Bad first shed, husbandry is fine, need a little guidance.

Having some issues getting the shed off the top of his head and along the sides of his neck (maybe 3-4"). Originally only his tale and belly flaked off, and then I got the rest off with a 45 minute soak and had him crawl through a hand towel.

To get the rest off I tried the pillow case trick last night (damp pillow case with a dish cloth in with him, back into the enclosure overnight). Results: No change.

Any other tips to get the shed off his head/neck? His eyes and face are clear, but the to of his head still has shed on it.

**Humidity was 65-75% during shed (dropped to 65, spiked back up with a misting once or twice daily), ambients around 80, cold side 77-81 (cold at night here), warm side 90-92, two identical hides, water bowl, enough cover, etc etc etc.

It sounds like everything was correct, my only question is what are you using to measure your temperatures and humidity? The dial thermometers and especially the hydrometers from pet stores are almost always inaccurate. You may find that if you are using a dial hydrometer that your humidity wasn't as high as you thought.

That being said, sometimes they just have bad sheds even if everything is right. Stress from something other than temperature/humidity issues could have also played a roll.

If the stuck shed doesn't seem to be bothering your snake and if it's just a few pieces (not a big section that will conscrtict your snake if/when he grows, then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

This works pretty well

For my thermostat I am using a Herpstat (less than 2 weeks old) and an Acurite indoor/outdoor (standard model that everyone uses).

For direct readings I am using a Mastercraft temp gun.



RetiredJedi - I did that the night before last and got 90% of it off, but the dry skin on the top of his head and about 3" along his neck was stubborn.

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Originally Posted by UpNorth

RetiredJedi - I did that the night before last and got 90% of it off, but the dry skin on the top of his head and about 3" along his neck was stubborn.

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Hmmmm, after letting him sit in that bowl for a little bit did you take him out and let him crawl through a damp washrag? It worked really well for my pastels bad shed. That was the only thing I couldn't show in this video since he ended up getting the skin off on his own.

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Originally Posted by RetiredJedi

Hmmmm, after letting him sit in that bowl for a little bit did you take him out and let him crawl through a damp washrag? It worked really well for my pastels bad shed. That was the only thing I couldn't show in this video since he ended up getting the skin off on his own.

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Yeah I did that the other night but i didnt want to squeeze his neck too hard, and being a youngin he is fidgety when anything touches his head. Never strikes, the odd hiss before I pick him up, but he is great while handled.

I'm going to do it again tonight and see if he will let me touch his forehead.

I also might swap to a tub setup until he is big enough for a 36x24x12 PVC enclosure.

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Originally Posted by UpNorth

Yeah I did that the other night but i didnt want to squeeze his neck too hard, and being a youngin he is fidgety when anything touches his head. Never strikes, the odd hiss before I pick him up, but he is great while handled.

I'm going to do it again tonight and see if he will let me touch his forehead.

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Well, I wish I had more advise but that's all I got. I will say that my pastel is a little fidgety when I first take him out but after handling for a few minutes he seems fine and I was able to lightly rub his head and neck area.

I don't think it being on there will be a problem and should come off with the next shed so I wouldn't worry too much.

Next Shed Toss in a Moist Rat a day or two before he sheds. Some need something to rub on to get the top of head started, and rag will do that and be soft enough to not harm the snake.

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

Next Shed Toss in a Moist Rat a day or two before he sheds.

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Lol!!!!


I know you meant rag but you just made my morning Rich :D

It's not as if it's a stuck eye cap, so I'm not too worried. Just sucks that his first shed with me was a bust.

There is always next time...

At least he is a garbage disposal when it comes to eating :)