Incomplete Shed

[Mister Internet]

All,

I have had my male Okeetee (Love bloodline) for almost two years now, and he is himself two years old next month. He's a bruiser for sure, almost 4 ft long already! I had a weird experience a couple nights ago helping his with his first stuck shed. Funny enough, the top part of the head (including eye scales) and the last 4" of the tail both came off perfectly during the initial "shed", it was only body sections and the lower jaw that were stuck. I just followed the rules and soaked him in room temp water for half and hour, and then gripped him with a wet rough rag and let him struggle through my hand. This activity removed most of the body skin. However, the lower jaw skin was FIRMLY stuck, and required me to dunk his head several times and try to "worry" it off once it had become pliable again. It finally came off, but I kept freaking out because it felt like I was goign to pull his lower jaw off! I know I wasn't anywhere close, but it's a freaky feeling to be peeling skin off your snake, and it definitely made me hyper-sensitive to what I was doing.

Anyway, he readily took his first 4" rat the next day, so I don't tihnk he suffered any ill effects from the whole experience. He was a trooper though... stayed amazingly composed throughout, never once trying to nip or bite my hand, even though my fingers and hands were closer to his head than they've ever been before, and poking and prodding FAR more than usual, obviously. I was quite surprised he didn't try to nip... almost as if he knew I was trying to help him out. I know too much to give snakes that kind of intellectual credit, but I can see now why newbies and the more emotionally "soft" keepers so readily anthropomorphise their herps... they sure do act "human" sometimes.

I am curious as to what I might be doing wrong to have caused this incomplete shed in the first place. The first thing to come to mind is that he has far outgrown his water dish and probably isn't able to fully submerge in it anymore. It will be replaced ASAP. The temps are 90 hotspot > 75 cool side in a 3' X 2' AP cage with pelleted aspen bedding. I have toyed for awhile with going to Cypress Mulch, as I think it looks better, smells better, and would hold humidity a whole lot better.

Any suggestions? Kathy Love in her book says that it can be caused by poor diet as well... what does this mean to you? I have been feeding him pre-killed rodents for a year now, about 2-3 body-sized items every 7-10 days.

I would appreciate any input you have based on experiences, as well as any steps you took to remedy... thanks!

[vanderkm]

Our problems with poor sheds in corns have resulted when using bedding that was too absorbant with heat lights as a source of the hot spot instead of undertank heating. We have had the best luck with Beta chip (hardwood bedding) or aspen flakes in out tanks - Carefresh was too absorbant though it works well in a rack system.

We never have corns soak unless the environmental temps are very high - never see it in those that are about to shed. I have used a humidity chamber (plastic tub with moist moss) for short term for corns with shedding problems - they can choose to use it if they like to, and they seem to like the dark moist environment. I am a bit relutant to use a humidity holding bedding for the whole cage because of the risk of scale rot.


mary v.

[Craggy]

Man id die if my corn didnt shed properly, id take it to my snake friend! well done though id have to take it to my m8 at his shop!

[dannyc]

Not sure about you soaking it in room temp water. I thought the water shoud be about 85-90f. I've read on here somewhere to soak them in that temp water for a couple hours and they would shed clean.

Danny

[ATBlover]

don't let the snake soak in room temp. water....It is supposed to be warm but not hot...and just for an hour or two at a time.