Bad shed. Flaky & coming off in bits.

Some of you may have saw the last post I did the other day about him being out of his hide during the day, now he’s shed well sort of anyway.
It’s flaky and just coming off in bits is there a way that I can help get it off?

I was looking on other forums about this and someone had done a step by step tutorial w/ images saying get a shoebox sized container fill to half the ‘height’ of the snake with lukewarm water, close the lid and then leave them in it for 30 minutes or an hour.
Would it be best for me to do that?


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My KSB can't shed to save his life, it's like he skipped that part of the tutorial. I usually rub him with a shedding aid and then put him in the top of a container filled with damp sphagnum moss. It has a hole in the bottom and by the time he finds the hole and crawls out, his old skin has usually come off. I don't want his environment to be too damp since KSB's are desert snakes, but you'd think they would be adapted enough to shed in the dry. Even this last time, when he had completely (I thought) shed, I had to pull a strip off the side of his head. :weirdface

I like to use a humidity box to help with bad sheds. You'll need a tupperware container or a plastic bin that is just large enough to hold your snake. Make sure it has a lid. You will also need a heating pad on a thermostat, your temperature gun, and two wash cloths or hand towels.

Warm the heating pad up to 85-88F (no higher). Put one clean washcloth or hand towel on the bottom of the container so that your snake will have something to grip.

Put an inch or two of warm water (no warmer than 85F - check this with your temp gun) in the container.

Put the snake in the container and make sure it isn't completely submerged - you don't want an accidental drowning.

Soak the second washcloth/hand towel in warm water, then put it loosely on top of the snake - make a little snake sandwich.

Put the lid on the container and leave the snake in there for 30 minutes to an hour.

Monitor your snake while it's in the humidity box to be sure all is well.

Just moving around between the cloths will help remove a lot of shed; when you remove the snake you can also use one of the damp cloths to gently remove remaining shed.

If there's still quite a bit of stuck shed, repeat the process over the next day or two.

There are products out there like "Shed-ease" that you spray or rub on the snake to supposedly assist with shedding. I've never used those as I am very cautious about any chemicals around my animals, especially since warm water/high humidity works fine.

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

I like to use a humidity box to help with bad sheds. You'll need a tupperware container or a plastic bin that is just large enough to hold your snake. Make sure it has a lid. You will also need a heating pad on a thermostat, your temperature gun, and two wash cloths or hand towels.

Warm the heating pad up to 85-88F (no higher). Put one clean washcloth or hand towel on the bottom of the container so that your snake will have something to grip.

Put an inch or two of warm water (no warmer than 85F - check this with your temp gun) in the container.

Put the snake in the container and make sure it isn't completely submerged - you don't want an accidental drowning.

Soak the second washcloth/hand towel in warm water, then put it loosely on top of the snake - make a little snake sandwich.

Put the lid on the container and leave the snake in there for 30 minutes to an hour.

Monitor your snake while it's in the humidity box to be sure all is well.

Just moving around between the cloths will help remove a lot of shed; when you remove the snake you can also use one of the damp cloths to gently remove remaining shed.

If there's still quite a bit of stuck shed, repeat the process over the next day or two.

There are products out there like "Shed-ease" that you spray or rub on the snake to supposedly assist with shedding. I've never used those as I am very cautious about any chemicals around my animals, especially since warm water/high humidity works fine.

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Is a RUB (Really Useful Box) a good thing to use for it? It’s not a big one but he would have enough room to coil and try and get it off by going in circles.


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Originally Posted by MuicyJelon

Is a RUB (Really Useful Box) a good thing to use for it? It’s not a big one but he would have enough room to coil and try and get it off by going in circles.


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8.5 x 6.5. Would that be ok to use?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...0b169a6c8b.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...32341e686f.jpg


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To get stubborn skin or bits off you can wrap the snake up in a wet , rough textured bath towel and let it slither around in it .. when it’s head pops out simply cover it up with the excess towel and continue.. any dead skin will normally come off onto the towel without hurting the snake at all .


I don’t recommend pulling bits off by hand .. I tried it many years ago with a Woma python ... I must have hurt him because he sure hurt ME !!


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The RUB should be fine - you just want to be sure the snake has enough room to move around between the damp towels.

