Retained Eyecaps? (shedding help)

[valid]

So - I have 6 month old Sand boa who has never been a very good shedder.
About a week after I got him , he got an RI. I got that taken care of quickly, and he is now healthy.

He still seems to have a difficult time shedding though. I have the humidity levels up - I try to do a steam session (Which my vet suggested - ) He is in shed right now / and I try not to handle him much (But I do like to check every few day just to make sure he is doing alright- and this seems to be the best shed he has had (All coming off in one piece except in one area.) But I noticed he retained his eye caps. I will not do anything until he is completely done - but should I worry?

I am extremely open to any tips to help with shedding.

[bcr226]

We'll put hypoallergenic lotion on our ball pythons and boas to assist in shedding sometimes. After the eyes have cleared, we also bathe our snakes for about an hour in warm water. About 90-95 F.

Other than that, higher humidity, warmth and you should be good.

[jarich]

It seems like the issue may be your enclosure. From what you are describing with the sheds and RI, I would guess that you are having problems keeping your humidity high enough. Can you tell us more about your set up and the conditions inside it? What is it housed in? What are the temps on the hot and cool side? What is the humidity inside? What are you using to measure this? How are you heating the enclosure? What else do you have in the enclosure regarding hides, water dish, etc? How often do you feed it and what do you feed?

[valid]

I have a glass 20 Gallon tank currently.
I do know that in my area especially at this time of year it is very hard to keep the humidity levels up. So that is apart of the problem.
As I said I do the best I can.

I have a digital thermometer on both sides and it stays at 90 on the heated side/ 60-65 on the non heated side.
I have a fairly cheep humidity detector that has worked for years, though I am now wondering if it is broken- as it has stayed on the same number for the past two days. I plan on replacing that very soon.
I have a small water dish on the non-heated side. That I typically take out when he is not in shed.. this particular snake seems to enjoying playing in the water and if I am not around I don't want anything to happen.

I typically feed a pinky 7-10 days, though lately he seems to be wanting more. I fed two pinkies lat week and he seemed to handle it well. He also will not eat while in shed, though I have had no problem feeding when he is not.

[CK SandBoas]

Question, do you have the screen top of the tank covered, with either plexi glass, lexan, or any other covering that will help keep the heat and humidity in?

Also, give him, or her, access to a humid hide, a container filled with damp spaghnum moss, all my Kenyans will use these hides, even when they are not in a shed cycle. This should help you with sheds.

Oh, and as for taking out the water bowl, there is really no need to do that, i always offer sand boas, of any age, access to fresh water at all times.

[valid]

I do not have a covering for the screen, but that is defiantly something I will look into getting as well. I have never had a problem with heating, but the humidity is a killer.

I had a humid hide in for the first month or so - but then he grew out of it. What material do you usually use for the hides, is a clean Tupperware acceptable?

[CK SandBoas]

I do not have a covering for the screen, but that is defiantly something I will look into getting as well. I have never had a problem with heating, but the humidity is a killer.

I had a humid hide in for the first month or so - but then he grew out of it. What material do you usually use for the hides, is a clean Tupperware acceptable?

I use small deli cups for my two little ones, and then i use assorted sterilite containers for my sub adults and adults. I use Sphagnum moss, which you can get at a local Petsmart or Petco. You will definitely find once you get that screen lid covered, and introduce the humid hides, his shedding will be in one, long perfect piece :)

[valid]

Thank you so much for the tips, I will defiantly put in a humid hide, and try to find a cover.
Also if needed I will look into the lotion as well.

This is not my first snake, but he is my first boa, and my first snake in a few years .. so I am a bit rusty.

[CK SandBoas]

If you can, measure the screen top, take the measurements to Lowes or Home Depot, and they can cut a piece of plexi or lexan to fit the top, that's what i've done, and it works perfectly!

[valid]

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a538/pennyforadollar/ff_zpsf4600f9f.jpg

Is this to much moss? - I don't want to suffocate it or anything xP

[CK SandBoas]

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a538/pennyforadollar/ff_zpsf4600f9f.jpg

Is this to much moss? - I don't want to suffocate it or anything xP

If you can get a smaller container than that, flip it over, and put the damp moss inside, that would be for the best. you want to give your snake the opportunity to get in and out of it easily. And they will not suffocate, if they want out, they will climb on out. Also make sure to put the humid hide over the hot spot.

