Humid Hide, Handling BP & Introduction

[D-.No]

Thanks. I’ve read and reread care sheets but it’s just me and Roxy and there are times I’ve gotten a little concerned I’m not reading her correctly. I do appreciate all the feedback and welcoming me to the boards.
it’s helped a lot!

And yes the other night with her head sticking out of her humid hive I noticed the skin around her neck looks much different than it did the other day.

At the moment she’s not really interested anything but hiding so I gave her some extra moist Sphagnum moss I’m her wet hide and just give her some time.

[Bogertophis]

Thanks. I’ve read and reread care sheets but it’s just me and Roxy and there are times I’ve gotten a little concerned I’m not reading her correctly. I do appreciate all the feedback and welcoming me to the boards.
it’s helped a lot!

And yes the other night with her head sticking out of her humid hive I noticed the skin around her neck looks much different than it did the other day.

At the moment she’s not really interested anything but hiding so I gave her some extra moist Sphagnum moss I’m her wet hide and just give her some time.

By the way, I assume that's Roxy in your avatar, & you should know that the lighter colored snakes like yours (& albinos, especially) are the HARDEST to tell when they're going into shed- that "milky-look" doesn't show up very well because of their normal coloration. So look for that "texture change" and appetite loss (food refusal) as signs. That's excellent that you did notice her neck looked different- it's hard to explain that change to people.

Also, something that confuses many if not most new snake-owners is the shedding "time-line": Snakes cloud up, then they gradually "go clear" for a while before they actually shed- & by that I mean their body secretes moisture between the old skin that's coming off & the new skin underneath, & it's that moisture that makes their tissue-paper-like old skin appear like normal, with the colors more clear again. So many people think their snake must have shed when it actually hasn't, & then when they can't find the old skin, they wonder why, or they try to feed their snake again before it actually shed, & wonder why it won't eat. See?

So you have to wait for your snake to actually shed, after they "go clear"- and it takes as long as it takes- if your snake has fed recently, it can take longer, because both digestion & shedding are competing for moisture in their body. Snakes aren't that good at multi-tasking- And if nothing else, they teach us to pay attention & be patient.

[D-.No]

Wow. You rock! I didn’t notice your response till today but after Roxy had been in her wet hid for over a week she finally has come fully out. Right now she’s chilling inside her log which is technically not a hide, just an additional place for enrichment. She looks slightly bigger but there is no shed.
I didn’t bother her and lift the log or pick her up assuming she is still in the process.

Happy I got to go in her wet hide and properly treat the moss again. Hoping tonight she does some work and gets out of those old clothes lol

But it is tough because she was stashed in a hide a lot longer than I could’ve imagined, I kept on smelling for death (or poop) and was very thankful she started popping her head out the past couple days.

So true about the light color. Right before her second meal I noticed her getting a little dull nothing in the eyes. After a few days in the humid hide I could notice a little transition in the lens.

I’m getting surgery in a little more than a week so I really want to see some skin and some poop before I go under the knife.

[D-.No]

Just a couple hours later after leaving her humid hide she went to the log and pooped! I was expecting that after the shed.

When I was cleaning up she seemed very timid So I didn’t even consider handling her. With this behavior you would still consider ready to shed correct?

Or Could of it dissolved in that hot humidity over the past 9 days in her hide?

That thing is like a 83-88degree sauna all day, And I’m only getting a reading when the top is removed

[D-.No]

I know patience, patience, patience.

I haven’t fed Roxy since 4th of August. It was a very good size meal and so when she started showing signs of potential shed and refused to let me feed her on the ninth I let it be.
She’s gone through the several stages of shed but I’ve never been able to find a skin.
She’s moving around here and there during unusual times of the day, I was hoping she was going to start removing her skin but there’s a part of me that feels that she’s on the hunt.
When I’m tending to her enclosure she flickers her tongue and comes to inspect me or stretches herself to the top of the enclosure. This is behavior that she had not been doing for a couple weeks. Usually she would just tuck her head back into her hide or gradually move into a safe place if she was exposed from any que from my presence.

I’ve been keeping the humidity high and the temperature gradient seems fine as she is moving from hide to hide.

I’m going into the hospital for surgery on Thursday and was really hoping to have her fed and clean her enclosure before then. Can this process go on more than a couple weeks without me stepping in?

Should I be looking for a less impressive shed? I’ve heard sometimes they can ball up and be pretty tiny at the stage. I just feel horribly bad if she’s dying for sustenance and I am the noob waiting for some visible proof of shed.

I will remain patient and hope for the best but it seems from all the information I’ve read to hold off on feeding till I’m 100% Confident the process is complete.

[Bogertophis]

I know patience, patience, patience.

I haven’t fed Roxy since 4th of August. It was a very good size meal and so when she started showing signs of potential shed and refused to let me feed her on the ninth I let it be.
She’s gone through the several stages of shed but I’ve never been able to find a skin.
She’s moving around here and there during unusual times of the day, I was hoping she was going to start removing her skin but there’s a part of me that feels that she’s on the hunt.
When I’m tending to her enclosure she flickers her tongue and comes to inspect me or stretches herself to the top of the enclosure. This is behavior that she had not been doing for a couple weeks. Usually she would just tuck her head back into her hide or gradually move into a safe place if she was exposed from any que from my presence.

I’ve been keeping the humidity high and the temperature gradient seems fine as she is moving from hide to hide.

I’m going into the hospital for surgery on Thursday and was really hoping to have her fed and clean her enclosure before then. Can this process go on more than a couple weeks without me stepping in?

Should I be looking for a less impressive shed? I’ve heard sometimes they can ball up and be pretty tiny at the stage. I just feel horribly bad if she’s dying for sustenance and I am the noob waiting for some visible proof of shed.

I will remain patient and hope for the best but it seems from all the information I’ve read to hold off on feeding till I’m 100% Confident the process is complete.

Did you dig thru her substrate to see if her shed is rolled up somewhere? Sometimes they end up so tightly rolled they look like a miniature ski cap that would fit on their heads...

Also, if she appears to have shed (ie. has likely gone "clear") & seems hungry, you could feed her anyway- every once in a while, I've missed it myself, & the next thing I know, the snake (with a meal "on board") suddenly busts out of their old skin right after eating. (like those really old commercials "...my girdle's killing me!") Some snakes are just determined to "break the rules" too.

Of course even if she eats right now, she'll probably wait until AFTER Thursday to dump in her clean cage...because (ahem!) Snakes Will Be Snakes!

The problem with humans (us) is that we like schedules & snakes couldn't care less. If she was refusing to eat on the 9th, she's most likely right about to shed now, since most shed cycles (from the time they "feel" it & refuse to eat, to the time they actually undress) take around 2 weeks or less.

[D-.No]

Thanks Again Bogertophis! I replied but… it disappeared?
I took your advice and although she got pretty pissy with me flashing the rat in her face she struck and then ate on her own accord. First pre-killed feeder so that was great.
Should be digested by tonight and I’ll give enclosure cleaning. Very curious to see if she actually shed?

[D-.No]

Okay I’m officially ending this thread – lol


Well I officially should end this thread but with answers come questions.


Update on Roxy’s shed, I found it and it must’ve been and her humid hide for a while. Full shed which is great but it was completely intertwined with one long coarse piece of moss smashed into the base of the hide- can't believe I missed it!


I was also shocked on how much more waste she released since I’ve had her. Super glad I opted for a thorough disinfection before I am physically unable to which was under debate because everything looked so clean. Spot cleaning was just not enough.


I did use a mild bleach solution For the fake foliage and furniture. Everything else was cleaned with a little warm water, Dawn and alcohol.


I think the fake leaves soaked up a lot of the smell of the bleach even though I only a small ratio and I rinse them many many times.


I left the top of her enclosure off for a while but my sensitive smell is still detecting some bleach. Roxy seems super stoked to be back in her enclosure, very curious, very comfortable.


But naturally I’m concerned since I am going to be in the hospital for a couple days. I think it will be fine but if anyone has any advice for the future or concerns I should have before I essentially am leaving her alone I’m all ears.


(FYI: My sister is going to keep an eye on Roxanne while I'm away just in case)

[Bogertophis]

Okay I’m officially ending this thread – lol


Well I officially should end this thread but with answers come questions.


