| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Nazzle |
Posted - 08/03/2010 : 22:25:02
My hatchling started to shed about a week ago. I'd noticed him in blue before hand so had put in a damp hide. So far everything has come off (in lots of bits) apart from the shed on the head. I've currently got two damp hides in (one in the warm end as that's where he spends most of his time), two water bowls big enough for him to get in. After leaving it like this for a few days I tried a bath and a damp towel, but the retained skin isn't moving at all. It seems as though he's rubbed the shed from the neck down but hasn't broken it at all around his mouth/face (he's missing an eye so don't know if this causes a problem, he's not had a clean shed yet). Is there anything else I can try or should I just persist like this until we make some progress? |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kellog |
Posted - 10/03/2010 : 02:41:21
That is such good news Nadine, I know what a relief it will be for you to have got that retained shed off him.
It is the great thing about this forum....you get such good advice and support from really experienced keepers, like Mike, who can help when you are in the situation you were in.
(Well done Mike  , great advice for us all to remember)
xxx |
| Nazzle |
Posted - 09/03/2010 : 20:48:00
Thanks Mike, I'm pretty sure I've got it all now. The deeper bath worked really well, but he really didn't like it! It was fascinating to watch him swim though. To say the first time I saw him he was biting someone picking at his shed, I can't believe how much he's let me poke and prod at him without a tail shake, hiss or bite. It makes me love him even more! Just hope it isn't going to happen for the rest of his life, in every other way his missing eye doesn't seem to bother him. |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 09/03/2010 : 16:41:04
If you put him in water that's about 3 times deeper than himself he will duck under himself, don't worry about drowning issues, they are more than capable of keeping their heads above water. Put a bit of fairy in too, it will help get the water underneath the skin he has retained. Once soaked, start from the edge and just peel it off, if you can get the tip of your nail over the lip of their mouth, you can start the shed from where its meant to start from. |
| Nazzle |
Posted - 09/03/2010 : 09:13:26
I'm a bit stumped really, I've tried to take some photos but it doesn't really show the problem. The skin around the head hasn't broken at all. It has started shedding from just behind the skull. I managed to get a little bit more off last night by getting him to reverse through my hands in a damp towel, but it's still not broken the skin on the head, just further up the neck. He originally started shedding half way down his body. He doesn't seem to be trying to scratch his head to break the skin, it's like he thinks he's shed properly (again he's blind on one side and has a strange shaped head so this could be the problem). |
| Kellog |
Posted - 09/03/2010 : 04:36:03
I know this may be wrong to suggest so please correct me if I am wrong...but could you duck his head under the water a few times to get it damp enough? Then run him through the damp towel, concentrating on a slight pressure on his head??? I am really not sure about this and it may be totally wrong but it is the only thing I can think of as you have already got the damp hides in and he is using them.
Maybe you could try using a damp cotton bud to lift off the retained shed?
Has the eye cap come away from his remaining eye?
Sorry Nadine, I wish I could help.
xxx |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 09/03/2010 : 00:53:37
Im not sure about the humidity in the vivs but i would certainly keep the damp hides in, this should help to losen it. As for the baths since they don't really put their heads in the water this may not help so much.
Too be honest i havn't really got any extra tips as it is a strange place to have retained shed. What has sort of confused me is that most snakes start the shed process by rubbing their head and getting that bit off, so i've never heard of a snake retaining shed there. |
| Nazzle |
Posted - 08/03/2010 : 22:41:08
Done all of that already. Humidty is 65% at the moment (digital hygrometer), obviously higher in the hides. |
| mozacchio |
Posted - 08/03/2010 : 22:28:24
In the caresheet of this site ( http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/corn_snake_care_sheet.htm ) says:
"Most Corn snakes will handle a shed without any need for extra help, but if you want to assist your snake during this time you should try to raise the humidity in your Vivarium to help your snake loosen it's skin. You can do this by placing a larger water bowl in the vivarium so that your snake has the opportunity to soak itself if desired. You can also lightly mist the tank with water to help raise the humidity. Another useful tactic is to place a humidity box in the Vivarium. This can be a sandwich box with a hole cut in the top filled with damp sphagnum moss. Your Corn snake should appreciate the extra humidity and it will make the next stage in the process easier for it."
Hope I helped,
Electra |
