Watching Zeus shed!

[Trollbie]

This is so cool!
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/423d0b2f.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/b08de244.jpg

It sure looks hard though!

[Trollbie]

Well, he shed in pieces again, but this time it was much better than last time. So I guess it's progress :)

[Charlie64]

cool. Those snakes look awesome right after shed!

[Trollbie]

They sure do! Can't wait to take pics in the sun!

[Charlie64]

Can;t wait to see em!

[Trollbie]

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/31cd2605.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/a4ce93aa.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/c010cc24.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/498b8e65.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/65bb539b.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/611b5ee4.jpg

[Rogue628]

I love it when I can catch them shedding. Everything my animals do fascinates me, from shedding to eating. :D

Zeus is looking really good in his fresh paint! :D

I also had issues with shedding in pieces with my rainbow the first 2 or 3 times she shed. The first shed with me was an utter disaster but each shed got better. I think I now have her raised humidity down to a science while she's in shed. We mist her tub 2 to 3 times extra daily as soon as we discover she's in shed. Her husbandry usually stays spot on, but it seems she needs alot of extra humidity to help with an easy and better (perfect) shed.

Someone one here once posted that if you can see moisture on the sides of their tubs, then the humidity is perfect. Rainbows need more humidity than most other kept snakes and I try my best to keep hers that humid, especially during her shedding process. Another thing you may want to make him is a humid hide, especially for when he's shedding.

[Trollbie]

You mean like this? :p
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/7e0a83cf.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/c49ae3ea.jpg

His humidity never drops below 85%, but it's pretty stable around 95% majority of the time :)

[Rogue628]

Ahh. You seem to have it perfect. :D

I know my first couple of sheds were humidity issues.

[Trollbie]

Ahh. You seem to have it perfect. :D

I know my first couple of sheds were humidity issues.

The only humidity issue I can see myself having is too much humidity lol. But considering this is only his second shed in my care, I won't worry too much yet. His first shed was a disaster too, so since it was much better this time, I'm going to hope that he'll improve until he gets it perfect.

Since I got to watch him last night, I think his problem may be that he doesn't rub against the rougher things. He was rubbing against the glass and his water dish which is smooth.

The worst part about his sheds is that as soon as he starts showing signs, he starts clicking. When he finished shedding last night he even started wheezing. It was pretty scary, but then I noticed he had a piece still stuck on one of his eyes and nose. But I gave him a nice warm bath and once it came off, he was breathing okay again :)

[CK SandBoas]

I never, ever get to see my BRB shed. I am either fast asleep when it occurs, or i'm at work, so it's all over by the time i either wake up, or get home from work.

On the other hand, i always seem to be home or awake when my Grey Banded King sheds, lol.

[mykee]

Any shed that isn't one piece is a failure in husbandry. There really is no grey area here. One piece, or not one peice.

[Lankyrob]

Mykee, have you eveer had a snake have its first shed WITH YOU be bad but then all future ones be fine?

My retic first shed was atrocious but have been fine since, i put it down to the stress of shipping, new enclosure etc :)

[Snakesitter]

Congrats on the new clothes! He looks all ready to hurl lightning now. ;-)

[mykee]

Rob, nope. If the husbandry is bang on in the enclosure, the sheds will be good. Stress is not a factor. Shedding is like pooping, its a function.

[Trollbie]

Rob, nope. If the husbandry is bang on in the enclosure, the sheds will be good. Stress is not a factor. Shedding is like pooping, its a function.

If my humidity is right and my temperatures are right, and he has 2 hides, fresh water everyday, what else could be wrong with my husbandry? I know my hygro is accurate because I salt tested it less than a month ago. And there's always dew on the glass.

[Trollbie]

I researched again and I really don't see anything I could be doing wrong...

