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Clarify a "Blue Phase" Detail Please?

Jujube
03-28-2005, 01:37 PM
My corn is having her first shed, and so I was looking through some old posts for info just to make sure I know what to look for in the event something goes awry. I came across one about the eye caps, but I'm unclear about what's fact and fiction because there were several contradicting posts.

Do the eye caps just turn clear before they shed or do they fall off? Or do the caps come off with the rest of the shed at that time?

She's been in blue phase for almost a week and so I keep looking for signs indicating if she's getting closer to actually shedding (ie.. eye caps). And she's been in her cave the whole time and I haven't seen any evidence that she's been out to get water; I don't want her to be dehydrated. :-/

Oh, and she's a 3 year old adult, so mabye adults stay blue longer??

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

PtDnsr
03-28-2005, 01:43 PM
Do the eye caps just turn clear before they shed or do they fall off? Or do the caps come off with the rest of the shed at that time?

She's been in blue phase for almost a week and so I keep looking for signs indicating if she's getting closer to actually shedding (ie.. eye caps). And she's been in her cave the whole time and I haven't seen any evidence that she's been out to get water; I don't want her to be dehydrated. :-/


It is my understanding that the eyecaps come off with sheds. If you look closely at the shed skin you can actually see the eyecaps that came off. It just took my adult male a week and a half to shed (including being in the blue). Their eyes will clear up before they shed and the one day you'll look in the cage to find a shed skin. Sometimes the eyecaps will fall off of the rest of the shed just to note. As for being dehydrated, you can mist her if you feel that the humidity is not enough. She's probably out getting water at night and you just don't notice it. If you use the search function you can probably find lots of posts to do with shedding or helping snakes to shed.

~Katie

JTGoff69
03-28-2005, 01:44 PM
They will actually clear up and appear normal looking a couple of days before they shed. The skin splits at the mouth and they crawl out of it eyecaps and all. Check the shed skin afterwards to make SURE the eyecaps were shed and the tail tip.

Serpwidgets
03-28-2005, 01:48 PM
Yeah, adults will take longer to go through their shed cycle. When they clear up, you will be able to see a "double layer" effect to their skin, like the picture below.

http://cccorns.com/Collection/FlakeCollage.jpg

The eyecaps should come off with the rest of the shed. The main thing to watch for on corns is the tip of the tail. Some of them will retain this, especially if it is too dry. This would be an indicator that you should add a "humid hide" next time. :) If it is retained after she has finished shedding, just moisten it to get it softened up so it's easy to remove. (Some of them do this no matter what, though, and you'll have to check every time.)

Jujube
03-28-2005, 03:42 PM
Wow.. thank you for all the quick replies and for the pics! Where I live, ambient humidity is usually 70-80% for most of the year so I'm betting (and hoping) that humidity won't be an issue for her. Now that the details are clarified, I'll try to sit back and (calmly :rolleyes: ) wait for her eyes to uncloud... I've read so many posts of people worrying about their corn's first shed and now it's happening to me. :p Oivey.

And I'll be sure to double check that her eye caps and tail shed came off. Thanks again!

peep_827
03-28-2005, 03:59 PM
Jujube, don't worry too much. When Monty went blue the 1st (and only so far) time with me he scared me to death. He was in a tube that I didn't know to split, I tipped it and he slid out into my hand and was all limp! His eyes were clouded and I honestly thought he had died. Then he moved a little and I realized he was "blue". I put him back in his viv and he slithered back into the tube and stayed there for a couple days, I didn't see him at all. Then he came out and shed, and has been fine since. I read they could be lethargic before they shed, but he really scared me!

Jujube
03-28-2005, 09:41 PM
That's a big relief. I had the same scare this afternoon when I went to check on her and she would hardly move! It freaked me out because she's usually very responsive. I took her hide out to get her to move a little and she immediately went to the water bowl and drank for 5 straight minutes. Thank god. I was really getting worried because there was ZERO evidence she ever came out at night for water. After she had some water, she perked up a bit and crawled up her branch and around for a minute or two before retiring to her cave again. :rolleyes: At least she's okay. And her eyes have cleared up! I think I can relax now.. silly snakey.