Absolutely HORRIBLE shed!

[ginandbradley]

So I've been waiting for Bradley to shed for a little over a week now, and he started peeling today. He is just randomly peeling all over his little body! I am so panicked! I drove myself crazy making sure the humidity was perfect, giving him daily warm soaks, and gave him a little snake massage with Shedding Aid, and THIS IS AWFUL!!! He is still rubbing his face trying to start it, and just doesnt seem to be able. I have put in for a vet appointment, so hopefully I can go tomorrow... he is three months old, and this is the first shed I have him for. I am just heartbroken over being a bad snake owner! What can I do to make it better!?

[Homegrownscales]

A vet appt for a bad shed? Or is there something else going on? It sounds like you may be having a problem keeping the humidity up in the cage. What's the setup like? Really every persons snake here at one point of time or another has a bad shed. Thats a good warning system that you are having a humidity issue. We need to help you figure out how to fix that. It doesnt make you a bad owner.


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[llovelace]

The reason he is shedding in pieces is because you were giving him warm soaks.
You only do the soaks as needed, after a bad shed, by giving him the daily soaks you leached the necessary oils from his skin, causing the horrible shed.

A vet visit is totally unecessary. Just increase his humidity during the next shed cycle, when you see him with a pink belly.

You can soak him now to remove the bad shed

[Alexandra V]

Firstly, don't beat yourself up over it. Pretty well every first time snake owner has a bad first shed. It's not like you put the snake's life in danger or anything.

What you could try to do is give him a good soak in a rubbermaid tub with some tepid or lukewarm water, with just enough water to maybe go halfway up his side when he's sitting in the water. Throw in a washcloth and pop the top on. Sit the tub on the hot side of his enclosure, over the heat mat (or under the light, whatever it is that you use) and leave him for 10-15 minutes. Check back to make sure the water doesn't get too cool. After the soak, take him out of the tub and take the washcloth that was in the tub. Run some tepid water over it, and then let him crawl through it in your hands. You can try to rub off some of the skin yourself using the washcloth. Every now and then, re-warm the towel with tepid-lukewarm water.

If you didn't get all the skin off after about half an hour to 45 minutes of letting him run through the cloth, place him back in his enclosure, make sure you keep humidity high, and try the same thing again in a couple days.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

The daily soaks is what did it. Never ever give a BP soaks when they are getting ready to shed. This will cause a bad shed. They develop a thin layer of natural oils between the old skin and the new skin to help the old skin come off. By soaking, you leached all that oil out and caused a bad shed.

All you have to do is increase the humidity and provide a humid hide during the week of shed once the eyes begin to go cloudy.

I don't know why people think BPs need to be soaked and bathed so much. This is actually bad for them. A soak is only needed in these instances..

AFTER a bad shed to help it come off.

If it gets poo or pee on it.

For a medical treatment of an injury.

That's IT!

No play time baths. It's actually no good for their skin. Just high humidity.

Now... If the BP was not able to get the eye caps off, do NOT pick or rub at them. Just put a dab of ointment on them once a day. A&E, Bacitracin, Neosporin. But no mineral oil!

The stuck shed itself is not dangerous and will not cause a single problem to the BP. A soak now and a gentle rub afterward with a wet cloth will help it come off.

Even stuck eye caps are not a problem when it is only one layer. If they do not come off by gently rubbing your finger across them (no picking!) then keep applying the ointment and they will come off next shed.

There is nothing to be concerned about here. Stop worrying and stop fussing over the snake so much. No more soaks before sheds. Period.

[angllady2]

I know you thought you were helping, but the soaks are what ruined his shed.

First of all, calm down. Take a deep breath, realize we all make mistakes in the beginning, and go from here.

Now that he's had his bad shed, you can soak him, or do what I like to and get a clean pillowcase, dampen the pillowcase, put the snake inside the damp pillowcase, tie the pillowcase shut. Put the pillowcase in a warm spot and leave him alone for 20 minutes or so. He'll rub most of the shed on his own.

He does not need to see a vet. The vet can't do anything for him you cannot do at home, and you'll save money. You don't need to use that shed aid either, it doesn't really help. I know, I used it for over a year before I discovered what a waste of money it is.

When you see him getting ready to shed again, just bump the humidity a little, and it doesn't need to be much, and he'll do the rest.

Gale

[ginandbradley]

Thank you all sooo much! I had read on some other forums and "helpful" sites that soaking was good for the shed, so it's good to know that everyone here is in agreement that it is NOT good... I am actually taking him to the vet for a different reason, he hasnt been yet and I want him to get a checkup. Plus yesterday I noticed that his jaw was off centered, it looks like it's pushed the right a little. So, yeah. I just really want to have a healthy happy pet, and I might be stressing a little more than necessary...

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

If he recently ate, it's normal for the jaw to be out of alignment for a couple days.

I certainly hope you are taking it to an exotics vet. We've seen too many horror stories about regular vets who think they know about snakes and end up doing more harm than good.

Whatever happens, do not ever let a vet pick at you snakes eyes or use tape, or any other type of tool on the eyes. One member here has a snake that is blind in one eye now due to a dumb vet who was unaware that the snake did not have stuck outer eye caps and that the inner caps which are supposed to be there that protect the soft eye underneath, can also look dry and dented if humidity is low.. He was picking at these caps. Removed one!! And the snakes eye eventually deflated.

Also don't let a vet try to manipulate your snakes jaw. Their bones break easily.

Unless it's showing sings of sickness, there is no reason to take a reptile for a check up, but if you insist, at least let it be an experienced exotics vet.

[AliCat37]

angllady2 - That's a great suggestion. I usually try getting the excess skin off with a wet towel, but your idea sounds much much better haha.