Update on Roxy’s shed, I found it and it must’ve been and her humid hide for a while. Full shed which is great but it was completely intertwined with one long coarse piece of moss smashed into the base of the hide- can't believe I missed it!


I was also shocked on how much more waste she released since I’ve had her. Super glad I opted for a thorough disinfection before I am physically unable to which was under debate because everything looked so clean. Spot cleaning was just not enough.


I did use a mild bleach solution For the fake foliage and furniture. Everything else was cleaned with a little warm water, Dawn and alcohol.


I think the fake leaves soaked up a lot of the smell of the bleach even though I only a small ratio and I rinse them many many times.


I left the top of her enclosure off for a while but my sensitive smell is still detecting some bleach. Roxy seems super stoked to be back in her enclosure, very curious, very comfortable.


But naturally I’m concerned since I am going to be in the hospital for a couple days. I think it will be fine but if anyone has any advice for the future or concerns I should have before I essentially am leaving her alone I’m all ears.


(FYI: My sister is going to keep an eye on Roxanne while I'm away just in case)

IMPORTANT- If YOU can smell the bleach, REMOVE the offending foliage & furnishings- your snake's sense of smell is far better than ours, AND bleach fumes are HARMFUL- they're toxic AND irritating to the lungs for as long as the odor persists. That's why we don't recommend using bleach for anything that is able to absorb it- the smell can take a VERY long time (if ever) to dissipate. Bleach is hazardous to health. If the odor persists, toss the stuff!

Never use bleach on anything porous, like wood or fabric, or even most plastics*, whether hides or fake plants- a little "dirt" is preferable to toxic bleach being present- once bleach soaks in, it might never go away. I'd take those fake plants out NOW- they're not essential. If your hides are affected, clean cardboard boxes can be used temporarily- just cut in a doorway. Things like cereal boxes that are the right shape & size, or close enough, can be used, & just toss them when they're dirty. You'll be back by then. (*You'll notice that bleach bottles even say "DO NOT RE-USE BOTTLES. That's why- it's toxic.)

Snakes should NEVER be exposed to bleach. Never.

I sorta figured she already shed & that you missed it (mostly because you said she was acting hungry) & you're not the first one to miss a hidden shed.

BTW, good luck with the hospital visit- hope you get done what you need with a good & quick recovery.

[Argentum]

IMPORTANT- If YOU can smell the bleach, REMOVE the offending foliage & furnishings- your snake's sense of smell is far better than ours, AND bleach fumes are HARMFUL- they're toxic AND irritating to the lungs for as long as the odor persists. That's why we don't recommend using bleach for anything that is able to absorb it- the smell can take a VERY long time (if ever) to dissipate. Bleach is hazardous to health. If the odor persists, toss the stuff!

Never use bleach on anything porous, like wood or fabric, or even most plastics*, whether hides or fake plants- a little "dirt" is preferable to toxic bleach being present- once bleach soaks in, it might never go away. I'd take those fake plants out NOW- they're not essential. If your hides are affected, clean cardboard boxes can be used temporarily- just cut in a doorway. Things like cereal boxes that are the right shape & size, or close enough, can be used, & just toss them when they're dirty. You'll be back by then. (*You'll notice that bleach bottles even say "DO NOT RE-USE BOTTLES. That's why- it's toxic.)

Snakes should NEVER be exposed to bleach. Never.

I sorta figured she already shed & that you missed it (mostly because you said she was acting hungry) & you're not the first one to miss a hidden shed.

BTW, good luck with the hospital visit- hope you get done what you need with a good & quick recovery.

Just adding a little to this. I use Chlorhexidine Gluconate Solution (2%) to disinfect. Just don't spray it directly in your eyes, and it's fine. I just keep a spray bottle of it and spray everything down whenever I take it out to clean. I only have three snakes, so I just have a small spray bottle, mixed 3/4 tsp. solution to 2 c. water. Been using it for years with no problems, after my rodent supplier recommended it. It's effective, popular with reptile keepers, and not very expensive. I've also been known to use it in the kitchen, bathroom... etc... etc....

I think the only place I've never used it may be the chicken coop. I don't have a spray bottle big enough for that.