Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know you guys have posted this info before, but the change has made it imposiible for me to find. What can I apply to the cap to loosen it, and what is the best way to remove it. Thanks for the help.

There are a few things you can try. Here are some of the things I do that have worked very well:

- place the snake in a slightly dampened snake bag with several clean rags that have also been dampened and wrung dry inside the snake bag. The crawling of the snake over these rags will oftentimes do the trick.

- just heavily mist the cage with warm water....absolutely soak everything and if you keep heat on the cage overnight (within acceptable temps) you should see that cap off by morning. Or, if the cap is still on, the high humidity/damp conditions will usually loosten the cap to teh point where you can take a damp q-tip and just gently work the edges to see if it will slide off.

- soak in tepid water for 30 minutes (approx. 3" of water is plenty deep)

There are other methods but these all work very well.

I would try Rob's tricks first. If that doesn't work: I usually just soak the snake in a large tupperware container, with the lid snapped shut, for about 2-3 hours. Then I take a pair of tweezers and pull the offending eyecap off. Be really careful to not mess with something that should be staying on.

Doug T

I'm a Janie come lately here for this thread, but our experience has been good with our Tex, similar to what Rob C outlined with regard to a damp snake bag.

After misting the cage heavily for a day or two, we drenched a pillow case in warm water. For warm, at least ambient room temp - here in USDA zone 10, that's usually 80-82 degrees F or above. Tie the bag up. He may polish away the retained eye cap as he explores the bag.

More recently, we noticed that the Tex had a retained eyecap when we were literally on the way out for the weekend (Friday). When we got home (Monday afternoon), the eyecap had shed, with no intervention whatsoever.

I'm a Janie come lately here for this thread, but our experience has been good with our Tex, similar to what Rob C outlined with regard to a damp snake bag.

After misting the cage heavily for a day or two, we drenched a pillow case in warm water. For warm, at least ambient room temp - here in USDA zone 10, that's usually 80-82 degrees F or above. Tie the bag up. He may polish away the retained eye cap as he explores the bag.

More recently, we noticed that the Tex had a retained eyecap when we were literally on the way out for the weekend (Friday). When we got home (Monday afternoon), the eyecap had shed, with no intervention whatsoever.

If you can't get the eye cap off using the methods mentioned all ready, try keeping the enclosure humid and apply a liberal amount of Vasoline, A&D Ointment, Bacitracin, or other similar product directly onto the entire eye cap. Put a glob on each eye cap and leave it on. Re apply when you see the snake has rubbed it off.
The ointment will break down and soften the eye cap/s and will seperate them from the actual eye ball or eye lens.
It usually takes a couple to 3 days or so, but you'll be able to easily remove the old eye cap/s. Just check them periodically.
I took in a large Cribo that had been extremely neglected. It shed, but I noticed that the eyes still looked a bit opaque.
After determining that there were eye caps left from previous shed gone bad I tried the soaking method and tried to lift the old eye caps off with no success, they were stuck on. I then applied the Vasoline to each eye and upped the humidity in the cage via frequent mistings.
After about 2 or 3 days I was able to remove 3 eye caps from EACH eyeball from previous sheds!
If you try this, don't be afraid to glob it on each eye and reapply frequently.
I've also used this for bad sheds on snakes and lizards, mainly improperly kept Red Tegus.

Good Luck

With all respect to my colleagues Rob & DT....DO NOT use any type of mechanical means to remove an eye-cap!!!!!!!Metal or Q-tip!!!!

Bobby is much closer to the correct way...

Here's what you do...Go to any store and get artificial tear ointment (not vaseline, BobbyLee, it is actually a DRYING agent!)Glop a bunch on each eye and put the snake in a humid environment as per Rob/DT...Do this for several days and if the cap doesn't come off by itself, (Honest to God!) boys, use the sticky side of DUCT tape or other adhesive tape and roll across the eye cap...It will adhere and come off easily...

Prevention is better...When any of my Dry's go into shed, I put the ointment on DAILY and virtually never have a problem anymore...I'm in Colorado where the ambient humidity is rarely above cottonmouth!!! So I've learned the hard way...

