shedding trouble

[Thamnophis]

Rhea, the spectacles are soft when they come off.
Normally you can see it clearly when one or two shed are still on the head.

Do not worry to much. Some snakes always shed in pieces.

[drache]

I'm pretty sure that this one's just shedding out the damaged skin
this is his second shed in less than two weeks
I did manage to get a better look at his head in better lighting, and I believe there is still shed on his head
I am not too worried yet
he seems otherwise fine and is eating
I will call the vet tomorrow, if it doesn't come off

[Cazador]

Rhea,

Try something for me. Get the snake's head real wet, and rub it's bottom jaw downward with your finger and fingernail. Don't push/scrape too hard. You're trying to separate any skin that might be retained from the gumline. It is really important to get the skin nice and wet first, though. Rub it several times... maybe 15-20 before stopping, but move around the gumline/lower jaw. Maybe you'll loosen some skin if it's still there. Again, you're trying to separate retained skin from the front of the snake, starting at the gumline.

Rick

[drache]

thanks Rick
I've sort of tried to do that
except going the wrong direction - starting from the neck
I tried rubbing his nose, but even though he's really mellow and seems to get that I'm trying to help him, he wouldn't go for that
I'm at work now, so the next installment will have to wait 'til later
I'm spending so much time with this little guy, my beardie is giving me dirty looks

[Cazador]

Sometimes it helps to put the snake's body in a bag or pillow case so that it can't thrash around too much and hurt itself.

Rick

[drache]

yeah
I been rubbing his face mostly when he's still in the wet bag
he's really a mellow little guy
he just hates his face futzed with, so he yanks it away
he's still so skinny and seems a bit fragile, so I'm afraid to grip him too firmly

[KITKAT]

Are there hard items in the cage for him to rub on? A branch, for example...?

I have had one incident where the eyecaps did not appear on the shed, but they were also not on the snake. I am not sure what happened, but they somehow detached from the shed, and the next time he shed, there was no problem...

[drache]

I wonder . . .
I haven't looked today yet
and I did a really stupid thing yesterday (mostly to myself)

I have a vet appointment on Monday, reserved zipcar and everything
so yesterday, I get everything ready, go to the garage, get the car and go, wondering why someone keeps trying to get me on the phone
I'm on the parkway though, so I don't pick up
when I get parked at the vet's I call back
it's the zipcar people, telling me I have no reservation
I argue with the guy while I walk into the vet's, where they promptly tell me the vet's on vacation and that my appointment is on Monday - just about the same time the zipcar guy tells me I have a car reserved for Monday
fecal matter!!!
what a fricking waste of time just when I least need it
oh well
overwhelm just does not make for clarity