Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know this has been answered before, but I can't find anything recent on it...I work at a local Humane Society and someone turned in a baby ball python and a baby carpet python (because her son "wouldn't care for them anymore"...anyhow, the ball python has retained eyecaps on both eyes and I was wondering what the advice for treatment would be...I was thinking of leaving the snake overnight in a damp pillowcase...any other ideas? Thanks so much...

SR

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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

First of all make sure that is is in fact a retained cap - (if it is it's not going to hurt him just to leave it until the next shed) - but there are other things that can make a snake look like he has a retained cap - like dehydration or if he has a propensity to rub his eye on things - either of which if you try to treat it as a retained cap you could end up really damaging the snakes eye.

For eye caps - take a warm wash cloth and try to hold the snakes head in it for a few minutes - except for really head shy balls this should not be a problem - they don't really seem to mind. After a couple of minutes - take the wash cloth and just gently rub the eye front to back a couple of times - you should see the eye cap come of at the front and then just peel right off. Then do the other eye.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.42.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizard of unknown origin

Hmmm...I never thought that it might be just dehydration...both eyes look rough and wrinkled and kind of thickened...I guess I'll try the damp pillowcase first (since that at least will do no harm) and take it from there...Thanks to both of you for your replies...

SR

Have you checked the snakes for mites. They like to get in around the eyes and can produce a thickened look.

As another poster wrote, leaving the eyes alone until the next shed will do no harm. Then you can check the shed skin and see whether the eyecaps actually came off. If they did, you are home free. If they didn't, they will be easier to soak and get off than if they have been dried on for a week or more.

Paul Hollander