Bad shed..Ideas?

[mattjordan19]

This is the first time my BP was supposed to shed. On Saturday night she was moving around the enclosure rubbing on stuff and getting some of the skin to come off, but after about 3 or 4 hours she wasn't having any progress. A couple hours later I gave her a bath and helped her get it off, but four days later (today) she still has skin from the top of her head down about 6 inches, and it just wont come off. I gave her another bath, and that didn't help either. The humidity level has been around 60% the past two weeks. She doesn't seem to even try rubbing on things anymore to get it off. Any suggestions on what I should do?

[steveboos]

Well sometimes the skin on top of the head just wont come off. I would put him/her in a tub of luke warm water that rises to about halfway up the side of the body. Stick a hand towel in there so they can rub off the skin. Leave them in there for no longer than 30 minutes and the skin should be off, if not the 100% humidity in the tub will help loosen it off and you can rub it off with the towel afterward.

[mattjordan19]

Well sometimes the skin on top of the head just wont come off. I would put him/her in a tub of luke warm water that rises to about halfway up the side of the body. Stick a hand towel in there so they can rub off the skin. Leave them in there for no longer than 30 minutes and the skin should be off, if not the 100% humidity in the tub will help loosen it off and you can rub it off with the towel afterward.

Okay cool, thanks! I will have to try that after class tomorrow! Im really surprised she doesn't mind me rubbing her head of pulling the loose pieces off.

[steveboos]

Well after a while, they realize your only helping them and they aren't going to get hurt. So the trust builds and soon they wont even care what you do to them. Most of my snakes aren't even head shy and will gladly let you touch their head, but some of my other snakes will retract back ASAP and can be very quick when you get near the head.

If that doesn't work you can try the pillow case trick, which is the same concept, just you stick them in a pillow case instead of a tub with a towel.

[mattjordan19]

I will probably try the pillow case trick, because when I put her in the tub she flails around at first, but then calms down and sits there keeping the part with the skin on it out of the water the rest of the time.