Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, I was worried earlier, but now, I am scared. The mother of Ziggy and Zoe hasn't been eating as well as I had hoped recently, she had been doing well up until about a month ago. Seeing as how she has been having bad sheds, I figured her appetite was failing because of that stress. She still has about two sheds stuck on her, but she won't soak either. She has just been sitting in her moss box, and now this past week she has been looking much skinnier.
Today when I pulled her out of her cage she had a definate "smooshed" look. Which scared me. She is lethargic and not very responsive to touch, when she does respond, its a delayed response.
Can any of you think of something that might be causing this? I unfortunately can't get a hold of my vet.
Any help would be appreciated. Sorry no pictures, my moms computer still won't upload them.
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Jess
2.4 adult BRBs (Noah, Dude, Copper, Cleo, Cherry, Dudette)
1.1 baby BRBs born 6/18/06 my first litter(Zeek, Isis)
0.1 baby BRB produced by Dave Colling (Sable)
1.1 Pacific/celestial Parrotlets (Dewey and Delilah)
1.0 normal corn (Pop the Cornsnake)
1.1 african brown house snake (Nellie, Lacie)
1.1 crested geckos (Chips, Dijon)
1.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.1 western hognoses (Google, Yahoo)
0.1 paranoid mother "too many snakes!"
1.0 significant other that gives me a funny look when I say a baby snake is cute

Hey Jess, sorry but all I can say is get her to a vet asap, does not sound good and you need to get her checked out.

And if it gets that far, a necropsy.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
24.36 BRB
19.19 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

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Jess
2.4 adult BRBs (Noah, Dude, Copper, Cleo, Cherry, Dudette)
1.1 baby BRBs born 6/18/06 my first litter(Zeek, Isis)
0.1 baby BRB produced by Dave Colling (Sable)
1.1 Pacific/celestial Parrotlets (Dewey and Delilah)
1.0 normal corn (Pop the Cornsnake)
1.1 african brown house snake (Nellie, Lacie)
1.1 crested geckos (Chips, Dijon)
1.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.1 western hognoses (Google, Yahoo)
0.1 paranoid mother "too many snakes!"
1.0 significant other that gives me a funny look when I say a baby snake is cute

Are you saying there are currently two stuck sheds covering a majority of her body or that she's had one bad shed that you removed and then another bad shed that you removed?

The sheds need to come off.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

Yeah the sheds haven't come off, she has had a problem with shedding since I got her. There is part of an old shed still on as well as the current one she is trying to get off. I put her in a very wet and warmer moss box tonight. I'll update tomorrow.
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Jess
2.4 adult BRBs (Noah, Dude, Copper, Cleo, Cherry, Dudette)
1.1 baby BRBs born 6/18/06 my first litter(Zeek, Isis)
0.1 baby BRB produced by Dave Colling (Sable)
1.1 Pacific/celestial Parrotlets (Dewey and Delilah)
1.0 normal corn (Pop the Cornsnake)
1.1 african brown house snake (Nellie, Lacie)
1.1 crested geckos (Chips, Dijon)
1.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.1 western hognoses (Google, Yahoo)
0.1 paranoid mother "too many snakes!"
1.0 significant other that gives me a funny look when I say a baby snake is cute

If she can't do it, just take off the sheds yourself. Soak her for an hour or confine her to her moss box overnight. Restrain the snake and then either use a rubbing motion with your thumb or finger or fine-tipped tweezers to start removing the skin around the lips. Then, let her crawl through your hands, rolling off the skin like a stocking or something.

A lot of times, bad sheds are a sign of something else (mites, dehydration, etc.) But sometimes, a bad shed is just a bad shed. As soon as they come off, I can almost guarantee she will be feeling better.

Fingers crossed,
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

make sure it is ready and not somehow in between...multiple sheds...if another is forming could cause big problems if taken off before ready...not the stuck one...btw...I would be meaning a "current" shed underneath the stuck one...I saw a snake perished from bleeding to death...some guy peeled a shed off a big albino burm when I was younger and worked in a pet store..very sad...