And I agree with Zincubus about being cautious when helping with stuck shed. I'm OK with doing it and have never had an issue, but I am super conservative about it - if I feel even a bit of resistance when I am helping, I stop. Let humidity and the texture of the cloth do the work gently.

I tried putting him in a RUB with a bit of warm water & two small damp towels and only a little bit came off so there’s still a decent amount left on him including some on his heat pits.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...1ae4a9a784.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...2c21f781b7.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...231ac6a51e.png
It doesn’t look like there’s much there on these pictures but there is.


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Originally Posted by MuicyJelon

I tried putting him in a RUB with a bit of warm water & two small damp towels and only a little bit came off so there’s still a decent amount left on him including some on his heat pits.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...1ae4a9a784.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...2c21f781b7.png
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...231ac6a51e.png
It doesn’t look like there’s much there on these pictures but there is.


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Did you try soaking it for around 30 minutes in a 2 to 3 inches of water ?

Then wrap it up in a very damp , roughtextured bath towel and you just let it slither around whilst applying very gentle pressure .. this normally results in the skin coming off painlessly.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Did you try soaking it for around 30 minutes in a 2 to 3 inches of water ?

Then wrap it up in a very damp , roughtextured bath towel and you just let it slither around whilst applying very gentle pressure .. this normally results in the skin coming off painlessly.


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I put him in a box with a bit of warm water and two wet flannels but the box I’ve got isn’t big enough for him to slither around properly. I posted the images of it. [emoji3595]
Gonna have to find something soon, I cleaned the viv out and just put newspaper down and I can see he’s managed to get a little bit off last night. Will try putting him with damp/wet towels again later.

Would it work if I stick him in the big snake bag I’ve got and put a warm damp towel in with him for 20 minutes then do it again a few hours later?


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Originally Posted by MuicyJelon

I put him in a box with a bit of warm water and two wet flannels but the box I’ve got isn’t big enough for him to slither around properly. I posted the images of it. [emoji3595]
Gonna have to find something soon, I cleaned the viv out and just put newspaper down and I can see he’s managed to get a little bit off last night. Will try putting him with damp/wet towels again later.

Would it work if I stick him in the big snake bag I’ve got and put a warm damp towel in with him for 20 minutes then do it again a few hours later?


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It doesn’t need much space to simply soak tbh .. sadly I can’t comment on the other methods you refer to .. but I’ve had great success with the method I outlined above - good soak and wrapping it up in a damp , rough textured towel ..



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I think he’s got stuck eye caps. Might be wrong but his eyes aren’t the nice shiny black that they should be. Would they come off by doing the wet towel method that you spoke about?[mention]Zincubus [/mention]


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Originally Posted by MuicyJelon

I think he’s got stuck eye caps. Might be wrong but his eyes aren’t the nice shiny black that they should be. Would they come off by doing the wet towel method that you spoke about?[mention]Zincubus [/mention]


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Definitely !!

You wrap it up in a very damp , rough textured towel , whilst it’s slithering around trying to escape you apply very, very gentle pressure to the head region .. you can feel the head moving through the towel .. the eye caps will normally come off onto the towel all very safe and painless. It works better after a 30 minute soak .. if if fails just repeat a few days later


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[mention]Zincubus [/mention] what do I do if it won’t come off? Mainly the eye caps though.


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Originally Posted by MuicyJelon

[mention]Zincubus [/mention] what do I do if it won’t come off? Mainly the eye caps though.


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Well over the years I’ve had to deal with a few cases I’ve taken in and had tremendous success with the soaking abs then using a damp , rough textured towel as described above .

It’s worked for stubborn dead skin and eye caps ... you just follow the instructions and apply very , very gentle pressure on the head / eye regions .




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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Well over the years I’ve had to deal with a few cases I’ve taken in and had tremendous success with the soaking abs then using a damp , rough textured towel as described above .

It’s worked for stubborn dead skin and eye caps ... you just follow the instructions and apply very , very gentle pressure on the head / eye regions .




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Could he get an infection or something if it won’t come off, or would it come off in his next shed?

Also he’s due a feed I didn’t know if it was ok to do it whilst he’s got still got bits of stuck shed on him.
Would the stretching of his skin when swallowing the rat help him with getting it off?


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by MuicyJelon

Could he get an infection or something if it won’t come off, or would it come off in his next shed?

