Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I "rescued" a redtail today from a family who kinda took ok care of him/her. The only thing I am concerned about is on the very tip of the tail is some skin that seems to of not been shed off. It looks like it is compressed on the last quarter inch of the tail and hasnt allowed it to grow. Any ideas on how to get it off? Soaking didnt help and the skin is to tight for me to try to remove it with forceps. The snake is just under 3 feet and seems to healthy in all other aspects.

You need to get it off. It sounds like it has cut off circulation and allowed the tip of the tail to necrose. Soaking is usually effective but it may take some time to get it softened. Depending on how much of the tail is affected it may be necessary to make a vet trip as amputations are sometimes necessary. A picture would be fabulous.

keep soaking... add a drop or two of mineral oil to the soaking tub. How long are you soaking for? Make sure to soak for at least 20 min or longer in luke warm water.

I rescued a BRB that had about 6 or more old sheds stuck on the tail tip, when I finally got it all off after many soaks multiple times a day, some of the scales came off. Always a good idea to see the vet if something like this occurs. The tip was treated with a diluted betadine solution and eventually scales grew back, they were just smaller, black and not as uniform as the ones they replaced.

Good luck!
-April
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'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow

I recieved the snake yesturday and soaked it when i got home for about 20 minutes or so. I didnt add mineral oil to it though. I will try that in a bit. Is there something I can put on the shed to loosen it up? (triple antibiotic or something like that)
I want to avoid the vet due to the cold weather outside. And how long after feeding should i wait to soak her?

When dealing with stuck sheds this is the basic method I follow:

1. Soak in lukewarm water for 20-30 minutes (as described above).
2. I then place the snake into a shallow tub (with a lid) containing a damp towel and allow the snake to crawl around in the tub for 10-15 minutes.

Usually this will work just fine. If need be, you can then use the towel to "wipe" down the snake to remove the remaining skin.

For areas away from the head where there are multiple stuck sheds mineral oil can be applied. Placing the oil in the soak water is not as effective as applying it directly to the affected area. It is safe to leave the mineral oil on overnight to allow it to soak into the layers of stuck skin. However, be sure to use an unscented oil and do not apply mineral oil to areas near the snakes eyes, nose, or mouth. There is little risk if the oil is ingested, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Thank you all for the help. I was able to get the last of the skin of this morning after a soak.The tail looks like all the scales are intact but it is definiatly smaller than it should be. She is off to the vet anyway though because i heard wheezing this morning while i was working with the tail.
Oh... and the people i got her from kept her on crushed walnut and i found som pieces embeded in the belly scales. Got them out though. Hope there is no infection.