Snake Update

[Stefan-A]

Since this is my first spring keeping a male and a female together, I don't really know whether to expect the same kind of behavior as last year.

I know I've read something about the presence of a female, but I can't remember if it made a difference or none at all.

[abcat1993]

Rick, I'm feeding him nightcrawlers. I'll get some more, these ones are a little slow and skinny.

[Cazador]

Matt,
As I recall, you're also adding calcium powder to the night crawlers, right? Growing young snakes need plenty of calcium for their bones, muscles, and nervous system. Sometimes when they're just being finnicky, a bit of variety gets them to start eating again (fish, rodents, worms, etc.). Maybe you'll have more luck with the mouse next week. Best regards,
Rick

[abcat1993]

Sorry, forgot about the calcium powder. For some reason I didn't buy fish, however, when I went to Petco.

[abcat1993]

OK, my snake just shed but the eyecaps are still on. How, exactly, do I get them off? You would think the high RH would help though, as this is his first bad shed (and the shed is HUGE compared to the 2 others).

[adamanteus]

If the brille is still on the eye you could try wrapping "sellotape" around your finger (sticky side out) and pressing it gently against the eye. As you pull away, you may find the spectacle comes away on the tape. Don't be tempted to go in there with tweezers or any other hard object. You could just try "wet-bagging", that may well sort it out.

[abcat1993]

Should I wait to see if he just gets it off by himself first? And, by "wet-bagging" do you mean take a wet paper towel and wipe it over his eyes?

[adamanteus]

Wet bagging....Get a soft cloth bag, maybe a pillow slip, wet it thoroughly with warm water and put the snake in it, tie the top and put it back in the viv overnight. You may well find the brille comes away all by itself. If not, try the sticky tape thing.

[abcat1993]

Ok, I'll see if we have any old pillow cases then. My snake does look kind of cool like this though, with two long things coming out of his eyes and a snakeskin mustache. Sweet.

[Cazador]

Matt,

The spectacles are not likely to come off by themselves and could lead to blindness if they're not removed. The key point is that you have to thoroughly moisten the retained skin and spectacles before trying to remove anything. I've had good luck holding their head under slowly flowing water for a few seconds, then giving them a minute or two to regroup; then wetting them again. Then I'll remove the retained skin.

I hate to mix two methods, so try James' method with the wet bag and tape first. If it doesn't come off, and if there is enough of the retained skin sticking far enough from the eye that you could easily and comfortably grab it, then do so after wetting the snake, and try to slowly peel it off. Put the snake's body in a pillow case or bag before doing so, though, because it will probably musk on you, and will try to thrash around. The bag will restrain the snake and keep it from hurting itself while you're holding it behind the head. Post a picture if you can.