[Xanafein]

Dont Forget Mykee Keeps Balls wich are kinda hard to have not shed perfectly, your husbandry looks fine, If you want tho try adding about 2 inches of lightly spread moss thats been soaked, they like to dig under it

[Trollbie]

Dont Forget Mykee Keeps Balls wich are kinda hard to have not shed perfectly, your husbandry looks fine, If you want tho try adding about 2 inches of lightly spread moss thats been soaked, they like to dig under it

When I did that, I had ants build a nest in his viv :(

[Xanafein]

Hmmmmmm Never had that problem, Not sure what to do then

[Trollbie]

Hmmmmmm Never had that problem, Not sure what to do then

Well, considering that this shed was significantly better than the last one, I'm just gonna hope and pray that the next shed will be even better. I'm gonna try giving him baths more often though, since I don't ever catch him bathing himself.

[Snakesitter]

Bathing comes with age, I've found. They do it more and more as they get older, mostly after meals or before sheds. If this shed was better than the last, just keep doing what you are doing. :-)

[Trollbie]

I just noticed his iridescence got a lot more intense with this last shed :D

[mykee]

...and Kenyans.
Your humidity is too low.

[Trollbie]

...and Kenyans.
Your humidity is too low.

What should it be?

[mykee]

Obviously higher.

[exwizard]

You mean like this? :p
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/7e0a83cf.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/Czechish/c49ae3ea.jpg

His humidity never drops below 85%, but it's pretty stable around 95% majority of the time :) How much higher can she get it Mykee?

[millertime89]

Obviously higher.

Obviously you missed the fact that its 95%, I don't know if higher can be maintained without a misting system and a drain.

[Trollbie]

I also have the hygrometer placed on the more dry side of the cage. I don't know if there is a significant gradient throughout the tank, but if it's 95% on the more dry side, than I'd assume it's even higher in his moist hide, and the corner of the tank that exwizard just quoted the pictures of.

[Aaron_S]

I was once informed that wet doesn't necessarily mean humid.

Could be a bad hygrometer and be reading it wrong. What kind of gauge are you using?

Also, why would you give your snake a regular bath because you don't see it doing it? I have never given my snakes a bath and they are fine. If it needs to soak it will soak.

[Trollbie]

I was once informed that wet doesn't necessarily mean humid.

Could be a bad hygrometer and be reading it wrong. What kind of gauge are you using?

Also, why would you give your snake a regular bath because you don't see it doing it? I have never given my snakes a bath and they are fine. If it needs to soak it will soak.

I use the Ambient Weather weather station. I salt tested all the sensors for almost a full week like a month ago.

The regular baths were suggested to me by someone. So I figured I could at least try and see if it makes a difference. So far I've only soaked him to get stuck shed off.

I guess I don't really know much about how wetness and humidity relate in this case, but the corner that always stays wet like in the pictures is the one with the live plants.

[Snakesitter]

I'm with Kyle on this one, 95% should be fine. One easy to est if it is wetness or humidity: wipe one patch of wetness on the side dry. If the moisture comes back, it is due to condensation -- which comes from the air, in other words humidity.

[Trollbie]

Zeus shed on Friday night, and even though he had stuck tail again, the body was in one full piece and the head was in a full piece also. This is a huge improvement again!

[Snakesitter]

Great to hear -- congrats to you (and him!)!

[CK SandBoas]

Congrats Trollbie! I'm glad Zeus's sheds are getting better and better! Y

[Trollbie]

Fingers crossed for a perfect shed next time :)

[alessia55]

Have you been able to remove the retained shed from the tip of his tail?

[Trollbie]

Have you been able to remove the retained shed from the tip of his tail?

Yeah. I just let him slither through a wet towel.

[Snakesitter]

^^^ Good method. ^^^ Well done.

[Rogue628]

Glad to hear his shedding is improving.

I wonder if it's common for baby BRB's to have these shedding issues since mine done the same thing? Took about 3 to 4 sheds before she started shedding all in one piece with each previous shed being better and better....

[Trollbie]

Glad to hear his shedding is improving.

I wonder if it's common for baby BRB's to have these shedding issues since mine done the same thing? Took about 3 to 4 sheds before she started shedding all in one piece with each previous shed being better and better....

You just gave me even more hope :D