Stuck shed - what temp for water bath and how long?

[cchardwick]

I just picked up a super dwarf retic last week, got it for a great price I couldn't refuse. He is stuck in a major shed, so far I've bumped up the humidity in his tub by really wetting the Reptichip and putting half a roll of paper towels in there soaked, even put a water bowl in there to soak. And every few days I've been soaking him in a tub for about 5-10 minutes. Today I soaked him for 30 minutes and his shed is still really stuck. Any ideas?

I started out with a 95F water temp, then bumped it up to 100F. He sure didn't like that at all! I brought it down to 90F today and he seemed to really like that temp. But even after 30 minutes the shed was still really stuck. I tried to pull off some larger pieces and I didn't get very far before realizing how stuck it was.

Any ideas on how to get this shed off? What water temp do you use and how long do you soak? It's actually good that I'm handling him to tame him down a bit since he was so wild when I got him. Still wants to bite me in his tub and sometimes just goes crazy LOL, but doesn't pee and musk like he did when I first got him.

[cchardwick]

Here's a photo of him, I put just a few inches of water in the bottom of the tote at 90F, then added just a little povidone iodine to the water. Then I put the lid on the tote for about 25 minutes, then took off the lid for the last five minutes, he seemed to like the water as long as the top wasn't on the tote LOL. He sure is a small one for being a year and a half old! He is a purple albino SD/D reticulated python (37.5% super dwarf, 50% Jampea dwarf, 12.5% mainland). In the last week or two since I got him I fed him a few adult mice, just easing him into the food, most times he just strikes it aggressively instead of actually eating, recently I found out he likes me to wiggle the mouse on the bottom instead of dangle it in front of him. I think he could probably handle small rats just bigger than adult mice.

I really want to work with him every 2-3 days for short sessions either soaking him or handling for a short period (5 minutes or so) or just feeding or even just opening the tub to change the water and to spray down the substrate, just so he gets used to me so he's not so afraid. He is coming along quite well just in the last few days, just need to get this stuck shed off. I actually got him with the stuck shed.

[Tigerhawk]

I would soak him again in warm water. However I would put him in a wet pillow case. Let him crawl around in it while he's soaking. In a tub of water. That should help with his shedding.

[Tigerhawk]

Why did you add Iodine to the water. That's not necessarily.

[cchardwick]

Why did you add Iodine to the water. That's not necessarily.

I figured it can't hurt, I use Iodine around the farm for all my animals, even for deep cuts and after surgery. It's super safe and if they have skin problems or even a rash that's what I use. I figure if he has some skin issues from the stuck shed it would help to prevent any infection. I have gallons of it in a concentrate, would probably make thousands of gallons of iodine solution LOL. You make it up like a very weak tea, just so you can see a little color. Good idea with the pillow case, any risk of drowning though? My other retic has shed problems too, maybe its just common to the breed?

[Tigerhawk]

No, he will not drown. Put a few inches of water in a tub with him in the pillow case tied shut. He should move around which will remove the stuck shed. I understand what you are saying about the Iodine. However reptiles are sentive to chemicals. Sometimes causing there scales to loosen or fall off. Just do with out the iodine for now please. I just want to help you, if I can.

[cchardwick]

Actually I just read a post on this site that some guy took their burned snake to the vet and he suggested a diluted betaine iodine soak, so I'm guessing it's OK as a preventative as well. On the other hand, maybe it's the iodine that's making the shed go bad LOL. I'll try it without the iodine and see if that helps.

[bcr229]

Bad sheds are a husbandry issue that don't get fixed immediately. Your snake was probably dehydrated when his skin currently being shed was forming, so it's been too dry all along. His next shed will likely be better but not perfect. Also adult retics rarely have perfect sheds as they're rather enthusiastic about removing it, so it will be shredded into pieces anyway.

You can help by keeping him well hydrated (high humidity, feeding f/t feeders wet, etc) but it will take a while.

Bathwater temps over 90*F are too high, you want them 85-90*F. In addition to soaking him use a small towel or large washcloth to gently rub the shed off. These guys are smart and eventually they do figure out that you're helping them.

[Tigerhawk]

Please keep us posted on how things are going. It looks like your snake is in good hands with you. I'm Sure he will be better with time.

[Sauzo]

The couple times I had bad sheds, I just put the snake in a tub of luke warm water just over half their body deep, put the lid on and let them sit in there for about 30 mins. Assuming you are in a fairly warm room, the water should stay fine. Then I just let them crawl through a wet washcloth or paper towel. Worked fine but then again I never had a snake that had 2 or more layer of stuck shed or was that badly dehydrated. Like BCR said, keep him in high humidity. I keep Caesar and my boas at about 80% humidity and they all shed fine.

Also that snake should easily take small rats. Caesar was taking small rats at about 2' long. He's about 5' now and taking medium rats which seem to last about 4 days before he starts pushing, digging and climbing all over his shelf and destroying his silk vine

That snake doesn't even have the raptor looking head yet, you sure its 1.5 years old. It has the same kind of rounded head Caesar had when he was 5-6 months old. Now he has the wide raptor adult looking head. He's even got the big baby eyes. Or he was really underfed

Anyways, let us know how it goes and good luck.