Shedding Help

[Fuscus]

Just watched one of my babies shed. And she seemed to have a hard time so I hung on to the old skin so she could put herself out of it. I do have things in the cage that she could have used to snag the skin but they didn't seem effective.

Does anyone intentionally place shed "helpers" into thier cages and, if so, what do you use?

 

[sxereturn]

If I have the snakes tubbed, I throw in a rough rock.

 

[BROWNS]

I have a reasonable sized rock in all enclosures for shedding purposes.

 

[Ella]

If by "helpers" u mean things like rocks and branches, yeah I used to have both but he never used the rocks. What sort of branches do u have? Maybe they're not rough enough for her. Also the humidity may be too low. Did u spray her? Thatz all I can think of, the obvious stuff but hey, I'm just starting

 

[Fuscus]

I have rock but she ignored them. But they are a bit smooth.

 

[womas4me]

I use ' shed elves ' . Handy little buggers. Seriously we have rocks with dips, ledges, spiky bits, and cut up logs with snags on them. Seem to work. We have had one manage to use the smooth side of a water bowl somehow!!!!

 

[sxereturn]

Also I wouldn't suggest helping an animal shed unless you have soaked them for a minimum of half an hour. If they haven't produced enough fluid beneath the new and old skin to help them seperate, you can cause some pretty nasty damage.

 

[stockeh]

a good volcanic rock always does the trick

 

[cwarren72]

There isn't any problems with helping them slough. Dry areas won't really do to much damage although if it doesn't come away with the rest of the slough then you will need to keep an eye on it. I have various sized an shaped branches in my enclosures and have never had any trouble with mine. I also often assist them with their sloughs as they will only slough when there ready.

 

[Guest]

whatched mine the other night rubbed his nose on a rock so it came off yawned a few times thin rubbed really hard against the glass and it started to come off then he went in the branches the result a perfect shed

 

[Slateman]

I agree with sxereturn. Be cureful if you are helping snake to slough. I did saw few sore snakes by forced skin removal. The injury is usually not fatal or serious, but can be avoided.

 

[Fuscus]

Please note that I did not force the shed, all I did was hang on to the old skin and let her crawl out on her own accord. Humidity in that enclosure is rarely below 60% ( I do monitor the humidity ), it gets sprayed about once a day and has a container of spagnum moss at the hot end. There is a major spray once a week that drags the humidity to over 90% and a large water bowl in the cool end.

The shed came off in one piece and (this is for the poomeister) she sh*t in the skin.

I'm fairly certain I did the right thing the right way.

I'll get some rough rocks for the next round.

 

[stockeh]

i have often held on to them and let them crawl out... it just saves them having to get the skin snagged on something thats all easier on everyone i think and doesnt hurt or stress the snake in anyway, thats only in my experience though

 

[zoe]

my snake started his shed on newspaper only once...took longer than usual but it can be done!

 

[ajler]

Sheding help

I normaly find the shed skin hanging off her tree branch like a christmas decoration, but today she just rubbed her nose on the news paper substrate and peeled right out clean as a whistle . I am sitting here trying to carefully unravel it it,s still damp it looks like a a a watchamucallit?

 

[zoe]

a shed skin? :lol:

 

[craig21483]

my stimson has alot of trouble sheding, coming off in pieces. But I came home the otherday to a full shed, one piece. I was proud of her.

 

[ajler]

Sheding help

Umm yep thats what I was thinking of :roll:

 

[Greebo]

I got a good tip off the vet the other day.
Scrunched up balls of wet newspaper in the enclosure when you think they are due to shed. I tried it on my sick snake and it worked a treat.

 

[Artie]

I?ve just followed that advice as I?m expecting one of my snakes to shed in the next couple of days or so.
Anyway, it definitely bumped the humidity in the enclosure up by a few points.