Is my BP dehydrated?

[Darrell_Winfield]

Well, I tried to get her shed off last night and I am now convinced that it is indeed a stuck shed. I soaked her for a bit while I was cleaning out her habitat, then wet a pillow case and gently placed her in. She wasn't very excited about any of it, but when I was done soaking her she already looked and felt much better! Her shed is still stuck, but it is obvious that it is a stuck shed there is definitely her shed peeling off the top of her head. I'm going to try more soaking and the pillow case method again tonight.

In the meantime, she has a humid hide that I hope she will discover some time today and utilize. Thank you all for being so helpful and quick to respond!

[Zincubus]

Zincubus,

How much water should I use? Also, is an air-tight container a concern?

Well apparently they can hold there breath for some time but I guess it will vary from snake type to snake type .

I have one or two old plastic snap-on-lid containers . Put a few air holes along the top edge and then fill it 90% full . ... add snake and snap on the lid and leave it for 30 minutes . The top 10% of the container allows it to have its head above water if needs be but mine always seem happy enough to just chill on the bottom after they realise that they can't escape

After the soak I get a soaking wet towel and just feed the snake "endlessly" through the towel .... so when it's head pops out put the towel over its head again and keep letting it go through your hands for a few minutes . Any loose shed comes off on the towel and even if there's no shed to come off they look cleaner , plumper and just healthier IMHO .

The first time I tried this was a few years ago when I had a Royal that hadn't eaten for two months , she suddenly looked all dull and wrinkly . I posted something about her on the forum and was told that she sounded dehydrated and soak her ....
After the soak she immediately looked better , back to normal in fact AND better yet she ate the very next day after an 8 week gap !

[seanmcginnin]

What I personally do and I have snakes with a stuck shed or just having a hard time shedding is putting them in a sterilite tub or a Rubbermaid tub with warm water. Of course something that's not to too hot or too cold for the snake also will leave them in there for about an hour. I don't put any air holes or anything in it because it'll hold the humidity a lot more. Any time I've had snakes who have a hard time shedding or stuck shed after doing that a couple of times most of the skin will come right off.

[seanmcginnin]

Depending on the size of snake will obviously depend on what size Tub to use. I will only personally Fill it maybe 20 to 30%. Obviously completely depends on how deep the tub is that you're using.

[Darrell_Winfield]

Well all, I must thank you greatly! I tried soaking her last night and tried the pillowcase method for an hour or so. When I pulled her out she was slightly upset (as was expected) but obviously still retaining her shed. I used my spray bottle (that was cheap, Eric, thank you!) to moisturize her habitat and put her in for the night. I went to look at her this morning and found two small pieces of shed near where she was sleeping, but couldn't find any more so I assumed that she still hadn't shed. I picked her up to examine her closely. Lo and behold, her entire shed had slid off and was only attached by the tail cap. i removed her shed and the cap, and she is very healthy and happy. Thank you all!

[Eric Alan]

Well all, I must thank you greatly! I tried soaking her last night and tried the pillowcase method for an hour or so. When I pulled her out she was slightly upset (as was expected) but obviously still retaining her shed. I used my spray bottle (that was cheap, Eric, thank you!) to moisturize her habitat and put her in for the night. I went to look at her this morning and found two small pieces of shed near where she was sleeping, but couldn't find any more so I assumed that she still hadn't shed. I picked her up to examine her closely. Lo and behold, her entire shed had slid off and was only attached by the tail cap. i removed her shed and the cap, and she is very healthy and happy. Thank you all!

...and they all lived happily ever after! I love a story with a happy ending.

[Darrell_Winfield]

I have been using a damp towel (wetting 2x daily) on top of my habitat as well as a humid hide within my habitat since I got that information from this thread. The damp towel has made the humidity levels in my habitat to be in the range the a BP requires (50-60, more during shed) and I have been noticing a pattern with her use of the humid hide. I knew she was going into shed soon when she started spending more time in her humid hide. Just Friday, I caught her in the blue-eyes mode and knew that a shed was soon. I was gone over the weekend, so I was unable to keep the towel as damp as I wanted, so her habitat humidity fell to about 40%. I checked this morning, and she was not in her humid hide as usual. Instead, a perfect shed with tail and eye caps and all was sitting in there.

I used a plastic Folger's coffee container for the hide and put paper towels and a cutout of a towel in the bottom for her, and that has worked well. We thank you all for your help!