Bad Shedding

[rodentrancher]

Hi folks our girl MD is having her first shed since the winter cooling. Only the head part has come off, and the skin has only gone about 2 inches along. It seems very dry and is not coming off. She seems to have given up trying anymore. Any suggestions for the best way to help it come off please? I don't want to pull it as it might hurt her and make her bleed. Should I give her a nice tepid bath and help it off this way? Cheers and thanks in advance, Cheryl

 

[mckellar007]

give her a soak for 15 mins, then handle her with a towel and let it rub off onto that.

 

[rodentrancher]

Ok, thanks for that. Will just wait for other half to come home so he can give me a hand. Cheers Cheryl

 

[Kyro]

Just a little tip Rodentrancher, add a tiny,wincy squirt of washing up liquid to the water so it doesn't just bead on the scales. A reptile vet told me to do that when soaking reptiles & it definately is more effective.

 

[funcouple]

a warm bath should do the trick. it seems to be abit of a problem at the moment with sheds. ive talked with a few people that have all been having the same problem. ive moved my water bowls closer 2 the heat lamps. that increases the humidity in the enclosure. ive also started misting all my snakes once a day. since ive been doing this all sheds have been complete and in 1 piece

 

[geckoman1985]

get some skin shead spray form your pet shop it works wonders

 

[rodentrancher]

Hmmm! Skin shed spray eh? Don't think our local food and fodder come petshop has that stuff? Anyway gave Emdee a good soak, and that didn't work - only just got the message re the detergent.
Well it started to come off in pieces, so got out the Olive Oil. Dabbed it on her where it looked the driest and then the rest of the skin came off ok with help. Cheers Cheryl

 

[Crazy_Snake08]

don't bother buying stuff. just a soak in a tub and then towel her will be fine.

 

[Tatelina]

Just a little tip Rodentrancher, add a tiny,wincy squirt of washing up liquid to the water so it doesn't just bead on the scales. A reptile vet told me to do that when soaking reptiles & it definately is more effective.

Huh? What do you mean? *is confused*

 

[rodentrancher]

don't bother buying stuff. just a soak in a tub and then towel her will be fine.

That didn't work, so dabbed a tad of Olive Oil on her. Worked fine. Thanks Cheryl

 

[Crazy_Snake08]

That didn't work, so dabbed a tad of Olive Oil on her. Worked fine. Thanks Cheryl

that works too

 

[Helikaon]

That didn't work, so dabbed a tad of Olive Oil on her. Worked fine. Thanks Cheryl

it works fine if you do it properly. i would rather not be putting olive oil all over my reptiles. when a little more patients is all that is required. i dont even use detergent because it will disperse all the oils in the snakes skin. just water , a bit of time and a damp towl.

 

[Tatelina]

it works fine if you do it properly. i would rather not be putting olive oil all over my reptiles. when a little more patients is all that is required. i dont even use detergent because it will disperse all the oils in the snakes skin. just water , a bit of time and a damp towl.

Patience is the key.

 

[rodentrancher]

Now no-one mentioned that the towel had to be damp did they? That might have helped me a bit more. The reason I used the Olive Oil was that we had been trying to get the skin off for half an hour or so and poor Emdee was getting a tad stressed out about it all. Only small pieces of the skin were coming off at a time. I didn't swamp her with the oil either, I'm not that silly. And then I wiped it all off later anyway. Cheers Cheryl

 

[Helikaon]

Now no-one mentioned that the towel had to be damp did they? That might have helped me a bit more. The reason I used the Olive Oil was that we had been trying to get the skin off for half an hour or so and poor Emdee was getting a tad stressed out about it all. Only small pieces of the skin were coming off at a time. I didn't swamp her with the oil either, I'm not that silly. And then I wiped it all off later anyway. Cheers Cheryl

the steps are these.

1. soak the snake for 15 mins,
2. dampen a towl
3. let the wet snake crawl through the towl, you cna hold the snake with the towl and let it crawl through if you like. this should take the skin off in one piece

4. if skin is to stuck repeat steps 1-3

 

[wokka]

Let the snake do the work by putting in a damp course weave bag. As it crawls around inside it will rub the old skin off

 

[Troyster]

it is possible the snake may be a little dehydrated too,try as mentioned letting her soak for a bit but also turn off any overhead heating only leaving a heat mat on as to warm an enclosure can make the shedding skin sticky and hard for the animal to remove on its own

 

[Maddi]

Problem with shedding

My female coastal carpet born the 03/03/2008 had a really funny shed on the 27th of december 2008. Since I have had her since july last year she has never had a bad shed.

Now when I have tried to feed her she just licks it and then goes to strike but it looks to me like she has no concept of what she is trying to strike at and then she just gives up.

She has a little piece of dry skin above her right eye and I am thinking she did something to her eye when she shed last.

Anyone ideas of suggestions would be great. Have tried three times to feed her and all have been unsuccessful. Its is disturbing for a snake that loves her food...

Thanks for reading and your advice,

Maddi

 

[Wild_Storm]

There was a thread recently about a similar problem. Apparently a wet pillowcase in a TINY amount (5mm depth only??) of water helped the snake...

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes/help-with-shedding-please-99741