should I panic?

snakewoman · #1 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 01:02 AM

Hello All! I'm a newbie to this site so be gentle..[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
I've had my redtail (Zorro) for 4 months and he has
not had a shed yet. Yes, his humidity and heat are fine
and he is eating. just wondering if anyone else has
experienced this?
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motorherp · #2 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 01:38 AM

Err just wanted to say welcome to RTB, not quite sure about your snake problem but I think they are supposed to shed every one to three months. Have you seen you snakes eyes go cloudy yet? Sure someone will be along soon with some info [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] An again welcome! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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snakewoman · #3 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 01:49 AM

Thanks! Love this site..no, his eyes have
not clouded yet. He was just a couple of weeks
old when I got him. Do you know at what age they
have their first shed at? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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motorherp · #4 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 01:53 AM

As far as I know (I have most types of exotics but not snakes) they have their first shed before they will eat at about a week old. Most breeders and stores will not sell a snake before it has had its first shed and feed. Your snake has probably shed at least once, so don't worry too much [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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snakewoman · #5 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 02:07 AM

I'm trying not to, but my Ball Python just
recently died (unexpectedly) and that was
a hurt that I wish not to experience again!
So needless to say, I'm a bit on the
"patty paranoid" side! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]
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snaklover · #6 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 02:10 AM

how large is the youngen, and what are your humidity and tempature settings?
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trinitywolf · #7 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 02:15 AM

Hey Snakewoman,

Welcome to RTB!!!
If your boa is eating, and otherwise acting normally I would not worry too much about it. Is the boas skin very dry? The only real worry with something like this (that I know of) is the danger of cutting off circulation via retained skin. I don't think this will be a problem if the boa has the entire skin in tact.

I do wonder how much and how often are you feeding your little buddy?
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snakewoman · #8 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 02:23 AM

Hey thanks for the reponses! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
I feel a little more at ease..He is eating
1 thawed pinky every 3 to 4 days..His skin looks
fine and he is active..just thought it was strange
due to that my ball would shed just about every 2
weeks! But I guess I shouldnt look at him as an
example since he was very sick [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cry.gif[/img]
This is an excellent site and look forward to
posting tomorrow..right now I gotta get off the
clock (I'm at work) [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]
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XzyluM · #9 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 06:00 AM

Welcome to RTB. Stick around and enjoy. Now on to the problem. A pinky is to small to be feeding a boa. He should at least be on hoppers or a bigger mice depending on his girth (thickest part of the snake's body). Also, he should be feeding every 7-10 days instead of 3-4. Are you housing the new snake in the cage where the Royal was? If you do not know the cause of death it would be a very good idea to get a new cage if he's in the same one the Royal was in and quarentine it in a different area.
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LdyDrgn · #10 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 08:10 AM

Pinky rats would be even better. One rat the same size as the snake's thickest girth every week. 3-4 days apart for feedings are far too often and could cause problems for the snake internally (problems with gut flora, for example). Xzylum suggested to get a new cage for the boa if you had placed him in the Royal's old one. That's a good idea...OR you could bleach the existing enclosure thoroughly, rinse well and let dry to kill anything 'bad' that may get your boa sick. In any event, if you bought a new enclosure, you would have to bleach it, too.

Provide us with some more info, as it would be very helpful. Temp in enclosure on warm side and cool side, humidity, what are you using as substrate, are you feeding in or out of the enclosure, etc....

And as a side note...if your Royal was shedding about every 2 weeks, then you were more than likely overfeeding him. He may have died because of this! Please, we need more info.....
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Dr.Oviparous · #11 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 08:24 AM

Just wanted to say: Welcome to RTB!! stick around and have fun [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] .

