Thursday, July 30, 2009

Ball python shedding problems...?

I just got my baby ball python about a month or so ago and shes one year old(give or take). She is about to shed as her eyes turned a cloudy blue...but now there not and she never shed...is this bad or normal...also can i handle her while shes shedding..thank you for answering...also this is my first snake and its her first shedding while shes been with me so any additional info. that i need to know would help.
Answers:
The snake's eyes will usually turn cloudy (or milky) before a shed, but usually clears up right before the shedding process begins, but usually do not shed their eye caps until after the shedding process has began (and sometimes not until after the shedding process has completed), so to answer your question, this is very normal. It is best not to handle your snake until after the shedding process is complete, due to the fact that some get agitated or irritated during the shedding process, and the fact that they cannot see and may mistake your hand for prey and strike or bite you. To help with the shedding process, you should make sure that the temperature and the humidity level in the tank are appropriate and that there are plenty of objects, such as a rock (NOT heated), branches, in the tank that she can rub against to help shed the skin. (It is best to have a thermometer and a humidity gage in the tank). To increase the temperature, you can get a higher wattage heat lamp, and to increase the humidity in the tank, you can place the heat lamp above the water bowl, or mist the inside of the tank with warm water. (Keep in mind that the humidity level should be increased slightly during the shedding process). Also, I highly suggest using Astro-turf for the substrate, not only because it is easy to clean, but it helps with the shedding. Be sure to have a water dish large enough for the snake to soak in, as she will probably spend most of her time in the water soaking, and be sure to supply fresh water daily. Just for your information, the shedding process takes 7-14 days to complete. If all the skin has not shedded off itself, then you may have to manually remove the skin yourself. This can be done by soaking your snake in a luke warm bath for about 10 mins (not a hot bath because you can risk burning your snake), then taking a warm wet cloth and wiping the skin off the snake. Also, your local pet stores may sell what's called "Bio-Mist" reptile skin conditioner, which also helps with the shedding. Pet stores also sell other products for helping the shedding process. Just be sure that the skin from the tail is removed because if left on, it can restrict blood flow or circulation to the tail; and be sure that the eye caps are removed, as it can cause loss of circulation to the eyes, and may cause permanent blindness in the snake.
Also, snakes don't "poop" every day as some animals, or reptiles, do. Sometimes it can take up to a month before the snake poops.
Hope this helps.
well they will loose there eye caps thats the cloudy blue you seen then within 48 hours they will shed if not just mist the inside of the tank with water and that should raise the humidity if this dont work let it swim in the bath tub for a while with about 4 inches of warm water this will also help try not touching it very much or handling it but just to put it in the tub and back in its home
Did whoever you got the snake from tell you that there needs to be miosture for the shedding process to happen? I would suggest not handleing her untill she is done, they tend to get cranky and she might strike you. Spray her down every so often to soften her outer layer enough for her to shed, and give her a dish with water because she will naturally want to soak in it.
when she gets foggy eyes give her a warm water bath to soften her skin. ============(:)-
they eyes usually clear up the day before shedding and i wouldn't suggest you handle it its eyes have a cloudy vision and may not see right and may try to strike
Your snake may have shed and you not even know it some snakes eat there shed, and may be why you did not find it. Does your balls skin look brighter usually a good sighn they have shed.. if she has not shed keep the tank as humid as you can, First keeping a large dish of water is good because with the heat in dispitates some of the water into the air a natural humidiity allthough not high enough mist down at least 2 times a day.. I had a snake having a hard time shedding once it was a ball.. I ran the showe in my bathroom with hot water to fill the tub with a few inches of water. While i was filling the tub with the shower shut the door get it good and steamy.. Bring your snake in after you have a few inches of water in the tub.. Now the bathroom as as humid as you can get it and I would set her in the tub.. Really for a couple of reasons one it is humid and this really helps in the shed process, 2 you said she has not pooped this week..soaking in the water may help relax the stomach enough to allow her to go.. You have to look at this like a child that has a belly ache and you know she just needs to poopl you put them in a warm tub then give them a heating pas and tell them to chill.. Same for your baby snake. It may thrash a little in the tub, but will be fine give her about 5 min take her right back out put her in her home. You know that it is possible that she shed her eye caps first and that is the reason her eyes are longer clowdy you can tell if that is what happend vy if her head looks more brilant. Also with the humidity for shedding you have to have a lot of different textures in her tank to rub on it is how they get the skin off. They litterassy push thmselves out of it. . Logs work well.. there is alos something I use for my water dragon because he has the hardest time shedding.It is called repti shedding aid my zoomed.. I spray my snakes and my water dragon with that when I know they are starting to shed it helps alot the active ingredients in it is water solubilizing hydotrope,glicerin,jojoba oil,vitamin eacatate in an oil base.. You can get it at most pet stores where reptiles are sold and also if you did a search on the net you would find it. I have learned that snakes really do not like being handled to much as shedding takes a lot out of the, like when children grow they sleep more and are cranky well snakes are the same way when they shed they are going through a growth.. Really look your snake over and see if he is if he appears more brilliant in color just around his head or all over.After i put my snkae in the tub with the room filled with steam then I set him back in his tank he was done his full shed in about 20 minuites.. Good choice on a first snake.. if he did do a dull shed and ate the skin, well then you have nothing to wrry about except he has not pooped and soaxing him in the tub will help with this. If you plan to buy the rept shed aid.. It is a very different price at a petstore about 7.00 on line at a reptile site 3.95 the stuff works. I reccommend it all the time at work and people are really happy with it
if the snake is having shedding problems up the humidity in the tank and the temperature as well you may also want to check her and see if she has mites(little black specs that are bugs that move around very quickly) how often do you feed her you may need to feed her a little more often
Hey congrats- But really, don't handle her while she's shedding. Her skin is going to be ultra sensitive and she may strike. Now ,all snake eyes turn cloudy during shedding. But if you say she never shed, that's not normal. Take her to vet and tell the vet
give her a warm WARM not hot bath, also before a snake sheds its eyes get cloudy then clear up a few days after they start to shed, if she hasnt pooped, give her 1 large portion since its a baby give her an adult mouse or medium mouse, , some snakes u can handle during its shed, mine lets me help her pick off the stray scales with tweezers around her eyes and nostrils, she trusts me so much.handle IT ALOT, u cant tell nor will u know untill its almost a year old and u'll have to get it probed

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