Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my gartner is not shedding in one piece, he is shedding in flakes and has not eaten in about a week. any ideas on whats going on

Garters usually don't eat before and during a shed because it expands the tightened about-to-be-shed skin and probably makes them uncomfortable (like wearing pants that are too tight, then going to a buffet, hah!). I wouldn't worry about getting your snake to eat until after it has shed completely.

To help the shed come off more efficiently, try soaking your snake in a tub of lukewarm water, or letting it spend time in a container with damp towels for a while. The extra moisture helps the skin to peel off in one piece. Also, make sure it has some rough edges, like a rock or piece of bark, to rub against to help the skin shed. My snakes like coiling up in their water dishes to speed the shedding process along. Good luck!

Zelda

well, its been about 2 weeks since hes eaten and some of the shedding is still hanging around his neck and tail. at what point should i worry about his health

Hmm... hard to say. I'd watch out for changes in your snake's muscle tone and behavior. If it's acting weak or more lethargic than usual, I'd start to worry. If your snake doesn't mind being handled, after soaking it in water you can try to gently scrape off the unshed skin with a fingernail, might help to get those tough patches off. Good luck!

Try either putting the snake in a bare container with just warm, damp papertowels or putting him in a pillowcase with dampened papertowels. The reason for the problem is low humidity most likely. Try misting the tank before a shed. Check your temeperatures too. Are they too low? Lastly, make sure that the snake sheds the eyecaps. If he retains the eyes caps, you will need to get them off no matter what unless you want problems somewhere down the line. Andy
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry