Problem with Shedding

[thefnshow66]

I recently got my Male Pinstripe. He's been eating for me and all seemed well. I notice he was going into shed and he managed to get the skin off of his face but the rest is stuck on his neck, going all the way down his body. His skin looks really dry and I'm confused to why he hasen't completely shedded yet. He has the same set up as my other BP.

16 qt tub
2 rbi small hides
hot side 91-93
cool side 80-83
Humidity right now is 70 cuz of shedding

so what should i do now, he's been like this since monday.

[Nate]

Here's a great sticky: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=43403

[scales owner]

Sometimes it just depends on the snake there are times when mine will shed fine and then whith everything ALMOST identical he will have a crappy one.

[thefnshow66]

do you think if i put something somewhat sharp like a rock or something hard with a rough surface in the enclosure, he'll use it to take off the rest of his old skin? He has the entire shed on him except for his head. He looks like he's wearing a jump suit but of his old skin.

[Emilio]

Adam has a great video about this I thought I'd share. Big thumbs up to Adam!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dOXk3Nn3w8

[thefnshow66]

so i tried bathing my baby pin in water last night. It seemed to get most of his skin off except for around the top of his head and a bit of his upper body. I tried to grab the little guy by the head but he kept snapping at me so i just stopped messing with him. Do you think if i gave him a bath again but this time put a towl in there, he'll get the rest of the skin off? Is there another method?

[dr del]

Hi,

You could try putting him in a damp pillowcase. They can loosen the skin on their head rubbing around that trying to escape.


dr del

[starmom]

I'm uneasy picking the skin off of the snake during a bad shed.

The damp soak and run-through-a-washcloth has done the trick both times that I've needed it

[thefnshow66]

your telling me starmom, i have two hatchlings and i know the bites won't hurt but i'm still nervous when i hold them, now i have to peal skin off of them??...haha..my other ball shedded perfectly for me both times. I've only had this pin for three weeks now and he has a bad shed, I feel like a bad father

[Joe_Compel]

Aside from what everybody else mentioned, you could just leave the retained skin right where it is.

It's not pretty but retained skin usually isn't an issue (especially if the head and caps were shed off). You could wait until next shed cycle and just make sure that the enclosure is not too dry or the snake is not dehydrated and any retained shed should come off with the next shed.