3 years ago my prize boar TXN, Bubba, had a stuck cap...(Remember I'm a trauma doctor, supposed to have good hands)I used a small pair of forceps to "remove" the caps...Several days later his eye's look cloudy again...Then they turn green with PUS!!!
$2500 and 3 months later, my vet finally has my complication cured! (Maybe I should look for a new profession, but I'm too old!!)

Please guys, don't pry the cap off with anything...I know we all have done it and most of the time without any problem, but it is not worth it...Tape works great...

OK, Rob and DT, fire away...I've just worked 9 of the last 11 nights and am tired, so I'm sure I sound way overboard, but this is an issue we all face frequently and the "less" physical the approach is, the better...CG
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Carl W Gossett
Garage Door Herps
Monument,Colorado...northern territory of the Great Republic of Texas

That's weird, I always thought that Vasoline was a moisturizing agent? I've always used it for chapped lips, dry skin, etc.
I can only speak from my experience and others that I know that have used it successfully.
I'll look into the artificial tear solution.
Always good to learn new things!

Bobby

Think about it...Vaseline is actually a barrier to water...Won't let it out, which is why everyone thinks of it as a moisturizing agent, but also, does not allow it IN...That's the difference...The artificial tear/eye lubricants are hydrophyllic, i.e. the draw moisture IN, there by increasing the moisture content..

Old Herper is also correct about Duct tape...That's why I said other adhesive tapes are fine, too...Just something about Duct Tape and me I guess...Anyway, by using the lubricant, I rarely ever have to worry about eye caps on my snakes...

Still brings up the question that someone else posed...Why are Dry's seemingly so much more prone to this than other species?? At least it seems so to me..CG
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Carl W Gossett
Garage Door Herps
Monument,Colorado...northern territory of the Great Republic of Texas

I did think about the barrier aspect during and after I posted and that is correct.
The Vasoline must work by breaking down the dead skin on a molecular level similar to it's effects on latex condoms, etc.
How ever it works, I know through experience that it does work. I've used it safely and successfuly on various herps with excellent results.
I've never had an eye cap problem when an increased level of humidity is offered while the snake is in the blue until he/she sheds out, and lots of items in the cages for them to rub against.

Bobby

is that it prevents FURTHER moisture loss from the inside(barrier)...I doesn't ATTRACT moisture as do the artificial tears...

I'm not saying it doesn't help, only that there are BETTER substances to use...
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Carl W Gossett
Garage Door Herps
Monument,Colorado...northern territory of the Great Republic of Texas

I get what you're saying.
I'm saying that it does something to break down the dead skin.
The skin when removed is very fragile and soft and comes off better than when just soaking an animal in water.
I rehabed a Red Tegu that had a bad shed all over its body to the point where the live skin was drying out and cracking and the Tegu could have lost toes tail etc.
Reapeated soaking for hours did NOTHING for the problem.
After coating the Tegu with Vasoline for 2-3 days the skin rubbed off with a towel and the cracks in the skin healed.
I have lots of tatoos and used Bacitracin, A&D Ointment, and Vasoline during the recovery period and they all worked the same way keeping the tatooed areas from healing dry and cracking.

Be easy with the tape, too. I have seen a one-eyed Cal King from that very thing...the guy tried to remove an eyecap with duct tape and pulled the thing's eye right out of the socket with it. Scotch tape might be safer because the adhesive isn't quite as strong.

I still prefer to avoid any mechanical means though...I've never had a problem getting them to shed by putting them in a plastic sweater box full of damp towels for a day or so...they just shed it right off while they are in there.

as it would be in nature......

Thanks for all the advice, loads of humidity, soaks,moisturizing, and scotch tape. Came off Sat. eye looks great.

Hey it's always worked for me, glad to hear all went well!!!

Cheers
Dean

I never had any problems at all soaking the animal for a while and then catching the corner of the eye-cap with my fingernail and popping it off...whatever you're comfortable with-