Also I totally agree with XzyluM, and ldydrgn. but we do need some more info like temps on both sides of the cage, and especially humidity. it could very well be the humidity. does your snake ever get to soak? does he have a big enough water dish to soak in? or if not, do you ever take him out and soak him yourself? I would try that. my 2 pennies. -Juggalo

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snakewoman · #12 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 09:44 PM

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond but it's
been one of "those" days [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img]
The story on my ball is very long and entailed and
very sad. I rescued him from a dirty disgusting pet
store that claimed to be an "expert in exotics".yeah right.
Geoge (my ball) had parasites and infections that were
treated and virtually healed..The problem was that he wouldn't
eat..for months we had to "tube" him with the hopes that he
would eventually take a mouse. At one point he seemed healthy and
happy and finally did eat a mouse. And from that point on he went
down hill..we finally made the decision to anesthetize him and force
a mouse down. George never woke up from the anasthesia. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cry.gif[/img]
Tests showed that his liver and kidneys both were bad so no
matter what we tried, he was going to die. 8 months we battled to
get him healthy. To this day I can't think of him and not cry. So
his sheds were due to numerous problems. But now to Zorro..yes he
was quarantined from George and has his own enclosure. After George passed
on, his enclosure was thoroughly cleaned. Zorro is only about a foot and half
long and got a "good bill of health" from the vet. Humitidy is at 65% and his
warm side is 85-90..we mist him at least once a day. I would have to agree with
you though that he is ready for bigger and better meals!<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
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JuliusSqueezer · #13 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 12:43 AM

YOU DID WHAT? WHY would anyone anethsthetise a snake to force feed? Did a vet do this? You cant put an animal under and stuff something down it's throat and expect it to live.
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JuliusSqueezer · #14 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 12:57 AM

Back to the original question though. Your snake isn't shedding because he isn't growing. He isn't growing because he is undernourashed. Baby boas need something the size of a hopper mouse or pink rat from the first meal. Pinkies are for baby cornsnakes or something that is born in the 6 inch range. Baby boas get nothing from a pinky mouse.

also....welcome to RTB. This post will be moved shortly to the Health Issues forum....just leaving it here for now so you don't think it was lost.
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snakewoman · #15 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 01:08 AM

Yes it's a vet specializing in exotics. George did not and
would not eat..virtually starving itself to death. So yes
they anesthetized him to force feed him the mouse. Like I
posted it was a long battle in trying to save him. And that
is not what killed him.
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JuliusSqueezer · #16 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 06:33 AM

Yes it is exactly what killed him....You need to find a herp vet. Any vet herp or not should know better than to do that. That was just stupid. You said he had liver and kidney problems as well....was he given any injections of anything in the lower 1/3 of his body? Your vet is just hitting and missing...mostly missing though unfortunatly. Find another vet!!!
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Dr.Oviparous · #17 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 07:38 AM

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> was he given any injections of anything in the lower 1/3 of his body? </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>Arent injections supposed to be given in the upper 3rd? or is that what you are saying here? -Juggalo
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JuliusSqueezer · #18 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 11:24 AM

Yes that's what I am asking about. If an antibiotic was injected into the lower 1/3 it would have gone straight to the snake's liver and kidneys because they have a very primative renal circulatory system....but....I have my doubts that anything there was even out of line. This Vet sounds like a quack and likely just made something up to keep the heat off himself. Too many Vets are experimenting on our reptiles when they have no clue what they are doing just to snag a quick easy buck. Malpractice isn't much of a threat to them when dealing with snakes. Not enough people out there really care. Ball pythons are very often problem feeders....sometimes it takes several months to get them to feed. The record fast for a snake that survived was a ball python that went off feed for 22 months. They can be very stubborn. There were other more productive avenues to take with this snake that were likely overlooked. Overmedicating...stress...and who knows what damage was done to him by stuffing a mouse down him when he was under anesthesia could not possibly have helped...I can't think of any animal that could survive such a thing. When assist feeding (assuming that this was even necessary) the snake needs to be awake and have control of the muscles needed to swallow it on down. Pushing it down a relaxed esophogus would likely cause some ripping ...this poor snake never had a chance with this so called Vet. Snakes don't do very well with anesthesia to start with usually anyway...avoid it unless surgery means life or death. It is far too easy to tube feed a liquid diet with all the nutrients needed to an awake or even to assist feed a mouse ....I'm sorry....but this Vet is clueless and should be told so before he kills anymore snakes needlessly.

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