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n/a
deleted
16 Posts |
 Posted - 17/03/2010 : 13:29:02
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Okay, so.. I'm probably being neurotic, but just want to make sure.
Graeme's color has gone WAY off the last 2-3 days, he's PINK now (usually something between rust and dark red, at least in the week I've had him), and his scales look a little strange (which is very vague I realize, but I don't know quite how else to describe it)..
He's also being a ****y grumpy butt even about getting his water changed.
My ASSUMPTION is that he's getting ready to shed, but my QUESTION is - should the color change be happening this soon before he goes into blue? his eyes are still clear looking... I've been holding out on scheduling his visit with the reptile vet until I get a poop out of him so we can do the fecal check right off, but.. ?
Pei (the nervous nelly first time herp mom) |
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HannahB
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
5491 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 13:59:38
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sounds like he is getting ready to shed, you will notice that his eyes go an almost grey/blue colour but if hes not out and about a lot then it can be easy to miss - iv missed it in my carolina before as i dont handle him every day and hes not always out and about..
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2.0 Normal Royal Pythons - Q and Little One
1.0 Chihauhaun Mountain Kingsnake - Simba
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n/a
deleted
16 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 14:03:38
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He's a hidey boy right now, but I've checked every day as his color got more "washed out" looking... I just want to make sure that his color going progressively more pale every day for several days BEFORE he goes blue is normal.. I knew they go blue, and then a day or two later they shed, but... I thought that their scale color changes came WITH the blue/gray eyes... So I just want to make sure that 2-3 days of color washing out BEFORE going blue and then shedding is normal.. :)
(thank you for your patience :D) |
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Mouse
Yearling
United Kingdom
958 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 14:46:53
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| My girl spends about 3-4 days getting gradually more washed out, then she goes blue (from my observations generally for 1-2 days), then generally 2-3 days afterwards she's clear, then she sheds. This may be a very long shedding process, I don't know, but that's what mine does! |
 
1.0.0 - Gobo - Snow Corn (RIP)
0.1.0 - Sprockett - Normal/hypo/het snow Corn
2.0.0 Anery Hatchlings
0.1.0 Amel Hatchling
0.1.0 Normal Hatchling
*Location - Southampton, UK*
http://www.weneedcake.co.uk |
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HannahB
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
5491 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 14:54:23
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thats normal 
the slowly change shades before their eyes go blue,
also after their eyes have cleared up their scales do brighten up in colour giving the impression that they may have shed, dont panic if you dont find a shed skin straight away |
2.0 Normal Royal Pythons - Q and Little One
1.0 Chihauhaun Mountain Kingsnake - Simba
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n/a
deleted
16 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 15:19:17
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| Thank you both so much!! :D |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 18/03/2010 : 04:31:39
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Am going through that with Kellog, he is taking almost a week to get to the proper 'blue' phase where his eyes go cloudy. His belly scales (which are normally almost white and black) are now almost yellow and blue, and they feel very loose....catching on anything easily, so having to be very careful when handling him.
I check on him every day so know he hasnt gone 'blue' officially yet, but as soon as he does I wont be handling him or feeding him until he has shed. During this period they are virtually blind, even when their cloudy eyes clear up and you have the few days wait before they actually shed. I just try and avoid as much stress on him as possible while he is like that.
If you want to you can add an extra bowl of water in the warm end just to increase the humidity slightly (once he has turned properly 'blue'), but that is all you need to do.
Once he has shed you need to make sure that you can see his eye caps and tail tip in the shed skin to make sure they havent been retained, as this can cause problems.
I would certainly hold off on a vet visit until after he has shed.
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n/a
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16 Posts |
Posted - 19/03/2010 : 12:46:23
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Thanks Kellogg, I wasn't able to check his eyes formally this morning before I had to leave for work (he was curled up in the cool side of the tank hide with his face hidden), but they were DEFINITELY starting to look cloudy last night, so I suspect that he'll be blue when I get home, or tomorrow.. Since he started this shed cycle during the "no touchies" week, we're just sort of keeping his water full and clean and otherwise leaving him be.. He's just sort of hanging out in his hides glaring at everything, I sort of keep expecting to hear a snakey rendition "you kids get off my lawn" to match the look on his face (actually I think the hiss and didn't-actually-hit-me-but-he-tried strike the other day counts)..
