Shedding....but not

[TrpnBils]

I'm a little confused. I've had Mojo since Feb 20th and he hasn't shed yet. Within the past week or so, I've noticed that he's got single scales peeling up on his head, but that's about it. I haven't seen his eyes go blue (although I was home last weekend for 2 days...how long do they stay blue?). Anyway, I'm a little unsure of what to do, if anything. I thought he should've shed by now... any thoughts?

 

[Taceas]

We were discussing this in chat a few nights ago. A few of my snakes have been doing this same thing for a week before they ever turn blue, and another lady's snake was doing it as well. One of mine is breeding age, the others are hatchlings or yearlings.

We'd never seen it before, and don't understand whats going on environmentally that would be causing it. The sheds are normal, and complete..but the peeling scales is definitely weird. And I think there are enough instances of it that doesn't point towards head-rubbing. Only one of my snakes has a stick that could cause such a thing, the other two are in tubs with just a smooth styrofoam hide and water bowl.

Anyway, I did snap pics of the most prominent "curly hair". Hopefully we can figure out whats going on betweenst us.

 

[Arkwright]

I wouldn't worry too much at the moment about the length of time between sheds. My most recent corn didn't shed for 7 weeks after getting him.

You have to remember that snakes shed because they outgrow their old skin. It could be that he simply hasn't grown much since you got him. Also he may have shed just prior to getting him. Did the person you bought him from keep shedding and feeding records?

With regard to the single scales, they could be remants from his last shed that are still working their way loose. This can sometimes happen and isn't of great concern. If he has any unshed skin around his tail that potentially can be a problem as it can cut of circulation as he grows.

Make sure he has a water bowl big enough to bathe in and keep an eye on his general well being. If he seems happy and isn't showing any signs of illness then just let him be, he will shed when he's ready!!!!

Hope this helps....

The more exeprienced owners on this forum may have more to add or indeed may have a different view, so read all replies and you should get the answers you're looking for...

 

[TrpnBils]

You have to remember that snakes shed because they outgrow their old skin. It could be that he simply hasn't grown much since you got him. Also he may have shed just prior to getting him. Did the person you bought him from keep shedding and feeding records?

I was thinking about this...the people I bought him off of didn't keep records as far as I know, and they were only feeding him 1 hopper per week. He's about 36 inches long, and I've upped him to 2 hoppers. Some people think I should be feeding him 1 adult, but other people with similar-sized snakes on this forum are feeding theirs less, so I think I'm just going to continue what I'm doing til I run out of hoppers here in a couple weeks. He's definately put on some weight though (I'll weigh him later tonight to see how much exactly) since I got him, so he should be growing.

 

[Arkwright]

At 36 inches I would say he's approaching the size to be taking an adult mouse....

Try him when you run out of hoppers, but down be suprised if he doesn't take an adult mouse readily, it can be a bit of a shock for some snakes. Just stick with it....

 

[TrpnBils]

Update: I weighed Mojo again tonight and he's at 200g, which means he's put on about 25g in the past month, so he's growing. I still haven't seen his eyes go blue, but the checkers on his underside are very dull tonight, so I half expect him to shed sometime soon. Maybe there is something to this scale-peeling thing right before a shed?

 

[TrpnBils]

Finally....Mojo went blue today

 

[Serpwidgets]

I've had males get a thin, clear, shiny upper layer of scale "peel off" and stick out. Almost like when the top layer of a fingernail splits off. They were males and during breeding season, during any part of their shed cycles, so I had wondered at the time if it was possibly something hormonal... basically like the corn version of acne. :shrugs: Didn't seem to harm them though, so I stopped worrying about it.

 

[Adamscorn]

Good news TrpnBils, it's such a relief when they do what you want! I got mine at Xmas and she didn't shed until a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to some good advice from people on here I realised that she wasn't eating enough. Upped her food and a week later she shed. Not all in one piece but it was all off.

Before she shed she was flaking off scales, just some clear flakes would be on your hand and clothes when we had been handling her. Very strange. She is fine now and eating like a pig.............. :grin01:

 

[TrpnBils]

2 eyecaps and 1 tail....looks like it went well

 

[Bandit]

Arkwright is right -- the single scales flaking off are remnants from the last shed. I have also encountered this before and it is nothing to worry about. When a snake enters a shed cycle the first indications are it usually becoming solitary and hiding out. At this time the eyes will begin to cloud over or look bluish, the general overall coloration of the snake becomes a little bit lighter or faded. This stage lasts for about 3 days on average. The eyes will clear up during the next stage and the color will appear normal or slightly darker (especially in darker colored snakes). This stage will last from 2 to 5 days and ends when the snake goes through a complete shed and the colors will all return to normal.

If the snake does not shed it's old skin in one complete piece then the humidity is too low in the vivarium and it needs to be bumped up for the next shed, or until all of the old shed has come off. You also have to inspect the shed and make sure it is complete. Have both eye caps come off? Has all the skin come off of the tip of the tail?

A screen top on the vivarium makes it a little harder to control the humidity and keep it up around the 80 to 85% humidity it should be for a proper shed. One way to over come this is to place a moist towel over a good portion of the screen or do what I do -- make a moist hide and place it in the vivarium for the snake. All my snakes get their own moist hide for the shed cycle and all of them use and have complete sheds.