My new baby pastel is having a really hard time with his first shed in his new home. I've tried various wet hides (won't stay in them), then tryed misting him lightly every day. He just tore a couple "holes" in the ready-to-shed skin (it's obviously skin that should shed)- but hasn't shed. This morning I put him into his clean fresh water bowl, and he did stay in it a couple minutes before retreating to his hide.
I'm afraid to make him soak because a friend's ball python died from belly rot. I also have a small mister I could put in with him, but haven't because of fear of over-humiditifying (is that a word?) and giving him a resp. infection.
I have tried to keep handling to a minimum till he sheds, but he's still eating well thru it all.
Thanks in advance for your help and advice. 
-----
1.0.0 Mexican Kingsnake, Vincent Price
1.0.0 277 Graybanded Kingsnake, Boris Karloff
1.0.0 Crockett Graybanded Kingsnake, Julien Sands
1.1.0 Ball Pythons, Pete (Peter Cushing) and Kali
1.0.0 Pastel Ball Python, Claude Raines
2.2.0 Bearded Dragons, Bela Lugosi, Spook, Sid Vicious & Ember
1.0.0 Pet Rat, Punkin
1.0.0 Pushy Lovebird Baxter
0.1.0 Goth-Punk Teenager
1.0.0 Tolerant Husband
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
Baby Pastel Having Difficulty Shedding
Replies (3)
What kind of substate are you using? IF aspen i would mist the bedding, Soak him in luke warm water for about 10 15 min. That should help. If you have him in a glass tank throw a t shirt over 80% of the top.
-----
1.0 Het for pied
0.1 Het for Pied
1.5 normal balls
1.1 bearded dragons
0.1.0 Sulcata tort
1.3 kids
1.0 husband
To many little critters list
I would go ahead and soak him. Belly rot won't be a problem with just soaking. That comes into play more with housing your python in wet conditions.
Soak him for about 20-30 mins in luke warm water and the shed should come right off. Make sure the water level is not enough to fully submerse him and that it is not too warm.
One trick I tried when my adult ball python had a bad shed was to partially wrap him in a luke warm damp bath towel. I just left it in one part of his cage, after letting him slide though it a few times while I held him. The next morning i removed the damp towel and found he completely finished his shed over night.
It should be slightly damp, not soaking wet and the water temp used should be around 70-75F no more. You don't want to over heat your snake either. The towel is rough enough and just damp enough to make it easy for your snake to remove the rest of their skin. I just used a hand towel for this, not a huge wrap around your body sized towel. For a smaller snake, a large face cloth may be all you need.
-----
PHLdyPayne