>>If she can't do it, just take off the sheds yourself. Soak her for an hour or confine her to her moss box overnight. Restrain the snake and then either use a rubbing motion with your thumb or finger or fine-tipped tweezers to start removing the skin around the lips. Then, let her crawl through your hands, rolling off the skin like a stocking or something.
>>
>>A lot of times, bad sheds are a sign of something else (mites, dehydration, etc.) But sometimes, a bad shed is just a bad shed. As soon as they come off, I can almost guarantee she will be feeling better.
>>
>>Fingers crossed,
>>-----
>>Mike Lockwood
>>www.tooscaley.com

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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

Yeah I am hoping that she will soak enough tonight in "confinement" and I will be able to peel off the skin tomorrow, the last time I tried she bit me. She normally doesn't do that. My mom asked me to stop, she hates it when I get bit, especially since Noah bit me so bad (nicked a vein...Dave can back this up, he saw the bruise) before he died.
I also have food waiting to be thawed for her, so hopefully all of this will perk her back up. I'm crossing my fingers, I've just had some bad luck to balance my good luck this year.
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Jess
2.4 adult BRBs (Noah, Dude, Copper, Cleo, Cherry, Dudette)
1.1 baby BRBs born 6/18/06 my first litter(Zeek, Isis)
0.1 baby BRB produced by Dave Colling (Sable)
1.1 Pacific/celestial Parrotlets (Dewey and Delilah)
1.0 normal corn (Pop the Cornsnake)
1.1 african brown house snake (Nellie, Lacie)
1.1 crested geckos (Chips, Dijon)
1.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.1 western hognoses (Google, Yahoo)
0.1 paranoid mother "too many snakes!"
1.0 significant other that gives me a funny look when I say a baby snake is cute

the more likely something will go wrong...can go other way too...I lost my share for pne reason or another...even old age...yeah I'm getting old lol...

>>Yeah I am hoping that she will soak enough tonight in "confinement" and I will be able to peel off the skin tomorrow, the last time I tried she bit me. She normally doesn't do that. My mom asked me to stop, she hates it when I get bit, especially since Noah bit me so bad (nicked a vein...Dave can back this up, he saw the bruise) before he died.
>>I also have food waiting to be thawed for her, so hopefully all of this will perk her back up. I'm crossing my fingers, I've just had some bad luck to balance my good luck this year.
>>-----
>>Jess
>>2.4 adult BRBs (Noah, Dude, Copper, Cleo, Cherry, Dudette)
>>1.1 baby BRBs born 6/18/06 my first litter(Zeek, Isis)
>>0.1 baby BRB produced by Dave Colling (Sable)
>>1.1 Pacific/celestial Parrotlets (Dewey and Delilah)
>>1.0 normal corn (Pop the Cornsnake)
>>1.1 african brown house snake (Nellie, Lacie)
>>1.1 crested geckos (Chips, Dijon)
>>1.0 Veiled Chameleon
>>1.1 western hognoses (Google, Yahoo)
>>0.1 paranoid mother "too many snakes!"
>>1.0 significant other that gives me a funny look when I say a baby snake is cute
-----
Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

Jess,
..What everyone else posted is good but yes, stuck sheds can sometimes be caused by parasite problems. After the loss of the breeder male I would definitely get the snake in to the vet.
Good luck,
Jeff

>>Ok, I was worried earlier, but now, I am scared. The mother of Ziggy and Zoe hasn't been eating as well as I had hoped recently, she had been doing well up until about a month ago. Seeing as how she has been having bad sheds, I figured her appetite was failing because of that stress. She still has about two sheds stuck on her, but she won't soak either. She has just been sitting in her moss box, and now this past week she has been looking much skinnier.
>>Today when I pulled her out of her cage she had a definate "smooshed" look. Which scared me. She is lethargic and not very responsive to touch, when she does respond, its a delayed response.
>>Can any of you think of something that might be causing this? I unfortunately can't get a hold of my vet.
>>Any help would be appreciated. Sorry no pictures, my moms computer still won't upload them.
>>-----
>>Jess
>>2.4 adult BRBs (Noah, Dude, Copper, Cleo, Cherry, Dudette)
>>1.1 baby BRBs born 6/18/06 my first litter(Zeek, Isis)
>>0.1 baby BRB produced by Dave Colling (Sable)
>>1.1 Pacific/celestial Parrotlets (Dewey and Delilah)
>>1.0 normal corn (Pop the Cornsnake)
>>1.1 african brown house snake (Nellie, Lacie)
>>1.1 crested geckos (Chips, Dijon)
>>1.0 Veiled Chameleon
>>1.1 western hognoses (Google, Yahoo)
>>0.1 paranoid mother "too many snakes!"
>>1.0 significant other that gives me a funny look when I say a baby snake is cute