Shedding issue

Hi all,
Levi is going thru his first shed with us. He went thru the blue phase and then the "back to normal" phase. The next day I noticed some loose skin around his head, so we left him alone for a couple days. I've been misting the CRAP out of his cage because I am having a helluva time keeping his humidity up. I put a bigger bowl of water in the tank. The lid is covered 75% with foil and a towel. Sphagnum moss is all over the tank with both hides being humid hides at the moment.
Still, no progress on shedding. So, I searched these forums and tonight we gave him a soak for about 10-15 min. Barely did anything, and I'm worried about how "crispy" he looks and how super skinny he is. He didn't eat his meal last weekend and I chalked it up to him being in shed, but now I hate how he looks...am I just being an impatient noob, or should I worry?

Bethhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...232e35a8ae.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...649a3c6138.jpg

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Soooo ... after the shed period , the eyes clear and colour returns it cash take up to another week ( or more ) before the skin actually comes off !! Crazy I know :)

Just keep spraying well , two or three times daily until you find the shedded skin ... I usually find them in a rolled up mess under one of the hides :)


PS .... it does kinda look as though it MAY be slightly dehydrated but it's difficult to tell for sure with it being in shed mode ..


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I’m just curious if I missed something, but that little guy looks a little skinny? Or is it just me?

Yes, as I said, that was one of my main concerns.

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Keep doing what you are doing for the humidity. Eventually the skin will come off - it may not be in one piece from the look of him. Is he a pet store purchase? If so, I'd recommend keeping any feces that he produces during the shed (that's when a lot of them poo) and finding a vet to send it out for a parasite check. (this is not usually a super expensive test - your looking at $50-100 depending on what lab and which tests. The ova/parasite check is the cheaper and basic test). Keep the feces in an air tight, clean container in the fridge until you can get it to the vet. The fresher the better ;)

Most vet clinics will send stool out for analysis on the exotics, you want to make sure it is a "ova and parasite screen" and maybe throw in a "cryptosporidum or giardia" screen as an additional stool test if you think he is loosing weight or if there has been any diarrhea since your purchase.

To help him get some weight on, make sure you weigh him and the prey items that you are feeding. Every meal he eats should be between 10% and 15% of his body weight. Since he's on the skinny side I'd stay closer to the 10% mark so you don't risk a regurgitation. For example: if he is 100 grams he needs to eat 10 grams of prey. Rats are easier when they are adults, so switching to f/t rats early is usually recommended, but I'd wait on changing prey type until you have him eating consistently.

Hope this helps.

He's so skinny I'd maybe be tempted to give him a 30 minute soak in a secure container ( with air holes ) the more I look the more I think it maybe dehydrated..

So we've tried soaking some more, still only a few bits of skin here and there. And he's still SO skinny. This is our timeline:
10/28 purchased Levi from reptile store
10/29 he ate his live rat fuzzy
11/2 got a scale, he weighed 85g
11/3 First weekly feeding, he ate the small f/t mouse we had (yes, I'm ordering frozen rats online since no one around here seems to have any that are the right size)
11/10 weighed 96g, didn't eat this week, assumed it was since he was going into shed.
Today he's back down to 89g. I'm guessing this is not a normal fluctuation?
Think I'm gonna call the shop I got him from tomorrow.

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96 grams down to 89 isn't overly alarming, but it is not the way that his weight should be going. When you call the shop you got him from, I'd try and find out if they know where he came from, ie was he wild caught, captive hatched, bought from a wholesaler (which is like flipping houses but with snakes - so no quarantine or close attention to health) etc. Honestly that's really the only useful info you will get from the store. Other than that, he may need a vet. Get a fecal test done first, parasites will sap their nutrients and energy as well as lead to other issues like anemia and GI irritation/ulcers.

Other than that make sure *ALL* his husbandry is on point. A picture of his set up may help us give you some tips as well. Once his environment is settled in and you get him on rats he should steadily improve, if he doesn't there is something more off than just husbandry and new home stress.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

He's so skinny I'd maybe be tempted to give him a 30 minute soak in a secure container ( with air holes ) the more I look the more I think it maybe dehydrated..

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I agree, he looks both thin & dehydrated, and it's possible he's dealing with internal parasites, so I'd second the stool check too. You'll have to be patient & keep
helping him with humidity & soaks to get this shed done.

Here's the setuphttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0abbc9a864.jpg

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Hi ...

I'd put some Orchid bark / Reptibark in as substrate as it holds moisture well and will help with humidity ..

As for the lid a towel never worked for me ... I stuck a sheet of plastic over the top of the mesh and sealed the edges to keep the moisture in .. sprayed frequently ..

Ideally two identical or very similar hides that give a comfy fit (not too spacious) .. the hides need to have one opening to provide a sense of security..

I've never seen a Royal /Ball python soak in a bowl so mine have small water dishes and I fill the open space up with branches, bark pieces and fake foliage / plants .

All that's assuming the surface temps are acceptable ..


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blam18

So we've tried soaking some more, still only a few bits of skin here and there. And he's still SO skinny. This is our timeline:
10/28 purchased Levi from reptile store
10/29 he ate his live rat fuzzy
11/2 got a scale, he weighed 85g
11/3 First weekly feeding, he ate the small f/t mouse we had (yes, I'm ordering frozen rats online since no one around here seems to have any that are the right size)
11/10 weighed 96g, didn't eat this week, assumed it was since he was going into shed.
Today he's back down to 89g. I'm guessing this is not a normal fluctuation?
Think I'm gonna call the shop I got him from tomorrow.

