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Paul Hume
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
 Posted - 12/10/2010 : 22:33:14
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Hi all,
As some of you may know I have been waiting for Shenzi (as he's now called) to shed. Tonight I checked on him and he had managed the huge feat of shedding his head and nothing else.
I followed the instruction on another post about bathing them and he didn't seem that bothered about the water, to be honest he did the biggest poo I have ever seen from a snake ... and he's so small. on a side note do they usually do such massive poos? My corns don't go like that and they're bigger than him.
anyway back to the original question, after the bath I let him go through a towel and this made no difference to the shed whatso ever. He is now back in his viv with an extra water bowl on the heat mat to raise the humidity so I'll leave it like that overnight and tommorrow and see what happens.
Is there anything else I can be doing to help ?
Thanks in advance for any help
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2010 : 23:00:39
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Hi - sorry to hear Shenzi's in difficulties. (Really flattered you called him Shenzi, by the way - think it's such a brilliant name but not many people share my tastes! lol)
Anyway. The main thing is, if he's got his head shed off, are the eyecaps off? That's one of the most important things. As for the s**t - worry not! My Shahi does the most enormous piles, and many royals save it all up for shedding, whereas corns tend to pass a motion regularly after feeding.
Sorry to hear that the bath made no difference, or the towel - I've always found that the bath has loosened Shahi's shed, but of course they're all different, and it may well be that Shenzi will resume shedding successfully tonight.
Royal skin is that much tougher though - don't be worried if he gets it off in bits - not ideal, but at least if it's off, it's off! The only other bit to worry about is his tailtip - but if you've got corns you will know this anyway.
Some people use 'damp hides' ie a hide lined with damp kitchen roll, sphagnum moss or the like. Shahi went blue today so I gave him a damp hide which he explored with great interest ... and abandoned. D'oh! I suppose it will raise his humidity though - oh yes, must put his water bowl near his heat source too.
I think you have done all you can for Shenzi up to press - unless anybody else has any good ideas.
Sorry if I've overlapped with anybody else, and best wishes for the rest of Shenzi's shed! |
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Paul Hume
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 08:00:45
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Hi all again.
I have tried the putting the water bowl on the heat mat and it has made no difference, he still has only shed his head. You mentioned using damp kitchen towel as a damp hide? this may sound a stupid question but how damp does it have to be and do I just put it in the hot hide or make a completely new hide ?
and if that doesnt work, what would you sugest ? |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 10:01:08
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Sorry to hear this - I've never come across this myself, but I'm no expert - only had Shahi long enough for him to shed twice.
Personally I would be trying another bath and gentle towelling, but more experienced people may have other ideas.
About the hide - as far as I can gather from info on here, it should be in the cool part of the viv - but, trouble is getting the little git to use it! I have heard that sometimes you need to take out all the other hides and just leave that damp one in - although surely then a second damp hide would have to be placed in the warm part of the viv? I must do some more reading. Dampness - just a bit drier than one of those hand-wipe things, I'd think. Not soggy. I use a small rub with a hole cut out of one side (I used an old knife, heated on a gas ring - it melts the plastic and doesn't leave sharp edges.) Obviously cut the hole far enough up so that the damp paper can't be dragged out and any moisture is contained. If you buy those big tubs of icecream, an empty one makes a great damp hide.
Well, I do hope his shed starts happening soon. Maybe there will be someone more experienced along soon who can add to this.
All the very best! |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 10:32:27
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If he still hasn't shed I would bathe daily at water the same temp as the warm end of the viv as deep as the snake for about 20 mins and allow to slither through a damp towel after, applying a little pressure. You could also add a small amount of olive oil to the bath (washing up bowl etc) to help soften the skin. This will however also have the affect of making the shed come off in many pieces rather than one or two.
Good luck. |
 
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 11:27:48
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Hi, Blackecho, this is hijacking the thread a bit, but relevant - is it okay to put a damp hide in the warm end of the viv? When Shahi went into blue a couple of days ago I found him in his cool hide with a nice pile, so put him his damp hide in the cool end and he went in, but later did his usual trick of jamming himself into one of his cardboard tubes in the warm end, which is where he would have stayed until his shed. So today I put the damp hide at the warm end (he'd left a ball of urate sitting in it, as if he'd laid an egg.) Took out his cardboard tubes, poor chap, and reintroduced him to the clean damp hide and he's in it now.
Sorry to fuss but both sheds he's had with me have been so scruffy that I reallly need to find some way to make it easier for the poor guy. (Eating and temps are fine.) Thanks. |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 12:52:03
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| Yes you can, however, be aware that it will dry out a lot quicker so will need re-dampling more often. |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 13:39:35
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Cheers, BE - I'm assuming that's why they prefer to put the hide at the cool end, because of evaporation, but I can't see that a quick daily check will stress Shahi out. He's still in there, which is good.
Any luck yet with Shenzi, Paul? |
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Paul Hume
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 14:08:02
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Nah, I just got home from work and I gotta go out now. But I will try another bath later, I stopped the other bath after his monster poo cause I didnt want him sitting in the water with it. Hopefully he will be "empty" now and can keep him in there for longer.
Ill let you know how it goes. |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 15:37:22
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| Good luck, fingers crossed! |
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Paul Hume
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 18:25:23
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Hi all,
Okay I took your advice BE, I gave him another bath and it didnt seem to be doing much good, then a little while in his sking started to come off in various places, so with a few more dunks and drying he is finally shed! yay.
I am going to leave him for a couple of days to calm down then Ill try feeding him on Sunday and see how that goes. Not fed since Ive had him so I am eager to get some food in him.
Ill let you know how it goes.
Thank you both for all your help |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 19:25:29
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That's great - congrats!
Have to give BE credit for the expertise though - this thread has helped me a lot too. Now for Shahi's shed.
And all the best with Shenzi's first meal - I'm sure he'll be fine. |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 20:54:58
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Don't be daft Lil, all I said was to do what you said again
Congrats Paul, that was probably quite stressful (for you and the snake), so don't be surprised if they don't feed this time. |
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2010 : 22:55:34
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| The other thing to remember guys is that its far to late to put a damp hide in the viv when you see snakey going into shed, if you`ve had a bad shed then you need to raise your humity slightly but do so permenantly. If the humidity is always to low then your royals will struggle as i`ve found out with one of mine. Wooden vivs will absorb moisture. |
Royals owned "lots"
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Any advice on shedding ?
