Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I feel like a horrible owner now.

I've had my corn snake for about 3 years, I actually came to this board then and read everything but stopped when I got used to being a snake owner and I experienced no problems with the snake.

In the last few months, my snake stopped eating when she normally eats with no issues. As the same thing happened last year, I assumed it had to do with the fact that it was their mating season and snakes tend to go off of food. She did not look any thinner and seemed full of energy, so I kept offering her food assuming she would resume eating when ready like last year.

She just had a shed tonight, and for the first time it was an incomplete shed. Knowing this is not a good sign, I took out all her substrate and added several damp paper towels as well as filling her water bowl and placing it over the undertank heating pad to try to aid with humidity. Now the only skin remaining is over her head and I'm afraid to try to help her with it since I don't want to risk damaging her eyes.

And, to top it all off, I heard her breathing quite audibly and creating a slight whistling noise. So now I'm worried she has a respiratory infection and that may perhaps be where all this is stemming from.

So, any thoughts? This is the first time I've had any issues with her and I'm not sure what else to do aside from keeping her damp for the shedding.

I'm not an expert, I'm at about the same stage as you but this is just what I've picked up by regularly reading posts - if the shed is incomplete around the head the noise could be from a bit of the skin. If it is an RI however you need to raise the temps. I had a RI scare a month or two back and by raising the temps it seemed to fix itself so to speak.
I'm not sure how to remove the skin other than doing what you already are, but if it was me I'd take it somewhere with guys who really know what they're doing to see if they can safely remove it.

Again, I'm at the same stage as you but since noone else had replied I thought I'd pass it on. Good luck!

She finally managed to get all the skin off and there is no more audible breathing so hopefully it was due to a bit of skin. I will raise the temps, though, and I'm definitely going to keep her thoroughly watered. I'm also going to try feeding her again today so hopefully she actually does eat. Then I have my healthy snake back.

Thanks again.

Another good trick for the incomplete shedding which many use is to take a pillow case or similar cloth bag and get it wet with warm water or put moss that is damp with warm water inside it. Then put a piece of bark or other slightly abrasive but safe object in the bag as well. Lastly put your snake inside the bag, seal it, and place it in the snakes warm enclosure.

The humidity will loosen the shed and the abrasive object will give it something to rub it off against. Just leave the snake in there for a few hours or over night and it should have the job done.

Just for future refference.

Sean.