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How did you soak it incidentally and for how long ??
Hopefully not too warm/cold water .

Did it ever put its head under water ?
How deep was the water ?


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Okay, went and bought cypress mulch.

I'm confused when you say you put branches and bark in the water bowl... so how does the snake soak in it if the bowl full of stuff?

We soaked him about 10-15 minutes in lukewarm water and kept the heat lamp over him, but I didn't want the water to get too cold. It was just deep enough to cover 1/2 his body. He did dunk his head in the water several times....does that mean hes's dehydrated or sick?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blam18

Okay, went and bought cypress mulch.

I'm confused when you say you put branches and bark in the water bowl... so how does the snake soak in it if the bowl full of stuff?

We soaked him about 10-15 minutes in lukewarm water and kept the heat lamp over him, but I didn't want the water to get too cold. It was just deep enough to cover 1/2 his body. He did dunk his head in the water several times....does that mean hes's dehydrated or sick?

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Sorry ... No idea what you mean about putting branches / bark in the water bowl ?? I meant I don't put in huge water dishes as Royals hardly choose to lie in them - in my experience .

They just go all over the Viv to fill in all the spaces / voids .. Royals dislike open spaces ..

When I soak ( only very occasionally if they look a little dehydrated or if I get one with a bit of old skin still on it ) anyways I put it in a sealed container with air holes and fill it up so it's above the body and head . That way they can easily keep their head above the water but tend to spend some time under water , sometimes for quite a while when they settle down after a minute or so . I put a towel over to darken it a little .

Anyways after 25 to 30 minutes they always look much plumper and healthier , even better colour . I had one that hadn't been feeding and it ate the very next day .


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Sorry ... No idea what you mean about putting branches / bark in the water bowl ?? I meant I don't put in huge water dishes as Royals hardly choose to lie in them - in my experience .

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Oh, okay. I re-read your post, I just misunderstood. The reason I have such a large water dish in there now was to try and help the humidity.

I re-soaked him again today. Well, a little anyway. I put him in a sealed Tupperware container with holes in the lid. The water's deep enough to cover half to 3/4 of his body. I used water that's just warm to the touch and then I set the Tupperware container into his tank under the heat lamp. I watched him for about 15 minutes and then I left the room. I came back another 15 minutes later and the little twerp had escaped the sealed lid. He does not seem to like it. He still looks the same. We were able to get a couple more bits of skin off, but not much.

From a couple of your guys' comments, is his skinniness more due to dehydration than diet (assuming no parasites)? Are there better ways to make sure he's staying hydrated?

He does not seem to be a fan of the cypress mulch. He's slithering around on his branch and water dish and trying to stay off of it. Must be strange switching from smooth soft paper towels to a jagged, rough, splintery substrate. Seems rough for their bodies, but everyone recommends it so I'm sure he'll get used to it! Just like nature, right? :)

No suggestions?
Here's his new setup (he's in his "sauna" in the one pic). We've actually put in more large branches, too, so it's not so open, jut didn't get pics yet. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...649e033826.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4c1e2cd341.jpg

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I honestly think there is too much human intervention. If you are sure its not a health problem such as parasites. Personally id say no more soaking, if your husbandry is correct id leave it alone. Allow access to clean water and work on getting food into him. My snake has taken a week after clearing out of blue to actually shed. I really think you are stressing out your snake forcing it shed pieces before its ready.

I don't know where anyone said we were forcing anything....after his soak there were a few small bits hanging off that we removed, that's all. I was soaking because he seems dehydrated, too, but don't want to do it much cause, as you noted, it can stress him out. That's why I was asking.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blam18

I don't know where anyone said we were forcing anything....after his soak there were a few small bits hanging off that we removed, that's all. I was soaking because he seems dehydrated, too, but don't want to do it much cause, as you noted, it can stress him out. That's why I was asking.

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Unless it was stuck from a previous shed, it shouldnt come off in pieces. And if its pieces of his current shed, naturally they would start coming off his face first as its their instinct to start the rubbing there. Just the way im reading the progression of this thread I think the interference factor is way to high. Snakes have been shedding there skin long before humans have been around. Just as long as you are 100% sure of your husbandry. It really shouldnt need that much help.
I do think he looks thin but if he eats consistently his hydration and apperance will drastically improve.

I made mention in another thread about what I had to do with some of my other bp, was to increase the moisture, I put a 10in x 10in bark for help with them pulling the shed. And when I seen the eyes start to clear up, I put them into a 90 degree tub with the cap on, well yes I have holes for oxygen, and left them in there for about 20 minutes a day until I seen she’d release then I would leave them alone on the bark and almost to a perfect shed, just every now and then I would have to assist them in removing an eye cap or two.


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What are your temperatures and humidity? How exactly are you monitoring them? Do you have a thermostat for your heat sources? What heat sources do you use? (I see the lamp, do you also have a heat mat under your tank and is it regulated?)
i would stop soaking him and handling him entirely. Stress can actually stall the process even more. Leave him alone for a week and then offer a meal. Getting your temperatures and humidity spot on and getting him to eat regularly are your top priorities especially for such a young small snake.