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 Strange shed, and need guidance

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T O P I C    R E V I E W
n/a Posted - 15/10/2009 : 10:46:19

Last night I found some shed in Shen's viv, only the head and a bit of the neck. When I put my hand in to remove it Shen slithered away and I saw lots of bits of skin hanging off him, he really looked like he was wearing a lot of torn nylon bags. I added some sphagnum moss to help him but now he's out of sight and I can't see what's happening. We're not yet 48 hours after feed so I dare not lift him.

I find the whole thing strange because he didn't go blue, at least not that we noticed, and also all he's eaten since mid-August were the two tails and one pinkie, and he's only had the pinkie the day before yesterday, his weight hasn't changed, so how come the shed??

I need some guidnace on the following:

1. How long should the sphagnum moss stay in?

2. Is it better to leave him alone until the 48 hours are up or should I check him over now and act on any stuck shed? It's been 40 hours since he fed, and about 9 hours since I discovered the shed.

7   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
HannahB Posted - 15/10/2009 : 21:01:31
ah i get you now..
maybe its come off in small pieces and is hidden in the substrate? time to play hunt the shed i think!
Kellog Posted - 15/10/2009 : 21:01:10
Firstly *big sigh of relief* - the pinkie stayed down...that is great news!

Secondly - I dont know much about shedding, especially with little ones, but would think that if it has come off in lots of little bits then you could maybe miss seeing them buried in substrate and in moss. Have you totally cleaned viv and inspected 100%? Have you handled Shen yet? Would be good to handle him and have a good feel of his scales, just to make sure that he has shed totally - obviously check eyes and tail. Probably good idea to run him through damp towel anyway just to be sure.

Am so pleased for you, Hawkeye. Knew you would get there in the end, you weren't going to let that little guy get the better of you!! xxx
n/a Posted - 15/10/2009 : 20:34:40
quote:
Originally posted by HannahB

good to hear he fed ok

with his shed id have a really good search of the moss incase its in there.. if it was my snake id give him a bath either tomorrow or the day after just incase he sheds over the next few days.. although only shedding part and not the rest with it then disappearing is a new one on me..!



Ok. Just to sort out the confusion here: he fed ok but that was two days ago, today he I breathed a sigh of relief that after 48 hours the mouse stayed down.

As for the shed, he was already shedding last night and the skin was hanging off him in bits and pieces, today he's as smooth and shiny as a polished shoe so obviously he got rid of the old skin, but mysretiously no sign of it anywhere. Oh well, the main thing is that he's doing ok, now I'm thinking ahead to the next feed in the hope it will go easier than last time.

HannahB Posted - 15/10/2009 : 20:00:12
good to hear he fed ok

with his shed id have a really good search of the moss incase its in there.. if it was my snake id give him a bath either tomorrow or the day after just incase he sheds over the next few days.. although only shedding part and not the rest with it then disappearing is a new one on me..!
n/a Posted - 15/10/2009 : 19:38:05

Ok, thanks. Update:

The 48 hours are over, no sign of regurgitation anywhere (long sigh of relief) and, surprisingly, no sign of the nylon bag effect but also no sign of any shed in his viv! What on earth has he done with his skin?!

Anyhoooo, I've taken out the sphagnum moss and put Shen back into his viv to explore the two new hides I put there instead of the two old ones (he got an updrage from old plastic cup + old plastic lid to two shiny new plant pots) and the new silk plant I put in. I think he requires more than the usual amount of possible hidey places and although he already had plenty I decided to give him even more.

Also we measured him: 1'1".

So there.



lucifer Posted - 15/10/2009 : 11:36:27
quote:
Originally posted by HannahB

let him then wriggle through a damp towel and this will then loosen and hopefully remove the stuck shed


This should fix the bits of shedding left, generally I remove the moss after they have shed and only return it when they are in blue.
Zero has tricky sheds too and makes it look far more dramatic than it needs to be
HannahB Posted - 15/10/2009 : 11:11:30
tbh i think regardless of whether they have eaten or not they will shed as they have probably grown a bit..aura has grown a small amount even though shes not eaten

wait til the 48hours are up and then give him a warm bath - check temp with thermometer and it should be around 27'c.. let him then wriggle through a damp towel and this will then loosen and hopefully remove the stuck shed


some you dont notice the blue phase at all.. i fed Edison on sunday and on tuesday he had shed.. i didnt see any blue eyes or anything.. the only reason i checked for a shed was because his colour was really bright and peachy like Liberty's which I hadn't noticed before

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