layers of eye caps

neighbors phone pics.....horrible.....but the best i could get at the moment
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/...s_picture9.jpg
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/...picture_22.jpg
his colors havent dulled yet so his eyes shouldnt be that blue they are always that blue one looks like it has a crease in it I have not once seen the color of his eyes the breeder never even mentioned all his shed problems.......and lately hes been rubbing the side of his face on the log hide or his rock so yes there are eye caps you cannot tell me they are already gone or not even there

Again, I would do nothing but monitor the humidity and leave him alone until after his next shed.

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Originally Posted by Adam Chandler

Again, I would do nothing but monitor the humidity and leave him alone until after his next shed.

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Should I raise his humidity?

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Originally Posted by python_addict

Should I raise his humidity?

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Give him a humid hide.

A Mr. Chandler is right - stop screwing around with that snake's eyes.

It's highly unlikely that they are still on after a clean shed in which you can actually see spectacles attached to the shed.

If a successful shed can't loosen what you think are retained spectacles, you won't be able to either. Take the animal to a qualified herp vet and get a second opinion.

The only thing I would add to the above is, you could apply an eye lubricant gel, but do not pick at it's eyes.

I MUST concur with Adam and skiploder. If you've seen the spectacles on the most recent shed, then the snake does NOT have retained eyecaps. They don't build new eyecaps on top of the old ones...they grow from underneath. So when the current caps shed off, they take any top layers off with them.

It's all too common for someone to see OTHER issues with the eyes, and assume "retained eyecap" when it is really nothing of the sort. And then they start picking and rubbing and soaking and putting drops and other ointments on the eyes....and before you know it, you have a blind snake.

I very strongly recommend allowing the current shed cycle to complete without any soaking or messing with the eyes in any way. Increase the ambient humidity if you like...that certainly won't hurt. Just don't soak the snake.

Once the shed cycle is complete, look once again for the spectacles on the head piece. If you see them there, you can be 100% sure there are NO retained eyecaps and the snake may need to see a vet to find out what is really going on.

My biggest peeve.. I'm glad others saw this and answered. Definitely never mess with the eyes. That's becoming my motto around here. They fix their selves with humidity, humid hides, and if absolutely necessary (meaning if you do not find the round caps on the head piece after it sheds) a tiny bit of ointment on the eyes every day or every other day.. But only at the beginning of the next shed cycle until it sheds.

The caps (even when not retained) can dent, dry out, wrinkle, and appear cracked if the humidity is low. This does not mean stuck caps. It will always fix itself with the proper conditions.


I wonder how these poor creatures ever survived so long in the wild without the help of humans considering all the droughts that Africa has....

I think the risks of messing with his eyes far outweigh the potential benefits of getting an eye cap off. Eye caps aren't really all that dangerous unless they build up for a very long time, and it's possible to permanently maim the animal by poking around at its eyes. If it makes you feel better, I see no harm in putting drops of mineral oil or visene on his eyes. DON'T tweeze them or rub them, though.

What I'm wondering is this - you said only the outermost eye cap came off with his last shed. When you looked at the face part of that shed, was the skin of his eyes there or not? Were there two empty holes where the spectacles should have been? If there WAS something there, he does not have retained eyecaps. He might have some other issue that makes them look weird, but it isn't retained eyecaps. Look at the shed to figure out if that's really the problem, not at his eyes.

I absolutely agree 100% with all the advice you have been given. I don't think anyone else will say anything different. Check the shed. Leave the eyes alone.


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Actually mineral oil isn't very good for that. It's too destructive to the scales. It breaks down the chitin and when put on a snakes body, causes the scales to just flake right off in layers.