Help!

[Miranda Jane]

My snake's head looks really bumpy and dry and I think it has something to do with shedding. He is always rubbing his head on things in his terrarium but nothing changes. Here are some pictures.

[adamanteus]

It's difficult to tell from the picture, Miranda, but if you think he is having trouble sloughing I would recommend "wet-bagging" him. Why his head would appear "lumpy" is a mystery to me. Is it possible he has mites? If you wipe a dampened tissue over his head and face, particularly around his eyes, you will see the mites on the tissue, if they are present.

[Elliot]

It probably does have something to do with shedding, does it have a big water bowl in its cage?

[Miranda Jane]

Thanks for the response . What is "wet-bagging"? Also his water bowl is pretty large, you can see it in my gallery.

[Stefan-A]

Throwing him in a wet bag.

[adamanteus]

Take a cloth bag, wet it through with tepid water, place him in it then put him (in the bag) back into his tank overnight, by morning his skin will have shed.

[Miranda Jane]

Thanks, I'll try that tonight.

[adamanteus]

You're welcome. Don't forget to check for those mites too. The "bumpy" issue needs looking at!

[Miranda Jane]

wet bagging didn't work . here is a better pic

[KITKAT]

Originally Posted by Miranda Jane

wet bagging didn't work . here is a better pic

Ah... I think I have seen this. It is an area of the head that did not shed properly. Try a qtip with a very thin coating of vaseline. Coat just the rough area, but avoid the nostrils. Make sure the coating on the snake is very thin. The next morning, take a warm wet washrag and gently rub the area that you coated. See if you get anything to slough off. If you do, then that indicates that this is your problem.

And as someone else suggested, you do need to check for mites. You can do this also with a wet washrag. Use a white one. Gently pass the snake through the rag, then check the rag for mites.