Also he’s due a feed I didn’t know if it was ok to do it whilst he’s got still got bits of stuck shed on him.
Would the stretching of his skin when swallowing the rat help him with getting it off?


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The next shed could well see everything come off and be completely fine again !

As regards feeding .. I’d feed as normal no worries .


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

The next shed could well see everything come off and be completely fine again !

As regards feeding .. I’d feed as normal no worries .


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Thanks for giving us the advice.
One last thing, more of a second confirmation tbh[emoji23] so if I can’t get it all of it off him including the eye caps it should be ok to wait for the next shed?


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Originally Posted by MuicyJelon

Thanks for giving us the advice.
One last thing, more of a second confirmation tbh[emoji23] so if I can’t get it all of it off him including the eye caps it should be ok to wait for the next shed?


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Yeah , the next shed could take everything off .. no guarantee but it does certainly happen ... providing your humidity is high enough throughout the shedding process .


Let us know when it goes in shed again or when it’s in shed .


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Yeah , the next shed could take everything off .. no guarantee but it does certainly happen ... providing your humidity is high enough throughout the shedding process .


Let us know when it goes in shed again or when it’s in shed .


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Only just seeing now that there’s a stuck eye there with what looks like a very small 'dent' as well. Will it come off in his next shed???


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by MuicyJelon

Only just seeing now that there’s a stuck eye there with what looks like a very small 'dent' as well. Will it come off in his next shed???


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Again ... it may well do but there’s no guarantee.

If it IS a retained eye cap ...
One thing to try is to get a big , very damp , rough textured towel and wrap it inside the towel .. then whilst it’s wriggling around inside just apply very , very gentle pressure on the head / eye region and after a while the retained eye cap comes off gently onto the towel .
It works even better after a short soak but never leave a snake alone when it’s soaking ..


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A reason this might be happening is if you don't have a good humidity box, you don't need anything special, just a plastic small container with a hole in the lid or side, inside put wet moss, and place the box on the warm side of the thing you keep your snake in (or the cold side I don't remember!) if you would like to, spray water (not to much) into the humidity box. you can help your snake shed, but only if it has already started! if you are still having problems, you can soak your snake in a container with a bit of water, if it isn't a snake that is meant for swimming make sure you hold it has something to feel secure, make sure the head of your snake isn't being held underwater because it could drown!

I hope you fix your snake shed problem! :snake::)

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Did you try soaking it for around 30 minutes in a 2 to 3 inches of water ?

Then wrap it up in a very damp , roughtextured bath towel and you just let it slither around whilst applying very gentle pressure .. this normally results in the skin coming off painlessly.


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Just tried this method for the 2nd time in 3 years (although different snake) and it worked like a charm. My humidity has been taking a beating ever since the heat as come on in the basement and my BPs shed snuck up on me. Soaked him in water for 30 minutes and ran him a couple times through a towel and it came right off! Thank you!

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Just tried this method for the 2nd time in 3 years (although different snake) and it worked like a charm. My humidity has been taking a beating ever since the heat as come on in the basement and my BPs shed snuck up on me. Soaked him in water for 30 minutes and ran him a couple times through a towel and it came right off! Thank you!

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Lovely to hear !!

:)


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Just tried this method for the 2nd time in 3 years (although different snake) and it worked like a charm. My humidity has been taking a beating ever since the heat as come on in the basement and my BPs shed snuck up on me. Soaked him in water for 30 minutes and ran him a couple times through a towel and it came right off! Thank you!

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FYI, I have an elderly corn snake (21 years) that usually has poor sheds now (his appetite isn't what it used to be either). It's typical now that he needs a soak + my help to shed. Sometimes it's just part of being a snarent. :D

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

FYI, I have an elderly corn snake (21 years) that usually has poor sheds now (his appetite isn't what it used to be either). It's typical now that he needs a soak + my help to shed. Sometimes it's just part of being a snarent. :D

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He’s had another shed that I didn’t even notice. Good shed everything came off including the eye caps. Hopefully that’s the end of that or could they still be there?


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by MuicyJelon

He’s had another shed that I didn’t even notice. Good shed everything came off including the eye caps. Hopefully that’s the end of that or could they still be there?


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[mention]Bogertophis [/mention]


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