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Shedding Python2007-11-24 2:02:41

Is it ok for my python to shed in pieces. Its not in small pieces but long. Also, i cant tell if he fully shed so should i put him in a bucket of lukewarm water or just leave him? By the way, his eyes never went blue before he shed. His stomach turned pink/orange though.

Answers:

Buttercup has the worst advice ever.

Snakes do not need anything to rub up against in order to shed. They do, however, need humidity. During ecdysis (the process of shedding), they produce a chemical lubricant that forms between the old and new cells. If it is too dry, the lubricant will dry out and they will shed in pieces and will also get a "stuck" shed where some pieces stay on the snake. This can be very dangerous if it circles the snake, usually around the tail. If this happens they can lose their tail due to lack of circulation or even die. Also, if their eycaps (the scales over their eyes) get stuck, they can continue to accumulate and may lead to blindness.

Fortunately there are several ways to remove stuck sheds. As stated earlier, you can soak them in a lukewarm bath for about and hour and then gently rub the stuck shed off using your hands or a towel. Do not use tweezers as you can pull scales off and do more harm than good.

Another good method is to use what I call the pillow case method. Soak a pillow case in warm water, stick your snake in it, twist it shut, then place him in his cage for 2 hours. Make sure you don't place him under a heat lamp or directly over a heat source as you can potentially steam him to death. While he's in the pillowcase he will soak up the moisture and move around removing all of the stuck shed. I've used this method plenty of times and it works great.