[valid]

He was starting to act agitated so I don't want to bother him any more tonight- I'll see what I can find tomorrow. this one has a big opening in the front that he can get in and out of - but I'll see if I can find one to flip over if that is better.

[Lankyrob]

I stuff my humid hides tight with damp moss, the snake will burrow into it with no issues.

[valid]

ALright, thank you c:
He didn't seem to be struggling at all, I was just making sure.

I did end up turning this container over, and making sure there were no jagged edges that my snake could cut himself on in the opening.

I have one more question though .. and this is just me being picky .. is there such a thing as odor-less moss. I am perfectly fine leaving the sphagnum in there if there isn't because I know that it is best for the animal . Personally however I just really don't like the smell. sphagnum is the cheepest and most easily obtainable, but is there even such a thing as odor-less moss? (More pricey or not)

[Chu'Wuti]

You might try the dried long-fiber sphagnum moss; some pet stores and some hobby stores carry it. It seems to be pretty much odorless, is easy to soak, wring out, and put it a hide. My BPs lie on top of it, but just as Lankyrob said, I have had others burrow into it--I just put enough into the hide to nearly fill it for the colubrids if they need shed assistance, and they burrow right in.

As KKgal said, you will have no need to worry about suffocation if you'll wring it out until it's like a damp but not dripping washcloth, and there are plenty of air pockets in the moss itself.

[Snakesitter]

I would agree, you can add more moss than that. Also, look for sphagnum next time you buy -- it works very well with humidity without molding. Good luck!

[valid]

It is sphagnum moss in there 0o.

[Chu'Wuti]

Yes, it is, but it looks like fresh rather than dried sphagnum, which may be why it smells, though I'm just guessing.

[valid]

It is dried sphagnum moss that I dampened before adding to the enclosure.

[Lankyrob]

I always use live moss, never noticed any odour at all.

[valid]

Maybe I will have to find some live moss then.
I'll look into other options as well.

[bcr229]

I noticed a definite "woodsy" odor the first time we used the dried spaghnum moss. After a day or so the odor went away even though we kept the moss wet. Don't worry about putting too much in the wet hide as the snakes can compress it or even push it out of the hide if they want. Ours rearrange their moss constantly.

If you're using aspen bedding you might try switching to cypress, as it seems to absorb and then slowly release moisture better without molding. We found aspen also dries out very quickly.

Don't worry about your boa drowning. Our two red tails soak for several hours almost every day, whether they're in shed or not, and they did the same for their former owner. The larger female gave me a scare a week or so ago - I heard funny noises coming from her tank about midnight, checked it, and she was completely immersed in her water dish and blowing bubbles! Periodically she would lift her head out, take a breath, put her head back under the water, and start blowing bubbles again.

[Chu'Wuti]

IThe larger female gave me a scare a week or so ago - I heard funny noises coming from her tank about midnight, checked it, and she was completely immersed in her water dish and blowing bubbles! Periodically she would lift her head out, take a breath, put her head back under the water, and start blowing bubbles again.

That's hilarious! My golden retriever used to blow bubbles in her water bowl; she liked it when I added ice cubes and would "chase" them in the water blowing bubbles as she tried to catch them, too!

[Luis A. Reyes]

So - I have 6 month old Sand boa who has never been a very good shedder.

About a week after I got him , he got an RI. I got that taken care of quickly, and he is now healthy.

He still seems to have a difficult time shedding though. I have the humidity levels up - I try to do a steam session (Which my vet suggested - ) He is in shed right now / and I try not to handle him much (But I do like to check every few day just to make sure he is doing alright- and this seems to be the best shed he has had (All coming off in one piece except in one area.) But I noticed he retained his eye caps. I will not do anything until he is completely done - but should I worry?

I am extremely open to any tips to help with shedding.

You should give your reptile a nice warm bath, let it soak in for a while then put it back in its enclosure.

[valid]

Thank you all for the help - he shed perfectly after I added the moist hide. Hopefully next time I won't have any issues at all.

I found some sphagnum that was not coloured that does not seem to have any odor, and I like it much better. Planning to get some plexiglass to cover the cage tomorrow as well.