shedding problem on head.

[Missy]

hey all
i know there are millions of topics on snakies not shedding fully, but im a little stuck here.

my 7 year old male, scales, shed 2 nights ago in pieces (which i dont understand as his humidity was 55) however as i cleaned it all out i noticed that i hadnt seen his eyes or his head part of his shed, i always check to make sure they have shed their eye caps at least but could not find it.

i had a good look at him and he had not shed the very tip of his nose and had a teeny tiny bit of skin hanging off. you know the bit inbetween their eyes, it still looked dull, so i bathed him a bit and went to bed as it was late, today ive had another look and it looks like it has come off now, but i still cannot find the piece of shed anywhere, he definitely did not shed it when i bathed him either, i could not get it off, its quite a sensitive part and did not want to anger or stress him at all. however the tip of his face still looks a bit dull but not as much as before. to the point now as im rambling. lol, what should i do for him or with him without stressing him out? hes such a dosile snake.

thanx for any replies in advance.

 

[Missy]

ok he defnitely has a bit of shed left there, ive tried soaking him and its not working, i dont want to harm him. shall i just leave him to it and let him get it off in his own time or is a vet needed?
please anyone with any info would be great.
thanx.

 

[PtDnsr]

I'm not an expert on shedding but since it can't cut off circulation on any body part I'd wait until the next shed and watch him carefully, making sure he got it all off. As for the eye caps, I've had them fall off the shed before I got to it so they could be in the tank somewhere. The experts may disagree but I thought I'd give it a shot for you.

~Katie

 

[MegF.]

I've missed parts of sheds, especially parts of the head when it gets mixed down into the substrate, or trapped under their rocks or branches. I don't think it can cause any damage on his head since it's not like their tail where constriction can cause necrosis, so I would just provide a moist hide and let him rub it off himself, and then see what happens next shed.

 

[Missy]

ok thanx very much will certainly do all that.

 

[bigpops22]

These are all good sudgestions, however I have seen cases where sheds have not gone that well and the owner has waited untill the next shed. It was not pretty, the area where the snake could not get the skin off itself has rotted. I would sudjest so this does not happen to try soaking him then trying to peel it off very gently. If this does not work, stop doing this and maybe go see what a vet has to say.

 

[Chip]

Don't worry, be happy (just keep a close eye)

I, too, have waited until the next shed... nearly every time. Even with an eye cap. If, by the next shed, it doesn't come off; get a roll of blue painter's tape. It is made to be fairly adhesive, but not leave residue or pull paint or wallpaper. (Read, sticky, but not too sticky. And doesn't leave bad goo behind)
Press this onto the area that stays (yep- even an eye), and the dead skin will usually come right off. An hour in a box of wet, warm paper towels, followed by manual removal works well, too. Good luck, and don't worry too much. I seem to get such an issue a few times a year, and have never had a problem persist. I worry most when it's a high strung snake! :eek1:

 

[MegF.]

The only place I've seen necrosis is the tail, where constriction of the part takes place. A section of skin staying on that doesn't ring the area (the head in this instance) shouldn't cause necrosis. My amel has a scale that didn't shed completely on his head right now, but I'm certain that it will on the next shed. He was pretty beat up the last one from roaming so much in his viv during breeding time. He just didn't shed everything.

 

[Missy]

thanx all for your replies, i have also spoken to a professional corn snake breeder and he seems to think it'll be safe till next shed.
i think if by his next and it still hasnt come off i'll take him tot he vet.
big pops22, as great as your information sounds i dont think id be able to do that myself, im not a steady handed person, lol, so the vet would be the best thing for him.
thanx again all

 

[Missie]

hey missy, thatnks so much for making that post, im actually experiencing the same thing right now and just searched the forums to find a relevant post to whats goin on with my snake, Nova. She has a small piece of skin just where the head meets the neck. I put her in a moist hide and everything, and let her slither in some wet paper towel but still no luck gettin that piece of skin off. i think i may try giving her a bath, and then just peeling it off?? could this be harmful at all? it looks although it will come off quite easily but then again, me pulling it off will make her angry, she hated me even trying to rub it off with a wet papertowel. if i still have no luck, i will try waiting until the next shed and hopefully it comes off then

 

[E. g. guttata]

An odd thing I had happen with my female (this was when she was a wee fuzzy-eater) is that she shed everything but one small little 2-scale wide ring around her neck. A feeding or two and a shed later, it came right off. Worried me a bit when I first saw it though.