Shedding Frustration..

[Kristy]

Okay, Houdini was put into a tub about 7 weeks ago. Dramatically improved his feeding, he has only refused once and it was because he was going into shed.

Anyway, I have known that he was going to shed for two days now so I am keeping the humidity up to 65%-70% . Right now he is wrapped around his water dish, and its coming off in TINY PIECES. I haven't had more than 4 full complete sheds out of him in 3 1/2 years despite my Obsessive Compulsive nerve for keeping his humidity right.

So whats the deal? Are some balls just bad shedders or is there something wrong?

He has always been healthy since I rescued him a long time ago, hadmany fecal tests done, always negative, never any mites, nothing.

Thanks,
Kristy

[kavmon]

i normally just mist them twice a day when they go blue, and they shed out just fine. i don't worry much about the humidity except when they are blue.



vaughn

[Freakie_frog]

Some just get the skin off how ever they can. My pastel female is like that.

[JLC]

Actually, it is quite true that some balls are just terrible shedders, no matter how perfect the humidity is. And, so long as a shed is complete (meaning the snake gets all the old skin off) then it really doesn't matter if its not all one piece.


Don't give up on keeping the humidity at optimal levels, as I'm sure that makes a difficult shed somewhat less difficult for him. And if you are soaking him prior to the actual shed....try going a few cycles without soaking at all. Sometimes soaking can make a shed MORE difficult rather than helping, because the water can leach out essential moisture between the old and new layers of skin, much like it will leach oils out of our own skin and leave our fingers all wrinkly.

[Kristy]

Thanks everyone, makes me feel a little better.

Judy I have tried soaking him and he FREAKS out. Really bad. Starts hissing, flopping around, poops in the water and won't eat for weeks afterwards. It really stresses him out. He used to love it when he was a little guy but not now.

I guess like you said, if he gets it all off no reason to worry. I will definately keep the humidity right for him. I wouldn't want to see him dried up and shedding.

[Kristy]

I just went up and checked on him, he got all of it off. Including the eye caps. That has always been a big problem for him. Most if it came off in one piece, there were a few chunks of skin here and there. So I guess the tub helped quite a bit with his shedding. He so pretty and shiny now. I will have to take some pics tomorrow outside with him.

[bearhart]

Mine soaks like crazy when his is about to shed. He'll start up a day or two before he goes blue. Then he'll hang in there with his nostrils just barely above water looking like he's dead for up to a weak. Its nerve wracking and no amount of misting will get him to come out. But, the thing is he has nearly perfect sheds. They roll right off and look like something made of latex you may have uncomfortably purchased from the drug store. And, he waits until the very last minute to actually get out and shed. I've never seen pieces but it sounds like you're OK.

[bearhart]

Oh yea, if he really likes to soak (or needs to) then you might try the heated indoor pool:

1) Large sturdy porcelain water dish. Vertical sides, dark painted inside that catches heat lamps well.
2) Place the dish over the heating pad. If you have a heat lamp, try to catch some of that too. If all goes well the water should be lukewarm.
3) Partially cover the dish with cork-bark (or whatever) to give it good hide properties.

This makes a good, healthy, non-stressful soaking station for your BP. If yours is like mine, he might get too attached to it. If so, simply remove the cover when he's not in-shed and that should make it less attractive for use as a primary hide.