Woma Incomplete Shed

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I recently bought two yearling womas and have found one of them as not completed a full shed. I managed to remove the last bit left on the end of the tail, but the bottom of the head still has a piece from the mouth to the neck which seems to be stuck fast.

I've let it soak for a while, used some herp-shed spray and increased the humidity in the click clack until condensation has formed.

Are there any vets local to the Hornsby area in Sydney, or experienced keepers in this issue who could assist?

Thankyou
 
Can't help with the vet down your way, but retained shed is usually relatively easy to get off. A good soak in warm water for 30 mins or more (might need heatmat to help keep water warm) generally will have the skin fall off, or it will slip off easy when you intervene. You have done everything, there isn't much more that can be done to help skin come off, that I know of, anyway. Provide a branch or something rough in his click clack that he can rub against, when shedding.
 
just soak him for a while then gently peal it off. you shouldnt have any issues.
 
I've let her soak for several hours and slowly, piece by piece, some of the skin is coming off. Still more to go. I have a pretty good idea the humidity where she was raised was not at all enough, and it seems she has had shedding problems before looking at the tip of the tail.

She is so incredibly placid, like she knows I'm trying to help. Had her in my lap the other day while I was sitting in the sun, and she crawled just inside my sleeve, curled up and went to sleep for a while.
 
Be careful raising humidity that quickly and that high (until condensation forms). Womas are not snakes that generally live in areas where humidity is that high and you could be risking RI in my opinion.

Personally I don't get all that alarmed if one of my snakes doesn't have a complete shed, especially at this time of the year. Unless it is an eye cap that hasn't shed or the unshed skin is constrictive around the body of the snake, either leave it, try soaking if you want or moving the water bowl closer to the heat lamp to raise humidity a little bit or yo can try some 'shed-ease' spray.

I have a male woma that is doing pretty much as you describe right now and did the same last winter, he gets it off eventually and I haven't had any problems.

WillyShed.jpg
 
I've let her soak for several hours and slowly, piece by piece, some of the skin is coming off. Still more to go. I have a pretty good idea the humidity where she was raised was not at all enough, and it seems she has had shedding problems before looking at the tip of the tail.

She is so incredibly placid, like she knows I'm trying to help. Had her in my lap the other day while I was sitting in the sun, and she crawled just inside my sleeve, curled up and went to sleep for a while.

what % do you think womas should be kept at then?
 
Are you asking what % humidity? Put it this way I don't see the need to artificially raise the humidity above what is naturally present in the atmosphere, you can be almost certain that the humidity levels in most woma enclosures will be higher than what they experience naturally.

If you have a look at their natural range most of it is desert and subsequently humidity is not high (Tanami desert, which comprises a large Woma range, averages between 10% & 20% humidity).
 
Are you asking what % humidity? Put it this way I don't see the need to artificially raise the humidity above what is naturally present in the atmosphere, you can be almost certain that the humidity levels in most woma enclosures will be higher than what they experience naturally.

If you have a look at their natural range most of it is desert and subsequently humidity is not high (Tanami desert, which comprises a large Woma range, averages between 10% & 20% humidity).

That was my point i dont see the need to raise humidity for womas especially to high levels where condinsation forms on the side of enclosure "sorry for the baiting but i was curious what he considered to be correct levels for womas" I think raising humidity that high would cause more probs than a sticky shed
 
That was my point i dont see the need to raise humidity for womas especially to high levels where condinsation forms on the side of enclosure "sorry for the baiting but i was curious what he considered to be correct levels for womas" I think raising humidity that high would cause more probs than a sticky shed

No worries, I agree with you.

The av. humidity in Brisbane is about 66% and compared to the av. humidity in the Tanami of between 10-20% it's fairly big increase just on that basis, when you start getting into Far North Qld av. humidity levels are even higher.

Av. humidity for Mount Colah is 69%

Anyway it's a valid question that KingSirloin asked, and if you don't ask......
 
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Try to put your animal in a wet pillow case turned inside out, it normally does the job pretty well.....
 
No worries, I agree with you.

The av. humidity in Brisbane is about 66% and compared to the av. humidity in the Tanami of between 10-20% it's fairly big increase just on that basis, when you start getting into Far North Qld av. humidity levels are even higher.

Av. humidity for Mount Colah is 69%

Anyway it's a valid question that KingSirloin asked, and if you don't ask......

your totally right about it being a valid question ,Only think it would be better asking before he went lifting humidity that high, to get condinsation on glass my enclosures need to be around 90 to 100% "WAY TO HIGH "
 
I was basing my opinion about the humidity it was being kept in on reading material about problem sheds and the 'possibility' the humidity was not high enough, and the advice to raise it or spray mist inside the enclosure.

I have 6 other snakes which have not had a problem with sheds, so this also led me to believe that 'perhaps' the woma's home enclosure was dry.

Most books and articles don't cover an animal's humidity requirements like they do with the temperature. Humidity requirements are not often spoken of, except in the case of problem sheds and respiratory problems.

I've given the snake a new bedding of shavings, with two water bowls, one it can soak in if it wants and one smaller one over the heat mat. I'll give it another bath tomorrow and hopefully remove the last of the skin. I've also provided it with one of those spongy sanding blocks to rub against until I can get some enclosure decroations.
 
I was basing my opinion about the humidity it was being kept in on reading material about problem sheds and the 'possibility' the humidity was not high enough, and the advice to raise it or spray mist inside the enclosure.
What % humidity are you getting now?]
 
Don't have any clean rocks available at the moment, and the humidity is much reduced now, no condensation but I have nothing to measure it right now. There is still skin under it's mouth so I might have to give it another bath.
 
:shock:buy a humidity meter ,raising humidity when you dont know what level it was to start with is pritty risky if you ask me,its like raising the temps without having a thermometer how can you know :?
 
what % do you think womas should be kept at then?


I have several womas and live in the middle of the desert. Humidity levels are typically low - sometimes in the single digits - and I've never had any shedding problems. I keep a water container in the enclosure at all times but other than that, don't do anything to raise the humidity.

I do have to watch my Stimpsoni during the colder months (curious as typically the humidity is higher during these months) as they sometimes have incomplete sheds during the winter. If they do, I put them in a wet pillow case for an hour or so and give them a hand.

Mean relative humidity levels in Alice Springs by month (at 3pm)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Monthly Average
22 25 24 25 33 35 32 25 20 20 19 21 25

Sorry about the justification.
 
the one time Loki had a bad shed i had a shower with him and rubbed paw paw ointment into his skin, worked a treat without the risk of RI,...
 
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