Mystery Shed

[MyMitchie]

Hi Guys!

Yesterday I checked on my Spotted and he looks just about ready to shed. Hes been dull and milky for 4 days now and last night he looked like he was about to shed. This morning I looked at him and he looked like he had shed BUUUT there was no skin? So has he shed? I have searched the whole entire tank, pulled everything out and inspected it and cannot for the life of me find it!

 

[phatty]

maybe he ate it ???

 

[blakehose]

That's because he hasn't shed yet They will go milky when the oils are excreted under their skin, when it has seperated the new from the old they look normal again. They then shed the old skin when they feel like it!

 

[Albino93]

Normally the whole process will take about a week depending on the snake, ill estimate that ur spotted should shed in a day or two from now.

 

[MyMitchie]

Wow that's cool as! Thanks heaps guys, very informative!

 

[thomasssss]

you will know when its shed , they are really shiny and smooth looking the black shows it well looks like its polished

 

[Holly35]

See snakes when they go into blue thier eyes will trurn blue after 3 days they will go back to normal and after 3 moor days they will start to shed all of that skin off and no snakes don't eat thier shed Iam only being a smart pants.

 

[thomasssss]

and no snakes don't eat thier shed Iam only being a smart pants.

some species have been known to , bhps are one from memory

 

[CaptainRatbag]

you will know when its shed , they are really shiny and smooth looking the black shows it well looks like its polished

Nothing better than a polished snake, I reckon


If he hasnt shed in 3 days.... panic!

Until then.... patients is your friend

 

[caliherp]

See snakes when they go into blue thier eyes will trurn blue after 3 days they will go back to normal and after 3 moor days they will start to shed all of that skin off and no snakes don't eat thier shed Iam only being a smart pants.

Not all snakes eyes go opaque. GTP's heads swell up but there eyes don't turn blue.

 

[Holly35]

Caliherp your right and not being stupid but I did not know that GTP's heads swell up!! I think that is really cool lol.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Not all snakes eyes go opaque. GTP's heads swell up but there eyes don't turn blue.

This is not quite true. Swollen-head syndrome happens in many species, but isn't common - I have seen it very rarely in my greens, and only occasionally in other species. GTPs do go milky, but it is often hard to see, and you will notice the change in skin texture rather than colour - they tend to look more wrinkly.

And don't panic after 3 days of the snake looking normal prior to shedding - they're far more flexible than that, and sometimes it can be a week or more, especially if the weather is cool and they don't want to move much. If they were warm-blooded like mammals, they would be running to a much tighter schedule, but as they are subject to the vagaries of their own choices of temperature at any given time, it is not predictable when they do what they do.

Jamie

 

[borntobnude]

Not all snakes eyes go opaque. GTP's heads swell up but there eyes don't turn blue.

If you were as pretty as a GTP your head would probably swell too:lol:

 

[caliherp]

This is not quite true. Swollen-head syndrome happens in many species, but isn't common - I have seen it very rarely in my greens, and only occasionally in other species. GTPs do go milky, but it is often hard to see, and you will notice the change in skin texture rather than colour - they tend to look more wrinkly.

And don't panic after 3 days of the snake looking normal prior to shedding - they're far more flexible than that, and sometimes it can be a week or more, especially if the weather is cool and they don't want to move much. If they were warm-blooded like mammals, they would be running to a much tighter schedule, but as they are subject to the vagaries of their own choices of temperature at any given time, it is not predictable when they do what they do.

Jamie

Are you saying your chondros eyes go blue? I have never seen this in a GTP. Do you have any pictures? I know there skin has a blue tint when in shed, and I know they get wrinkly. Also my chondros heads always swell when going into shed.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

They do go smokey, more than blue - the colour change is subtle, and sometimes it's barely evident, and I believe this is because GTPs have pale eyes - it's far easier to see the bluish colour of an impending shed in a snake with dark or black eyes, such as Womas and BHPs. GTPs have a very thin epidermis - you'll notice that the shed skin is very fine compared with many other species. I believe the smaller amounts of chitin in a GTP skin accounts for its generally greater transparency. This is consistent with them living in areas of high humidity - snakes that live in hot dry places have a thicker epidermis to reduce the loss of water through the skin.

The swollen-head thing happens occasionally with any species, I haven't heard of, or observed it being consistent with any one species in particular.

Jamie

 

[caliherp]

One of mine is in she'd rite now. And has been for about a week. I look at him every day, I haven't noticed any change in its eyes. Putting a little thought into it, you are right. There eyes would have to change at least a little, or else they wouldn't shed eyecaps.

 

[Darlyn]

See snakes when they go into blue thier eyes will trurn blue after 3 days they will go back to normal and after 3 moor days they will start to shed all of that skin off and no snakes don't eat thier shed Iam only being a smart pants.

My BHP ate his last shed. Yummo!

 

[thomasssss]

Caliherp your right and not being stupid but I did not know that GTP's heads swell up!! I think that is really cool lol.

one of my womas does it from time to time as well ,the most recent shed got rather swollen i originally freaked out , lucky for aps and its great members like jamie (pythoninfinite), for helping to set my mind at ease

 

[Gonemad]

Mowgli (Gtp) went through shed on 27th oct and now lighten in colour milky appearance again it's this normal to shed so quickly? I never notice head swell but did notice the milky eyes?

 

[MyMitchie]

He shed at the early hours of the morning today! Nice big shed measuring at 86cm!