Egad we just went through a little stressful moment. Last night, checked on Martha & saw that her underside didn't look right. To me it looked like a tomato that just starting to show it's age (that dehydrated wrinkly type). She hadn't turned blue like she usually did. I told my son to spritz her tank (he has not been on the ball with this lately) & of course found out today that he hadn't.
This morning I go check on her (didn't know yet he hadn't sprayed) & what a sight it was! Poor Martha looked like she had been a victim of a preschool prank where they'd smothered white glue on. You know once it dries? Her head had started the shed (caps were there) but she had been struggling to try & shed so it was all ripped up making her look like a tattered mummy!
I got get tub ready with water & towel & immediately put her in there & after a long drink & a poop she went to work at rubbing herself all over & under the water & towel. We had a lot of sneezing. After 20-30 min I was about to come on here for some help as that shed was not coming off & she seemed stressed. So just before leaving her, I tried rubbing her (gently) to try & see if my skin would have enough friction to help her & it finally did after a few tears. It would tear when she'd flex & go big but then she went small & all of a sudden the skin started to peel off!
My god it was like helping giving birth! She seemed to know I was helping & she squeezed through my fingers & I let her do all the work. I just made sure that when we came to a shredded/broken part, I'd get the skin going again. And it looks like it all came off! The belly (shed) had already been all shredded up. But best of all, the tail was a perfect shed!
I brought in a day lit bright room to check her out & we took some shots. We then weighed her & poor thing has lost weight since her last weigh in. She's now 61g. (was 66g on surgery day & 67g when the accident occurred) We put her back in her tank & offered her a pinkie. Took a bit, she wanted us to present it & wiggle it for her (we'd dropped it at one point & she just starred at my son & the tongs. It was kinda funny actually). We'd turned the hide on it's side & we accidentally dropped it in there after & she went & had a good little snack of it.
We'll offer her another in a few days? I'll be glad when she's back on hoppers & shedding properly.