BP's eye lens

[Adam Chandler]

I was talking to friend who just recently got his first BP and soon after his first bad shed. He was asking me how to safely remove the shed and retained eye caps. I told him to try soaking and removing the bad shed by hand and then for the eye caps placing the BP into a pillowcase with a damp washcloth and not to try to remove the eye caps himself. He asked why? I told him there was a chance he could accidently pull off the actual eye "lens" that covers there eye. Now he asked me if somehow he did what the treatment would be. I had no idea and still don't if there is any type of treatment so I thought I would ask on here.
If a BP eye "lens" was removed during a bad shed removal would there be any treatment? or would the eye be lost for sure?

[KingPythons]

No Im not a vet yet but I dont think they have lens. I could be wrong. I thought most animals that had lens's where animals that blink or that swam like crocks.. If you damage the eye its a gonner for sure. Doesnt mean they cant survive with out an eye but I would take him to the vet if the concern is there. If he has a dimple on his eye just raise the humidity a tad bit and see if it goes away with the next shed.

[KingPythons]

pictures help too

[Cody John Steele]

I've been told to take a Q-tip with a little Vaseline on it, and touch the eye gently with it. Then the eye cap will stick to the Vaseline and possibly come off, if that doesn't work barely move the Q-tip (with the Vaseline on it) over it's eye.

I haven't tried this before, I've just heard about it from a few people when I was first starting out and asked what happens if they get a retained eye cap. So, "experts" please try not to flame me.

[wax32]

I'd think if you damage the eye, that's it. All i do for bad sheds... run a towel under warm water. Place towel in snake's tub, on top of the snake. Take up most of the tub with the towel so the snake is forced to rub on it. (if the snake is in a tank, put it in a tub for this) The snake will take care of the rest. This has never NOT worked for me.

[ace_singapore]

First to answer your question: I think the eye of a snake is covered by a layer of film, or the so called lense. It works just like its scale, to protect what's underneath, in this case the eyeball. So when snake sheds the eyecap area also comes off.

If during a bad shed the eyecap part did not come off, raising the humidity or soaking the snake in the water may help. In your friend's case I really have not heard off; but since the layer of film covering the eye works as a scale, I reckon it will grow back after a few more sheds. Hope this helps.

[Adam Chandler]

Thanks for all the...varied replies. I was just curious if anyone came across a case where the inner spectacle was accidentally removed and what the outcome was. I've seen warnings but I’ve never heard of it actually happening.

[dr del]

Hi,

There have been a couple of threads on here about BP's that lost the protective spectacle from their eyes - but my search-Fu is weak and I can't find any of them.

I seem to remember one was as the result of a rodent bite and there was one where someone thought it had a retained spectacle but it didn't. I also seem to remember one where the spectacle was accidently removed along with a stuck one by a vet.

There was much talk of bathing the eye and applying creams to try and prevent damage and infection.

But I have a horrible feeling they lost their eye in every case.

I'm hoping I am simply misremembering that.


dr del

[muddoc]

Thanks for all the...varied replies. I was just curious if anyone came across a case where the inner spectacle was accidentally removed and what the outcome was. I've seen warnings but I’ve never heard of it actually happening.

I remove stuck eye caps with my finger nail, and have for many years. While this is a very gentle process, and one I have done 1000's of times, I don't rcommend it to the beginner. Most of the other recommendations work very well (Q-tip, gift wrap tape, warm wash cloth). With that said, about 7 years ago, I had a female that had just shed, and had a slight dimple in one of her eyes. The "eye cap" also appeared shiny and silver, as is the case with most retained eye caps. Well, needless to say, I began picking with my finger nail at the anterior of the eye. Normally you can see a white flap (for lack of a better description) once you have gently pulled the eye towards the rear of the eye socket. This is what I gently pick at, and the cap will start to fold back. In this case, what I did was exactly what the OP suggested. I peeled the spectacle off of the eye.

It became very apparent what I did after about 3 days, because the animals's eye turned very clooudy, and appeared to be dry all of the time. It was very hard to keep the eye hydrated and moist. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary, aside from trying to keep the humidity higher than usual. After about 3 sheds, her eye looked as if it was improving drastically, and after about 1 year (maybe 6-7 shed), she almost looked completely normal. Now, 7 years later, you could never guess that it ever happened.

I just wanted to chime in from someone that actyually experienced this. However, if you aren't comfortable with taking care of strange issues like this, I would still advise you see a vet if you should happen to do such a thing. Lastly, I wanted to note that just because this happens, the eye is not necessarily lost.

[corgigirl9]

I need some help with possible multiple retained eye caps and I apologize for no pics. I rescued this adult female ball python and have no history on her. Shes in the 2300 gram range and gaining as she is now on a regular feeding schedule. She doesnt have any stuck shed but her eyes are just dull not like shed dull but more like layers. Also I believe she cant see because although she is a great eater she barely gets the rat each feeding time. Last two times she caught the tail. Tried upping humidity and soaks and towel rubs but no change. Any suggestions to help or maybe the cap problems too far gone?