Really nasty shed...

:( Bummersville... Jackson started to shed this morning but all he got was his head, and it was in little bits. He had mites last week and had been soaking all day in his water dish for a couple of days, so I'm sure that contributed to the problem. (The mites have been eradicated and are still being treated preventatively...) Should I give him a little while (like a day) to try to get the rest himself, or just go ahead with the assist procedures? Poor baby looks awful with all his crinkly dead skin hangin off him...

I'm pretty impatient when it comes to stuck sheds, and it has to be pretty itchy for the snake (seems that way to me anyways), so if you want to try to help it get the skin off then by all means do it.:)

If he was soaking sooo much, he shouldnt have a problem shed:confused:
What is your humidity level at? You might try putting the water bowl partially on the heat mat:gj:

I read on here that soaking leeches essential oils out of their skin during shed, so I just thought that had happened to him. The humidity was around 70-75. His last shed was lovely, so its not a recurring problem. Fortunately, at least his eyecaps did come off.

If it's that bad, I would put him in a tub of water with a towel and let him soak for about 15 minutes. Make sure the water is around 85 degrees, and after he has soaked, put the wet towel in your hand and let him slither through it with some pressure. It should help roll the shed off just like it would naturally.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

If he was soaking sooo much, he shouldnt have a problem shed:confused:
What is your humidity level at? You might try putting the water bowl partially on the heat mat:gj:

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Soaking late in shed can cause the fluid they make between the layers of old and new skin to break down, as well as making the skin too soft where it just rips and shreds when they try to slide it off.

I followed the directions on the sticky thread on this topic, and he is all clean! Beautiful shiny new snake...! And he has a nice full belly. :gj: Happy as anything I ever saw, curled up in his hide with his head pokin out.