Problem of assist shed ?

[calvinlee7hk]

last night i was going to to help my ball to peel the skin, but he still got some left behind his head to his neck(about a inch) but this place for him seems so sensitive, when i touch him on that area he moved so quick, and stay it on a strike position, i just scared that he will bite me ?

and what happen if i just leave the bad shed on his body ?

so what shoud i do ?

[CoolioTiffany]

BPs are head shy, but some can get over it (my female BP is not head shy, but my male is). I don't think your snake will bite, since BPs are known to rather go into a ball than strike when threatened, hence the name Ball python. The best thing to do now is raise the humidity in the enclosure to 70% by misting it with warm water, and also put your BP in a pillow case for a good 15 minutes. Makes sure the pillow case it damp by running it under warm water and squeezing it out. This will help the snake shed because the snake will slither around in there so it helps loosen up the skin and may also get the skin to peel.

[Oxylepy]

I've peeled stuck shed off the heads of my adult male before. It's not enjoyable and few things will make you sweat as bad as pulling the shed part of the heat pits away. I wouldn't suggest this route unless the shed is still there a couple days later (after exhausting other possibilities).

Whenever I had a stuck shed I would take a tub the snake will fit in and put warm water in there with it, then let it soak, refreshing the water every time it dropped to the 70s, until the snake's shed was almost completely clear (still on but the soaked water was deep enough in that it was between the skin and shed).

What I just said may not have made sense, but try everything else before peeling it off, and let the snake soak before trying anything yourself.

Oh, yeah, and always pull down the body, not toward the head. Even if pulling down is in the opposite way from where you have to go, just go one set of scales at a time, gently pulling toward the tail, not toward the head (and try not to rip the shed when doing this).

[WingedWolfPsion]

I put the snake into a wet pillowcase in the back of its bin for 20 or 30 minutes, then I grab it and restrain it, and peel off all the shed bits. The snake is peeved off with me for a while, but by the next day, it has forgotten all about my rudeness.

[pavlovk1025]

I put the snake into a wet pillowcase in the back of its bin for 20 or 30 minutes, then I grab it and restrain it, and peel off all the shed bits. The snake is peeved off with me for a while, but by the next day, it has forgotten all about my rudeness.

LOL! I tried that with my OG that had a bad shed as it was my first experience with a shedding Hypo and I didnt even know he was in shed till it was too late so his humidity was all sorts of wrong for proper shedding. Had to peel shed off of him...restraining him led to nothing good...just a lot of pee and urate all over me and my carpet.

[Maize]

I'm currently a new owner of a Spider Male. I heard the shedding process could be tricky. I was informed of two things. 1. keep the humidity above 75 and 2. place the BP in a tub of warm water and let sit for an hour.

I hope to god I dont have to assist in the shedding. I'm very new to the snake world and still very nervous of getting bit.

[pavlovk1025]

I'm currently a new owner of a Spider Male. I heard the shedding process could be tricky. I was informed of two things. 1. keep the humidity above 75 and 2. place the BP in a tub of warm water and let sit for an hour.

I hope to god I dont have to assist in the shedding. I'm very new to the snake world and still very nervous of getting bit.

Its easy...when you notice the shed process beginning, bump the humidity to 70-80. Maintain that humidity, provide something to rub against. You should be fine. Soaking the snake should be something you do for a stuck shed. Some people do it beforehand but it's not necessary IMO.

Things I do to my tub to bump and maintain humidity for shedding-

Cover airholes on the sides
Mist
Higher water level in bowl

That's it...Good luck and don't be nervous. You have a wealth of knowledge by being here, this site is the biggest comfort blanket you can have when dealing with snakes.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Wow, I've never had a ball pee on me yet (knock on wood), lol.
Restraining them does take considerable strength, and you need to be so careful not to injure them at the same time--and smarter than they are. My favorite trick is when the form a loop around their own body, then slide it down to force your hand off of them. ^_^

I can usually get the shed bits off the back end of the snake without much fuss, but I have to get a good grip behind the head to get the shed off of the head and neck. Having someone help by wrangling the back half of the snake helps!
Thankfully, it's quick if they've been soaked properly, and they go back in their bin before they have a chance to be too stressed.

[calvinlee7hk]

finallly, i raise the level of humidity, it just shed the bad shed by itself, im so happy now, cos these few days i think i have more stress than the ball.

[h00blah]

finallly, i raise the level of humidity, it just shed the bad shed by itself, im so happy now, cos these few days i think i have more stress than the ball.

LOL it sure does feel like that sometimes