Stuck Eye Caps!!! HELP!!!!

[revkkoolaid]

The adult ball I adopted arrived yesterday and overall she is in pretty good shape. No noticable parasites or other problems as far as I could tell but she recently shed (poorly i might add probably from poor humidity looking at the cage she WAS kept in previosly has retained her eyecaps!!!I've read about this before but I have never had it happen to any of my other snakes. Does anyone have any suggestions besides soaking and moisturizer. . .short of pulling them off with tweezers???

:revkkoolaid: [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]

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1.0.0 Green Anaconda
0.0.2 Columbian BCI
0.0.1 B/W Cali King
0.0.1 Burmese Python
0.0.1 Ball/Royal Python
0.0.1 Evil A.R.P. (my self inficted pestilence hehe)

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[herp_chick]

Whatever you do, DON'T pull them off! You can use natural tears drops, but I don't like putting much weird stuff on my snakes. I recommend a drop of mineral oil, let it soften them up, and them they will come off. I'm sure someone will be by in a few with more tips.
[addsig]

[telefrag]

What I have used for bp eyecap retention in the past is to put them in a large bucket with a warm washcloth or towel (depending on snake size) and put it somewhere warm.
after a few hours the skin and retained eyecap should of softened enough to where you may just be able to gently rub it off with a piece of cloth.
I never use tweezers, but if the eyecap looks like its peeling at the edge, and feels like it will come off without injury, I will use my fingertips to peel it off.
Wash your hands well before and after of course.
That has worked for me on dozens of BP's.

Good luck.
[addsig]

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[sabre_and_barons_dad]

I used the natural tears on my ball...works pretty good..then I put small towell in cage and he kind of rubs the eye cap off himself. my ball never sheds in one piece like my boa..they are in the same room with the same humidty...even though they are from diff parts of the world and I am sure have some diff humidty level requirements (hard to find exact ranges for diff species) its hard for me to have diff humidty levels in my home but he does shed completely..just not in one nice piece..
[addsig]

[revkkoolaid]

>>I used the natural tears on my ball...works pretty good..then I put small towell in cage and he kind of rubs the eye cap off himself. my ball never sheds in one piece like my boa..they are in the same room with the same humidty...even though they are from diff parts of the world and I am sure have some diff humidty level requirements (hard to find exact ranges for diff species) its hard for me to have diff humidty levels in my home but he does shed completely..just not in one nice piece..


thanx to all. . . Ill try the natural tears idea tonite hopefully it will work. . .wish me luck! I've noticed my smaller ball that I had for almost a year never sheds in one piece either. . .but he has never retained his eye caps. . . .hasn't yet anyway.

thanx again

:revkkoolaid:
[addsig]

[telefrag]

Ball Pythons live in burrows in tropical areas.
So humidity is very important for them.
[addsig]

[Constrictor_BO]

Are you sure they are retained eyecaps and mot just a sign of dehydration??? You might want to give it a couple days before dealing with the eyes. Soak the snake and let it get plenty of water first. Sometimes eyes can appear to have retained eyecaps when dehydrated. If not dehydrated, then do as the others have said here. Good luck and be careful.
[addsig]

[JakeRoyal]

ok, one thing i've done...i had a BP have triple eye caps...2 unsuccesful sheds, and its was imparative that they were taken off, so i soaked her for about 20-30 min....and then took scotch tape, and tapped it against her eye, and there they came..~
[addsig]

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[jpaulson]

I strongly disagree with using scotch tape. Like Constritor BO said, what if it is only dehydration? You run a great risk of pulling the eye out itself. Even if it is a retained eyecap, using tape is harmful. If the eyecap is really stuck, then you can do permanent damage, up to, and including, going blind.

JakeRoyal, I know your intentions are well intended, and it worked for you....but using tape in this manner is too great a risk to suggest to someone.

I myself use mineral oil, and it has worked good for me.
[addsig]

[cb76]

there are lots of opinions here and all work, even he scotch tape.

it wont harm the ball at all. it actually takes a bit of work to take off a new cap!

might as well add another 2 cents to the pile, and one that works very well and can be done in no time at all.

i use a pencils's eraser (brand new, just in case...)

i wet the face with a sprits of water, and using a gentle touch use the pencil eraser in small movements to push back the cap (always from front to back)

the eraser grips the retained cap,and with it being a lil wet, easily takes it off.

just like some one said earlier i this post- these pythons have a bit higher humidity requirment than previously thought. i personally have my relative air humidity at 70% all the time, and when shed time comes around- i mist daily- every other day until the shed is complete.

good luck in the future [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

let us know how it turns out
[addsig]

[Stormyva]

Too make sure that future sheds are easy for the snake set up a "humid hide" in the cage for the snake to use whenever it needs it. This will also help if the snake is dehydrated as it will likely choose to go in there and just stay and will supplement your daily soakings.

There are two ways that I have used for the humid hides. The first is to get a shoe box sized tupperare or sterilite container and cut a hole large enough for the snake to crawl through in the side. Then fill the box with spaghum moss or vermiculite and keep it moist all the time. The other way is to use a clay flower pot saucer and a clay flower pot. Cut the hole in the top edge of the flower pot and file or sand all the rough edges. Then take the saucer and fill it with spaghum moss and keep it moist. Place the flower pot with the hole upside down on the saucer. Both of these work great and allow the snake to choose if it how and when it gets more humidity than normal. Since I started using the humid hide my ball python has had perfect sheds every time!


[addsig]