Shedding problems

[Tiamat43]

I got a ball python 2 weeks ago, and but was not told when I took her home that she was at the start of a shed. I left her alone for a few days only peeking at her once a day until I noticed she was blue. I immediately got the humidity to 70% and kept it there and continued to leave her alone.

What she shed off was in one whole piece but my issue is that her entire head is refusing to shed. The tip of her nose to the back of her head is still covered in old skin and I have tried soaking her and using a shed aid but nothing seems to be helping.

I have one snake that I've had for 3 years now and only had a bad shed once, so this is pretty new to me. It's been a whole week now and I'm really paranoid about her eye caps mostly.

I am still keeping the humidity at 70% and haven't dropped it.

[shaneswife828]

Try moistening a pillow case with Luke warm water and putting her on her warm aide of her inclsure. Keep an eye on her. After about 15 minutes check her and see if she has gotten it off. If not try another 10 or 15 minutes.

[Tiamat43]

I did as you suggested and it's been 30 minutes with no change, should I try again in 24 hours?

[anicatgirl]

You can. Depending how easily stressed the baby is I have had to help my girl a couple times it seemed to take her a bit to figure it out. Just grab a little edge and pull veeery gently towards the tip of the nose. Snake will probably start pulling against you and will help herself.

[Sauzo]

If your snake isn't head shy, I found getting your fingers wet and rubbing their head will sometimes get them to start working it off, like helping you. When I got Vicky she was between blue and shed so her first shed was a mess per say. She soaked in her bowl for a full day and then I helped her shed by doing what I said above and that triggered her to help with it and then I just put my index finger and thumb parallel and she basically pulled it off herself. Her second shed though came off in 1 piece like a rolled up sock.

Another thing you can do is take a Tupperware container that she fits into and put enough water in there to get her wet but not drown her and then put a washcloth in there with her and the lid on with air holes and put the whole thing into her cage so she doesn't get cold and then let her sit there for an hour or 2 and keep checking on her. The humidity caused from being in there with the warmth of the cage and the washcloth might help her shed the head.

[Tiamat43]

My issue withgenlty pulling with the shed is that her only loose shed is at the back of her head. Her face is wrinkled with the dry shed and her eye caps are pretty much the same.

This morning I did try gently and with wet fingers to loosen the shed on her nose, she didn't seem to mind too much but I didnt get too far. Though she does seem to have a split forming at tip of her nose between her scales.

I would prefer to avoid soaking if I can, I had her in a tub in her tank and she got so stressed she regurgitated her last meal.

[anicatgirl]

Make sure you give her some time between that regurge and her next meal. Hopefully she will roll with that split on her nose and work it off, but all you can do is keep trying. Having a stuck shed like...in a circle around them is bad. If it was just like the tip of the nose or something I wouldn't be nearly as concerned

[Tiamat43]

I do plan to keep trying. She didn't mind the pillow case either, so I'm going to try that again tonight.

She regurgitated last Wendsday or Thursday, when would be a good time to feed her then?

Her underbelly shed just fine by the way I probably should have mentioned that too. It is just the top of her head that is the issue.

I'm hoping this all clears up for her next shed.

[200xth]

She regurgitated last Wendsday or Thursday, when would be a good time to feed her then?

Two weeks from the regurge. If you have some probiotic, you can try using that to help her rebuild her stomach flora.

Also, make the first meal or two smaller than usual.