Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I cant explain it and at this point I'm bewildered. I have this beautiful Ghost Honduran female, she is in a rack with I think six other yearlings, they all give me full sheds, complete sheds, she even gives me full complete sheds, when she remembers to do it.

Its happened to her three times non concurrently, I believe the last shed or the one before that was a full non torn, non flaky shed. When it happens she rarely if ever flakes it's like she doesn't even start the shed, its slipped her mind. once she let me rub her nose for 30 seconds after a five minute soaking , then she let me put my thumb on top of her head and the index finger on her chin (shes a yearling milk, I was impressed, she must of just wanted it off) she got it started then I was able to run a full shed straight down her body.

I really don't believe its my humidity levels, but its something I am doing.

She is in a Sterilite tub with either paper towels or aspen it it at different times. Could it be I shouldn't feed her when shes blue? (she will snd does eat.)Just put some wood in there? If I raise her humidity any more it will actually fog up the entire enclosure, I'm sure of that, so just do that while she is in shed?

I have been keeping only snakes for twenty years, colubrids and boids and I'm baffled a bit. Any advice would be helpful because I have never seen a snake retain complete sheds,3 or 4 times within a year, I've seen "bad" flaky sheds but its like she doesn't even try to get it started while all the other snakes in the rack have zero shedding issues.

How long is it after her eyes clear COMPLETELY up after going "blue" that she still doesn't shed on her own? As you probably already know, it can typically take a good two to four days depending on their individual activity level for this to occur. If it does take more than maybe four days or so after her eyes fully clear again, it could very well be that this particular female gets a bit lazy because of being fed just prior. This isn't real typical, but as we all know, all snakes are individuals, and can always have their own little individual quirks, habits, and preferences. Sometimes just taking them out and putting them back in the enclosure stimulates them to get moving and shed.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

No, brother, I let it go sometimes 2 weeks after her shed cycle ends. I cant believe I never took a photo of this. She clears up, doesn't shed then she gets a yellow and almost muddy sheen to her and her head looks almost like dry skin, I toss her into a tub of luke warm water for 5 minutes and that usually works.

I am going to do some common sense stuff. I will raise the humidity in her tub when she is in shed. I will give her one of those hides mad out of wood and bark that is in every pet store so she can rub against something to get started and I won't feed her when she is in the "blue." I'll get back to you guys.

Yeah, I would try those exact things you mentioned too. Sheds that stay on that long afterwards aren't a good thing for sure.

Good luck with it.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"