Woma - first bad shed

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frankgrimes

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Hi everyone - I have a female Woma, approx. 18months old and have recently moved from Goldcoast to Geelong due to work - She shed today, and it was bad (big pieces of skin left all over her)....this is the first shed she's had since moving(And the first bad one)

Would the humidity change be the cause? If so, do I need to place a larger water dish in her enclosure?

I placed her in a warm/wet pillow case for ~15 minutes, and removed some of the remaining shed - but there is still a fair bit left....nothing on her tail or head...assume Im just going to have to repeat the pillow case treatment a few times until all the old shed is removed?

Cheers.
 
Yes, humidity could well be a factor.
Have you changed the set-up or water bowl or it's placement?

Placing a larger water bowl in her enclosure will probably help.
Yes, you should keep trying to get the rest of the unsloughed portions of. Make sure that you keep your snake warm though, as you don't want to give it a chill at this time of year. Damp and cold are a bad combination.

In future, keep a close eye on when a slough is due and I suggest that you spray your snake gently with warm water regularly leading up to the slough. The best time for this is during the peak warm time of the daily cycle and towards the early stages, so that it has time to dry out before lights out (evening cool).
 
You can half-fill a click-clack (maybe a 5L plastic food storage container with a firm-fitting lid) with luke-warm water and place the snake in that for an hour or two. The skin will either come off while the snake is in there, or be very easy to remove when you get it out. It will do no harm to the snake whatsoever, and is usually a bit quicker than the pillowcase method. It's also easier to place the tub somewhere warm - the enclosure maybe - for that period of time. Occasionally a snake may be a bit overactive for the first few minutes, but it will quickly settle down and just lie there with its nose out of the water until you get it out.

Bad sheds are usually no big deal, and sometimes happen for no apparent reason.

Jamie
 
Yes, humidity could well be a factor.
Have you changed the set-up or water bowl or it's placement?

Placing a larger water bowl in her enclosure will probably help.
Yes, you should keep trying to get the rest of the unsloughed portions of. Make sure that you keep your snake warm though, as you don't want to give it a chill at this time of year. Damp and cold are a bad combination.

In future, keep a close eye on when a slough is due and I suggest that you spray your snake gently with warm water regularly leading up to the slough. The best time for this is during the peak warm time of the daily cycle and towards the early stages, so that it has time to dry out before lights out (evening cool).


Cheers for the reply.

Setup is identical to how it was when in QLD

re removing the remaining skin, I was a little concerned about leaving her in the pillow case for too long, as it got cold quite quickly...Is it ok to leave her in there for 15min?

Also, regarding humidity change (QLD->VIC) - I would have thought there would be very little humidity in there natural environment?(ie desert)?

Im going to get a larger water bowl today, and will spray as you have suggested leading up to next shed - Cheers.
 
Snakes from drier areas would usually find somewhere of suitable temperature and humidity to spend the pre-shed period. Womas are often found in dune country, so I would guess they utilise the burrows of other creatures to shelter in during this time. You don't have to dig down too far to find a lot more moisture in the soil than there is at the surface. 15 mins is probably not long enough - if you don't want to soak the snake in a tub, just place the damp pillowcase containing the snake in a tub and put it in the enclosure. Make sure the pillowcase is not dripping wet or the snake will have trouble breathing. I would leave it in there overnight.

Jamie
 
Is this the sibling to mine from deebo?

Mine had a bad shed just after moving from VIC to QLD I put him in a click clack half filled with water and put it on a head cord to keep the water at 28-29 degrees. I think it was more a stress, dehydration thing after being freighted. That was the only time he has ever had issues. He was fairly stressed after the move even though his set up was the same.
 
Is this the sibling to mine from deebo?

Mine had a bad shed just after moving from VIC to QLD I put him in a click clack half filled with water and put it on a head cord to keep the water at 28-29 degrees. I think it was more a stress, dehydration thing after being freighted. That was the only time he has ever had issues. He was fairly stressed after the move even though his set up was the same.

Yep - sibling of yours from Deebo....she's going great (Apart from this shed)...Ive given her a "bath" earlier this morning, and got most of the old skin off....Ill have to give her another one later today.

Cheers.
 
Hi Everyone - Just an update to this, she has had 2 additional sheds since the first "bad" one, and each one has been "bad" also....She's got a much larger water bowl(Since the first bad shed)....I unfortunately have to travel to QLD for a week every few weeks, and both subsequent times she's shed while Ive been away (So missed the opportunity to spray her with warm water leading up to the shed).

Any suggestions? It's like shes shedding when she isnt really ready to shed?

Cheers.
 
I would reduce ventilation myself. Because you now live in a cooler part and it is winter your heat will be on more which will tend to dry out an enclosure. Hot air is capable of holding more moisture than cold air so what happens is cold dry air enters the bottom vent of your enclosure and is heated where it can take on moisture and then it leaves the top vent of your enclosure.
 
Thanks - Shes in a 1200 long reptile one(Suburra 1200?) enclose (Only has one top vent, that runs the length of the enclosure but is probably only 10cm "wide" which I have a 900 long light), all other sides are wooden(Apart from the front sliding glass doors)....so you think putting towels/something in the remaining mesh are will help?

She fed yesterday (But was very lethargic about it)....not her typical - immediate strike, coil hard and then swallow.
 
I would try covering some of the vent to see if that helps but also now your snake is showing other signs so maybe keep a close eye on behaviour and eating.
 
Ok - Another update - I purchased a hydrometer, and it's reporting the humidity at low 20's when the ducted heating is running in the house (Which is all day)...Im going to purchase a bigger water bowl(Ive already covered some of the vent at the top of the enclosure) - hopefully this will bring the humidity up...
 
Good stuff [MENTION=35142]frankgrimes[/MENTION] , I have thought that naturally they would have low humidity in the wild and someone stated that they overcome this by heading underground to seek moisture. If you are unable to overcome the problem by raising the humidity then you could possible mimic the wild and provide a moist hide similar to what is provided for snakes to lay eggs in with a sealed plastic box and sphagnum moss. Good luck.
 
Put the water bowl directly under your heat source and see what that brings the humidity up to.
 
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