baby rtb having shedding probs

east_stingray · #1 (**permalink**) 04-18-2002, 11:06 PM

Hey guys, I know that there have already been a million posts about shedding, but mine's a bit peculiar. My baby (first shed i think) rtb went blue about a week ago and two days ago shed just the head part. Right behind the head, the shed stopped and he still hasn't continued it. Both eyecaps came off fine. I have been soaking for an hour or so each day and the humidity here is horrible! It's been up in the 80%'s lately! It's also been really hot here lately and we don't have our air on yet. High today was somewhere in the 90's. All advice is appreciated.

-East
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Ti · #2 (**permalink**) 04-18-2002, 11:25 PM

Hmm... Maybe after soaking him, you could take an old (but clean) towel and hold him in the towl. Basically, hold the towel in your hand and hold the snake with the towel. While applying a little pressure, let the snake use his own force to crawl through the towel. This has worked very well for me in the past. Just be sure to try to get off the rest of the shed, especially near the tip of the tail, and the cloacial (sp?) opening/vent area.

There will be others along who use mineral oil to help loosen retained sheds. I have never tried that method.

Good Luck!
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Ace · #3 (**permalink**) 04-18-2002, 11:50 PM

I have used mineral oil on a python I used to have. I use it right after I let it soak in the water for a while. and that really helped the towel method works well also.

ACE
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gazzacon · #4 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 12:41 AM

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] I HAVE RECENTLY NURSED A SIX FOOTER CALLED LOIUSE BACK TO HEALTH DUE TO DEHYDRATION.AFTER THIS SHE HAD A BIG PROBLEM SHEDDING ,AND I USED A PRODUCT FROM A COMPANY CALLED ESU REPTILE. SHED EASE .I WAS AMAZED AT THE SPEED AT WHICH IT WORKED .IT CAN BE APPLIED DIRECTLY FROM THE BOTTLE OR IT CAN BE USED IN A PLANT SPRAYER.I WOULD DEFINATELY TRY THIS OUT.I HAVE USED IT ON SOME OF MY SMALLER SNAKES WHEN THEIR EYES HAVE BECOME CLEAR (AFTER CLOUDING OVER I.E PRE SHED)AND HAVE HAD PERFECT SHEDS EVERY TIME.HOPE THIS HELPS GOOD LUCK
<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>BUT IF YOU TAME ME,THEN SHALL WE MEET EACH OTHER. TO ME YOU WILL BE UNIQUE IN ALL THE WORLD... TO YOU, I SHALL BE UNIQUE IN ALL THE WORLD... YOU BECOME RESPONSIBLE,FOREVER,FOR WHAT YOU HAVE TAMED... BY ANTOINE DE SAINT EXUPERY [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]null[/img]
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east_stingray · #5 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 12:57 AM

One thing I would like to clear up is that he is not partially shedding... shreds here and there. He shed his head and then just stopped. The entire rest of the skin is still intact as far as I know. Would this still qualify for mineral oil? If so, what brand of mineral oil is best, and what is the procedure for applying/working it? Also a question for gazzacon- where can I acquire this product, is it expensive, and apparently you can use it before OR after shed? Just wanted to clear things up. I just tried the towel thing after soaking for a couple of hours and a little more came off but not much and he was getting finniky so I put him away.
Thanks for all of the posts so far.

-East
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gazzacon · #6 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 01:28 AM

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Shed Ease is made in Carson,CA USA.so it should be available in any good pet or herp stores in your area.Its not expensive if it works (around ten to twelve dollars).and the answer to the before or after shedding use is yes it can be used as a weekly bath to keep the emollients working on the skin between sheds.it should work on your snake as it seems to make the dead layer of skin very elastic and soft.I sound like I work for the company I know but it really did surprise me how well it works [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img] [
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Constrictor_BO · #7 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 02:27 AM

I have never used mineral oil for shedding. I have seen that Shedease used, it is some good stuff. I went and got a bottle of it to have on hand for my snakes.

Are you sure the snake didnt shed and the shed is burried in the substrate somewhere? If the shed is still on the snake, Try using the shedease if regulaar soaking isnt working.

_________________
If rabbits feet are so lucky.....
What happened to the rabbit?

east_stingray · #8 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 04:10 AM

I'm sure the skin isn't buried in the substrate. For one thing, I can tell the difference between his head and the rest of him, and for the other, I use newspaper for substrate. Thanks for all of the advice.

-East
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JC86 · #9 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 05:24 AM

Take one of those little vitamin e caplets, dissolve it in water, then spray that water on the baby (or soak it in that water). Actually if you could afford it go to Walgreens and buy one of those bottles of aloe (same thing heh) and mix a little of that in with the water that you soak the snake in. That helped immensly with my BP's sheds. Actually it made them from horrid to perfect heh.

Scott
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Ace · #10 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 05:41 AM

East, I have heard that the newspaper will dry the snake out even more. I am not sure if this is totally true but hopefully one of the experts will know the truth.

ACE
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east_stingray · #11 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 02:34 PM

Well, guys, I tried the mineral oil last night to no avail. That skin just won't let go! I would appreciate a follow-up on that comment about newspaper. I thought that just about everyone on this site used newspaper. It's been a couple of days now since he shed the head (3 actually) is there a point where it becomes dangerous for him? Thanks for all the help! I'm going to try mineral oil again and get shed ese as soon as I go to the pet store.

-East
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LdyDrgn · #12 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 06:35 PM

Hi, East. As JC said, try the vitamin E oil or another NATURAL oil (olive works [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] ). Mineral oil is fabricated and will dehydrate the snake's skin a bit. And when soaking you are using warm water, yes? Good luck with it! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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Barrin · #13 (**permalink**) 04-28-2002, 09:29 AM

How is your humidity in your cage?
I use echo erth or orcherd bark in all of my cages
and every other day I spray the beddin down with
hot as #$%^&#$%^&#$%^&#$%^& water from a spray bottle...
just dont let it get too wet in there though ...

Just a humble sug. from Barrin.
Peace. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
I dont know how to give you a quick help for your case though...
I have used shed aid once with one of my balls and it worked.
good luck
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