sheding

[pythomaniac]

hello my diamond python started to shed 2 weeks ago but it neck and head is the only thing left it has been like this for over a week is anything wrong?

[Rennie]

Get a tub of just-under-luke warm water (slightly cool to the touch) and soak it for half an hour or so then assist it to remove the leftover skin (don't touch, or at least be very careful, around the eyes as you can do serious damage if you remove the new layer). I find a wet face washer/towel does a good job, just wrap it around and let the snake slide through it whilst applying a little bit of force, just enough to grip the old skin without annoying the snake too much. Once it has flaps of (well soaked) old skin hanging off, gently peel it all off.

Alternatively just soak then put it back to let it rub itself on its furniture.

[dellywatts]

Yeah what Rennie said. Also sometimes it helps to get luke warm tea towel and wrap the snake (loosly) in the tea towel and place it back in the enclosure. It should use the tea towel to help rub the skin off.
Soaking in luke warm water is probably the best though.

I noticed that you wanted info on diamonds. You've probabyl heard this all before but the best advice i can give you is to not have a temps to high. I have mine with a thermometer near the thermostat(in the middle) and a thermometer under the heat lights. The one in the middle says 25-26 during the day and the one under the heat says 28. The cool end is usually about 24ish. In summer my heat is on a timer and turns off at over night. I also have uv on a timer for 4-5 hours a day. When i dotice that jake is gonna shed i usually add a water bowl and raise the humidity to help him shed.

[Inkslinger]

I use the wet bag method ,after soaking snake in warm water with a couple of drops of fabric softner for 5 minutes, soak a pillow case squeeze excess water out place anumal in bag, place the bag on a safe flat surface, do not leave the animal unatended and encourage movement inside the bag.
This usually does the trick.

[Rennie]

Inkslinger just remineded, a reptile vet told me to put weak camomile tea in the water too but plain water works aswell and so might fabric softener (I just haven't tried that).

I've tried the wet bag method aswell but didn't like it because I found, in cooler weather when its less humid and mine seemed to have more trouble shedding, the bag cooled down very quickly. It works fine though at getting the skin off, the snake just crawls around trying to get out, soaking and rubbing the skin off itself

Some other thoughts: Have you got a water bowl big enough for the snake to soak itself in?
Have you got plenty of furniture (rough surfaces like branches are good) to climb and rub on?
You could also try putting the water bowl a little closer to the heat or covering some of the ventilation if there is a fair bit, to create some more humidity.
These things could help your snake shed by itself and save you this extra hassle.

[Inkslinger]

The Fabric softner was told to me by a Reptile vet in Camberwell Melbourne, in cooler weather you can put the bag back in the tank, and not a wet bag so much as a well rung out one. Calico works well.