Retained eye caps question

[Naom9Anne]

Right guys I'd like some opinions as I keep getting conflicting ones from snakey people.

I've not even had my little bee a fortnight yet, I didn't get a full look at him when I bought him and thought he was in blue although the guy said he had shed two weeks prior (he has also not responded to any text messages I have sent him asking for further info on the 3 I bought from him, go figure!). When I'd had him 6 days I discovered he had retained eyecaps. These do not inhibit his eating, he handles well, is very docile and seems happy and inquisitive when out.

I took him to a very reputable reptile shop in my area for a look over and quick check due to the eyecaps and also I got him and 2 others for such a low price I wanted to check they were healthy. They told me not to worry and to leave the eye caps and they would come off next shed.

I posted a pic of him on a page tonight as he had some flakey shed on his next and I was asking if they thought this was stuck shed from the last time or something I had done. My humidity is 70-80% in his tub and he has stopped looking so dehydrated as he did when I got him. Instead of advice on the flakey skin I was given many comments about how I had to get the eyecaps off immediately.

I have bathed him tonight and gave it a go to get the eyecaps off but I couldn't do it and didn't feel comfortable trying any further in case I injured my little guy. I wasn't taking that chance.


My question is: Is it required to get them off IMMEDIATELY as I was told by people on a page or can I leave them until next shed? Conflicting information is a nightmare when you're still a newbie and learning!

[200xth]

I would say wait til next shed. The chances of you doing damage to his eyes while trying to help him seem to outweigh any benefits. With the next shed he/she should be able to get the retained caps off anyways.

If they start piling up, you'll have to do something, but for one set of retained caps, I would say wait til the next shed.

[Physician&Snakes]

Right guys I'd like some opinions as I keep getting conflicting ones from snakey people.

I've not even had my little bee a fortnight yet, I didn't get a full look at him when I bought him and thought he was in blue although the guy said he had shed two weeks prior (he has also not responded to any text messages I have sent him asking for further info on the 3 I bought from him, go figure!). When I'd had him 6 days I discovered he had retained eyecaps. These do not inhibit his eating, he handles well, is very docile and seems happy and inquisitive when out.

I took him to a very reputable reptile shop in my area for a look over and quick check due to the eyecaps and also I got him and 2 others for such a low price I wanted to check they were healthy. They told me not to worry and to leave the eye caps and they would come off next shed.

I posted a pic of him on a page tonight as he had some flakey shed on his next and I was asking if they thought this was stuck shed from the last time or something I had done. My humidity is 70-80% in his tub and he has stopped looking so dehydrated as he did when I got him. Instead of advice on the flakey skin I was given many comments about how I had to get the eyecaps off immediately.

I have bathed him tonight and gave it a go to get the eyecaps off but I couldn't do it and didn't feel comfortable trying any further in case I injured my little guy. I wasn't taking that chance.


My question is: Is it required to get them off IMMEDIATELY as I was told by people on a page or can I leave them until next shed? Conflicting information is a nightmare when you're still a newbie and learning!

How did you try to remove the eye caps? I usually do a soak in water with a touch of shed ease, then take a Q-tip or my fingers to remove caps. I had a few young ones here and there that were too head shy to remove eye caps, so there have been a few incidences were I waited until next shed yes.

[SnowShredder]

I would personally leave it unless it looks really terrible (like more than 2 retained eye caps per eye).

There are ways to gently get them off but you have to be extremely careful.
I have taken in snakes with retained eye caps in the past and for me personally what I find best is to get a tupperware, put warm water in it (warm to the touch but not hot), and have it so that it will cover about half the snake. I then line it with several paper toweles or a wash cloth and allow it to soak up some of the warm water. Then I place the snake in and close a lid on it. The warm water will moisten and loosen the stuck skin and the act of the snake seeking a way out will gently rub it off.
People have many, many different methods. This has just been very safe and effective for me in my experience.

But again, unless it was pretty bad I would just leave it and keep up the humidity and it should resolve itself in the next shed.

[Naom9Anne]

I was very reluctant to try to do anything as I haven't removed any before.

I gave him a 15 minute bath and made sure to get moisture on the eye, I very gently held him and rolled my thumb backwards across the eye a few times (not with much pressure) during this time he was very calm which was reassuring (I think)

I couldn't get the eyecaps off either eye so I stopped after that. I thought it was enough for one day for him and I wasn't comfortable trying for any longer with no experience. I felt pressured into having to remove them immediately even though experts had told me to leave it until the next shed.

The people on the post were focusing on a picture from when I first got him instead of the picture from tonight and I had to remind them a few times that that picture was over a week old and that I had been advised to leave his eyecaps alone by the shop.

[Physician&Snakes]

I was very reluctant to try to do anything as I haven't removed any before.

I gave him a 15 minute bath and made sure to get moisture on the eye, I very gently held him and rolled my thumb backwards across the eye a few times (not with much pressure) during this time he was very calm which was reassuring (I think)

I couldn't get the eyecaps off either eye so I stopped after that. I thought it was enough for one day for him and I wasn't comfortable trying for any longer with no experience. I felt pressured into having to remove them immediately even though experts had told me to leave it until the next shed.

The people on the post were focusing on a picture from when I first got him instead of the picture from tonight and I had to remind them a few times that that picture was over a week old and that I had been advised to leave his eyecaps alone by the shop.

Given that then yes I would go ahead and wait.

[satomi325]

If you're not comfortable, don't even bother trying to remove them. He'll get it off with his next shed.
Just make sure your humidity is up then.

Messing with an stuck eye cap can do more harm than good. You can accidentally remove the live membrane cap, which will cause permanent damage and/or blindness. So it's best just to wait it out.

[Naom9Anne]

That was my worry. I didn't want to blind him or cause possible infection but I felt pressured by a few people that it had to be done immediately even though I knew it could come off in his next shed (my pastel had a very stuck eyecap which came off in her second shed)

My post was asking if the flakey skin I was seeing was stuck shed from the previous owner or if it was my fault and that was ignored and the eyecaps focused on instead.

I don't understand the urgency to get one set of retained eyecaps off, the snake does not seem to be suffering any ill effects; he hides during the day, comes out at night, eats perfectly, handles very well, is gaining weight slowly but surely and hasn't yet struck or hissed at me.

I wanted to check that leaving them was in fact the right thing to do. Thanks guys. I'm more at ease now

[Naom9Anne]

Just for reference this was the main pic I asked for advice on. This flaking only occured in the last 24 hours as I had him out last night.

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

I'd have to agree with Satomi,I don't have the experience by any means and never had the problem,but I wouldn't mess with the eyes,especially if you are not an experienced owner like a lot of ppl here..better safe than sorry and not in your case but ya snakes..wait til next shed is best idea