49 AM
That's awesome! Congrats :cheers:

~Katie

kocorns
03-26-2005, 09:55 PM
I have had to help several of my snakes shed over the years especially babies. Most of the time they get a good start and uncover thier head, but have troubles with the rest. I will give them at least a day to try to get it off themselves, but then they usually seem exhausted, so I grab my spray bottle and sit down with them and spend some bonding time. I wet them and just hold them awhile and let them slither through my hands as I keep wetting them, then the skin will usually loosen up and start to come off as them are slithering in my fingers. It's crazy, but I really think they apprieciate my help, they seem to give me a look (ok maybe I am weird, but I see it) that says thank you. They usually are easier to handle in the future to if they were at all aggressive. Anyway, I enjoy the bonding time with them.