My young 1-year-old female Kenyan sand boa, Groudon, is having difficulty with shedding; after 2 weeks of going pale and a few days of actual shedding, the majority of the shed skin is still stuck to her body. I've read increased humidity helps, but I've also read that increased humidity promotes respiratory and skin infections. How do I provide Groudon, temporarily, with increased humidity without making her sick?
Hi, can you put a few photos up of the whole enclosure (including the top) and say what the temps and humidity range are and what type of gauge/s you use to measure them? Thanks!
A lot of arid climate species require more humidity than what seems to be the norm in the hobby. Bearded dragons being a good example. A humid hide is often a good way to give them the option of getting the humidity they need when they want it, but better to have proper conditions in the cage in the first place.
What I do for stuck sheds, in fact I have to do this every time with one of my Kenyans, is take them out and put them in a Tupperwar box. Put holes at the top of the box so there is good ventilation. Put wet , not just damp, smag moss in there. I soak the moss for a few hours then dump out the excess water. You want enough moss so the snake can burrow completely under it. I also spray my snake with a shedding solution but you may be able to get away without that. Just spray your snake with water or run her under the focet real quick. Place her in the box and make sure you secure the lid. Place the box over a hear mat. If you don't have an extra you can set the Tupperwar box on top of where your heat mat is on the tank. The idea is that the humidity will loosen up the skin and while the snake tries to burrow in the moss the rough texture will pull the skin off. You may need to keep your snake in for a day or two but no longer than that.
Simple quick fix for problem shed. Take a dripping wet towel and the snake , put both in a wet pillowcase and knot it. Leave over night in the cage. The shed should be gone in the morning.
I would say if you try this method make sure you put the pillow case somewhere warm so you snake doesn't get cold. Of course you don't want your snake to get too warm either. You just have to find that good in between temperature.
That's why it was suggested to leave it in the cage, the assumption being that it should maintain a reasonable temp for the snake.
Yes of course it should be left in the cage. Not only for warmth but in the event the snake finds a way out of the pillowcase it isn't on the loose!
