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Unusual shedding behavior!
Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum and to the world of having a snake as a pet in general. I am having trouble with my BP and I need some help.
Backstory:
I have had Bravo going on 3 years now and starting this year his behavior has drastically changed. First two years he would eat fine and right on schedule (every two weeks or every month), shed right and overall health was good. The manner in which I had been taking care of him was good enough, even if not perfect. I live a couple of miles from Downtown Los Angeles so during the day the room temp was fine and I only used my heat lamp during the night.
Starting this year he's had only one meal on January, and since then he has not wanted to eat. I did some research and found out that when they reach a certain maturity they begin to fast during winter, so I did not let it concern me.
It has now been three months since winter ended and 5 months since he has eaten but he is still not hungry.
Now I know that BP's sometimes fast as much as a year but even though I have not weighed him consistently or at all in order to have an idea of how much weight he is losing, I have been noticing a steady loss of weight by observing an unnerving increase in loose skin. He also had a horrible scattered shed in the beginning of March which prompted me to do research on housing and humidity.
I recently found out my screen-top glass terrarium aka glass box aka fish tank was not the best choice for housing so I have covered the bottom, sides, back, and 3/4ths of the top with insulation foam board. Here's where my question/real concern comes in (I know this is a bit lengthy but please bear with me):
Although humidity levels have been much better now, right after I put him in this new and improved housing he is now seemingly having A SHED CYCLE WITHOUT AN INCUBATION PERIOD! He is shedding his scales all over the tank and some of it has stayed stuck on him even after I soaked him in warm water and used mineral oil. I do not have mites, he rarely soaks in his water bowl in which I consistently keep fresh water in, his substrate is changed regularly (reptibark), I don't handle him much, and his approachability and general behavior is still consistent.
What might be going on??? I have provided pictures below and I would GIVE YOU MY LIFE if you help me save my Bravo!!!! I am well aware of the possibility of taking him to a herp vet, I just want to gauge opinion about whether this constitutes an emerging or already existing emergency situation.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRECIOUS HELP AND FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT TO READ THIS.
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