Just knowing that it can take a while and that discoloration SEVERAL days prior to blue is normal was good... I knew what going in blue meant, then it could be a day or two, but it was the process before that happens that I was not sure of.. :) |
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n/a
deleted
16 Posts |
Posted - 25/03/2010 : 01:12:46
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Just as a quick follow up, in case anyone was curious, he was absolutely shedding, and is almost done with his shed, it hasn't been in one big piece, but mostly clean and though I haven't snagged them yet to confirm, I am pretty sure I saw the eye caps around his head shed skin (he's not gotten to his tail yet, though I'll watch for that as well tonight...
And his new larger viv is all set up, so as soon as he's done, I'll give him a little attention, move him over and then not get to play with him again for a week *sigh*. :) (he also made me feel better on something I'd been trying NOT to freak out over and pooped.. :D) He has apparently read the book, since in hindsight it was a book classic shed (complete with cleansing poop :D)
Editted to add: confirmed on eye caps and tail tip. :)
Thanks again everyone for your patience.. :) |
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Edited by - n/a on 25/03/2010 02:17:03 |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 25/03/2010 : 04:27:47
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SNAP!!! Kellog shed yesterday evening as well! First time I ever had a full perfect shed from him! Have always had clean sheds in one piece but they have always had a rip in them....this one didnt even have the tinniest tear  ! Actually saw it from start to finish but unfortunately he did it all right at the front of the viv so couldnt get any good pics....will look at the few I got and see if any are worth posting.
It was a relief to see him shed finally...and it was literally only a couple of days from his eyes going clear to him shedding, when normally it takes longer than that. But it certainly was a long wait (probably about 10 days to 2 weeks??) from when I saw the first signs of his skin dulling....then his eyes going cloudy....to them finally clearing and then quickly into a great shed!
The best thing - now I can finally handle him !!!!!!!!!
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newsnakekeeper
Hatchling
United Kingdom
222 Posts |
Posted - 25/03/2010 : 12:29:16
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| Kellog why is it that after feeding and during shed that seems to be the longest time after the 1 week rule for handling am like that with shearer it not fair at all lol |
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DannyBrown91
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3070 Posts |
Posted - 25/03/2010 : 12:55:24
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quote:
Originally posted by newsnakekeeper
Kellog why is it that after feeding and during shed that seems to be the longest time after the 1 week rule for handling am like that with shearer it not fair at all lol
Yer i hate it when mine go into shed. Candy seems to go through the process quite quick but casper takes ages, its certainly worse than the first week. Reggie should be due a shed anytime soon. His skin started to dull in colour and had a grey tint to it, but now it seems to have cleared up without the eyes going cloudy or anything. He shed the day i got him and has put on around 13 grams since then. |
0.0.1 Ghost Corn - Casper
0.0.1 Diffused Corn - Reggie
0.0.1 Amel Corn - Candy A.K.A Baby
1.0 Commom BCI - Rocky
0.1 Japanese Akita - Sasha
Location: Liverpool |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 26/03/2010 : 05:12:09
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I seriously get withdrawal symptoms when I cant handle Kellog - and I am not joking! I find it so therapeutic and calming. Not so much with Silvesta yet as he is still a bit 'all over the place' but hopefully that day will come....
xxx
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simonw
Hatchling
United Kingdom
128 Posts |
Posted - 30/03/2010 : 14:27:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Kellog
I seriously get withdrawal symptoms when I cant handle Kellog - and I am not joking! I find it so therapeutic and calming. Not so much with Silvesta yet as he is still a bit 'all over the place' but hopefully that day will come....
xxx
The older they get the better, as they really learn to relax with you. My two 10 year olds will stay cruising around me for ages before they get bored of taking my warmth...which works quite nicely in the summer as they cool me down :). Their shed last longer as they age. Sometimes they can take more than a week to shed after starting to blue, but they are quite happy to be handled during this time. I put a vermiculite box in to help Littlun shed 3 weeks ago after reading about it here...but the shed was in small pieces...whereas normally he does a complete all-in-one shed...many of which have found their way to my sons school :) He certainly seemed to like nesting in the vermiculite though :) |
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Shed double checking
