Behira - 2016 Female Ivory Ghost - First BCI

Behira is going back into "blue."

She shed 13 days ago. I am not happy. Last time she shed at 18 days, but I think she went into blue earlier. I am looking for any improvement, but either way, it's worrisome.

I am keeping humidity up and we will see if she has a good shed without the red belly.

That's crazy Dave. I hadn't heard of chronic shedding syndrome before now. I'm sure its stressful for you and even more so for Behira i pray she gets over this SOON.

So sorry to hear this, Dave. Maybe she has an issue with her thyroid, like hyperthyroidism? Quick searching out of curiosity- this was about goiter & thyroid disease>

https://jherpmedsurg.com/doi/pdf/10....9651.18.3-4.75

Excerpt & food for thought: "...nutritionally deficiencies, exposure to goitrogenic substances, exposure to and bioaccumulation of endocrine-disrupting contaminants from the environment, genetic predisposition, or a combination. Supplementation with iodine was attempted in some snakes in various ways but was generally unsuccessful..."

There's a few articles around, but this is a pretty obscure topic in snakes...https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...s/rolleyes.png https://www.researchgate.net/publica...thyroid_Glands

Anyway, in the excerpt above, what jumped out to me was "bioaccumulation of endocrine-disrupting contaminants" & while it might have nothing to do with Behira's issue, that is one reason that I avoid plastics for snakes. (who knows what might affect our diminutive scaly friends?) I would think if this was a genetic quirk, you would have seen this from the start? Pardon my brainstorming...I hope your vet has some ideas...(& I hope they're easier to spell, lol).

Briefly from Wikipedia:
What are the four types of endocrine disruptors?

These include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and dixons. Other examples of endocrine disruptors include bisphenol A (BPA) from plastics, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) from pesticides, vinclozolin from fungizides, and diethylstilbestrol (DES) from pharmaceutical agents.

Sorry to hear this dave, I was hoping she had broken the cycle this time round

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Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

I tend to think that's not environmental because nothing has changed there in 2+ years.

I can ask the vet if the blood test showed thyroid function, but they seemed to think that since she has just reached sexual maturity, that some hormones would be off anyway, and I wonder if that changes things like thyroid and if so, if that shouldn't be adjusted immediately. Just thinking out loud.

I didn't ask for the full report, but can, but they said the only thing off was white blood count, and only slightly.

I picked up this from my local reptile store. My buddy Adam, who owns the store, is scratching his head too. He was asking environmental was well but I told him all that has changed in the past 3-4 months was a normal winter drop in humidity that she's had the past two years as well.

I saw this in his store and figured it could not hurt.

https://zoomed.com/reptile-electrolyte-soak/

Once she is out of blue and before shed I plan to soak her. I plan to do the same after shed as well. If she is fighting a skin irritation, or even infection, this can only help in my mind. Whether it does, is another issue, but I cannot imagine it hurts anything.

Thank you all again. Both Behira and I appreciate it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dakski

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

I tend to think that's not environmental because nothing has changed there in 2+ years.

I can ask the vet if the blood test showed thyroid function, but they seemed to think that since she has just reached sexual maturity, that some hormones would be off anyway, and I wonder if that changes things like thyroid and if so, if that shouldn't be adjusted immediately. Just thinking out loud.

I didn't ask for the full report, but can, but they said the only thing off was white blood count, and only slightly.

I picked up this from my local reptile store. My buddy Adam, who owns the store, is scratching his head too. He was asking environmental was well but I told him all that has changed in the past 3-4 months was a normal winter drop in humidity that she's had the past two years as well.

I saw this in his store and figured it could not hurt.

https://zoomed.com/reptile-electrolyte-soak/

Once she is out of blue and before shed I plan to soak her. I plan to do the same after shed as well. If she is fighting a skin irritation, or even infection, this can only help in my mind. Whether it does, is another issue, but I cannot imagine it hurts anything.

Thank you all again. Both Behira and I appreciate it.

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You have nothing to loose dave that's for sure, it may be a mix of hormones as you said
Fingers crossed mate

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It's so unfortunate that others whose snakes exhibited this condition did not have a necropsy done, or if they did, the results weren't shared, though I guess there
could be more than one cause for this anyway?

I haven't seen that product https://zoomed.com/reptile-electrolyte-soak/ before, I'm glad to be aware of it, & hope it helps. They don't indicate specifically that it is
appropriate for snakes, only "reptiles", but that should be safe & hopefully helpful. (I think I'd try it too)

Behira got a 20 minute soak in the Zoomed Electrolyte Reptile Soak. I had her in her holding container and the water was warm and it went about 2/3 of the way up her body. She really seemed to enjoy it. I covered it with a towel so the moisture stayed in and soaked her for 20 minutes. The directions say up to 3X a week for at least 10 minutes.

She had just come out of blue and I hope this helps ensure a very healthy and happy shed (along with good humidity in the tank).

Once she sheds, I plan to soak her 2-3X a week for a bit as well.

I figure the soaking alone could help and the electrolyte soak can't hurt. I am hoping it is just a skin irritation/infection and this helps her fight it off.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/LZh7VVA.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/Y0qpleu.jpg

Fingers crossed that will help her dave

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Same here...fingers crossed. :)