Ever "helped" your BP shed?

Just a question to see if my BP is exceptionally neat. That's what I like to think!!:D So this is the deal. I never allow my son, my BP's 5 1/2 year old "daddy", to hold Linda, our BP, while he is blue... never:soapbx: . But when his eyes clear up I give Linda a day or two and then we handle/love him:grouphug: . It is the coolest thing. No he isn't scared or anything but instead loves to crawl and bump his nose on our skin to start his shed:snake: . After he gets it started and it is off his head I very loosly wrap my fingers, like a ring, around his shed. Then he just "walks" down the floor or couch and pulls the rest off. I am assuming this... I think he likes the help because when I let go he stops and when I loosly put my fingers around him again he starts to "walk" off his shed again. It is the coolest thing to see this process and be a part of it. I know I'm going to be told by some that I shouldn't do this :colbert: but we love it. And he seems to appreciate the help.

It is also nice because three times we've been able to take his shed to my son's preschool where all the kids get to touch it and be educated on the snake. Anyway, I just thought I would share. We just did it three days ago and it is always amazing every time it happens.

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Originally Posted by kenzie

I know I'm going to be told by some that I shouldn't do this

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Don't listen to that ... for a healthy, well adjusted ball, it's totally ok to help them with their sheds ... some even like it. ;) ... I do it all the time ... no biggie. :D

-adam

Helping them, shed is no big deal some seem to like it and other you want even see till their done. For a better it dea of how they do it video it and take the video with the shed to his class next time

I see nothing wrong with helping your snake get the shed off.I would rather help my snakes then have one retain a shed on their tail and lose there tail.I check every one of my snakes thoughrly to make sure they completely get all the old shed off.If you think helping your ball python out try helping a 13ft uncooperating albino burmes python out :partyon: .You feel like you have put in a 40hr work week :P .Thumbs up for you caring about your snake:gj:

I think it's amazing you get to have that kind of experience! I'm just psyched to see a complete shed laying in the cage! LOL

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

Helping them, shed is no big deal some seem to like it and other you want even see till their done. For a better it dea of how they do it video it and take the video with the shed to his class next time

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Great idea... now I would just have to buy the video camera!

I had a BP that never shed right..unless I helped :P At least, thats what I told myself..She was VERY tolerant, and I could handle her in blue, or whenever.. :) She let me help shed her, you know how those tails can be...LOL

WHen Junior sheds, it is always in big pieces (i know her humidity is low..I try, but my parents like to freeze us during the summer..) But, her tail isn't her biggest trouble area. Her is right on top f her spine, all the way down! The other big one is her eyecaps...i had to take her to the vet twice to get them removed..

I'm so OCD when it comes to retained sheds...if they don't shed completely they'll get about a 30 min soak and then the skin usually rubs right off with no problem.

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Originally Posted by Chanarita

WHen Junior sheds, it is always in big pieces (i know her humidity is low..I try, but my parents like to freeze us during the summer..) But, her tail isn't her biggest trouble area. Her is right on top f her spine, all the way down! The other big one is her eyecaps...i had to take her to the vet twice to get them removed..

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Have you tried a humid hide for her? A small, enclosed hide with moist sphagnum moss or paper towels on the warm side of the enclosure. Just put it in there when she goes blue and leave it until she sheds....see if it helps.

Yep those eyecaps are a royal pain!!
Mystery, a Venezuelan BCI I got as rescue, had the WORST retained sheds!! I bet she had 5! I soaked that snake for about 2 days straight!! I changed the water out periodically to keep it warm, and added olive oil, finally most of the body shed came off, but the eyecaps were a trick..I finally put water in the tub to about 1/2 way up her side, stuck her in an old pillowcase and let her rub it all off. :) I had to use a Qtip on one, but she never had another bad shed after :)

Wow, that sounds amazing. I would love to try that some time. You should get a video next time to share ....:)

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

I'm so OCD when it comes to retained sheds...if they don't shed completely they'll get about a 30 min soak and then the skin usually rubs right off with no problem.

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I'm the exact way! Last shed Echo had, she shed everything but her head and into the rubbermaid she went for 30 minutes!

My first day with my Dumeril boa was pretty cool she shed in my hand.She used my hand to push it off , I was amazed and super happy.

That's great - my hognose shed in front of my eyes the other day and I was just itching to help but thought I shouldn't (I know better now and I will next time ;) ) Unfortunately my BP has never done it in front of me (prob. coz she does it overnight) but I just know she wouldn't mind. She just leaves a dried scrunched up mess in the corner.

(Rescue) Freddie's first two sheds with us came off in itty bitty pieces aaaaaaaall over the place w/a retained spectacle, so THIS time I put a humid hide in w/her. She lived in it for 2.5 days, but when she shed two days ago, it was all in one PERFECT piece. :banana: Yeaaaaaaaaah! :pinkele: At first I thought she'd be one of the "thin-skinned" snakes like Adam suggested, but now I know that even w/the higher humidity in her tank, it just wasn't enough. We'll just put the hide in with her again. :D