Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, for the second time this winter this is happening.

I have 2 couperi females who have been pretty "scuffed up" from breeding. This has now happened to BOTH of them:

They go opaque as normal, clear up as normal...don't shed...don't shed...a week goes by...then they GO BLUE AGAIN!

The first female did this and shed normally after the second time going blue.

The other female is now in her "second blue" period.

I'm guessing this is their body's way of rapidly repairing the skin damage caused by breeding...but...this is the first time I've seen it.

not exactly.......but once i had a female bt shed 3 times in a row complete in about a 8 week space at this time of year.....

Hi Dean,

I had a female White Lip Python do this same thing twice in 2 years - blue, clear up, then a week later blue again. Her completed shed in both instances was completely normal. Sorry I can't offer an explanation, but at least you know you're not crazy.
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Who is like Set...

1.1 Vietnamese Blue Beauties
2.0 Taiwan Beauties
2.3 Cave Beauties
0.1 Bull Snake
1.0.0 Argentine Blk & Wht Tegu
2.5 Box Turtles

Every 2nd week she's in shed, she too got a little nipped up while her & hubby were doin the nasty, she's lookin pretty gravid too.

Hopefully next year I'll be able to say whats goin on with my Easterns if I get lucky with the breeding of those guys. Let us know how you make out with the multiple shedding so I can know what to expect.

Dean

Newfoundland, Canada

The keeper at the Serpentarium just outside of the capital of San Jose, Costa Rica, explained that a large melanurus that they kept shed completely three times in a month. The keeper said it was of because of wounds obtained somehow and he too thought it was because the animal was trying to heal.
Will post a picture of the animal soon.
Matt

I've had that happen to a Blacktail female. It took about 3 weeks to complete, even with an occasional soaking. Once she shed, it was complete one piece, eyecaps shed, no problem.

Robert

>>Ok, for the second time this winter this is happening.
>>
>>I have 2 couperi females who have been pretty "scuffed up" from breeding. This has now happened to BOTH of them:
>>
>>They go opaque as normal, clear up as normal...don't shed...don't shed...a week goes by...then they GO BLUE AGAIN!
>>
>>The first female did this and shed normally after the second time going blue.
>>
>>The other female is now in her "second blue" period.
>>
>>I'm guessing this is their body's way of rapidly repairing the skin damage caused by breeding...but...this is the first time I've seen it.

Thanks for all the responses…good to know this is not as unusual as I thought!

Dean,

The shed/reshed phenom that you mentioned happened to me for a three year period..EVERY YEAR. The females would get thoroughly scuffed up do to breeding and then they would go into a shed cycle, become opaque, then the skin would clear,but no shed!! Then they would go into yet another shed cycle, just as yours did. I summed it up to the sheer amount of damage that was inflicted by the males previous to the shed cycle. I also summed it up to increased amounts of bacteria present in the snakes skin because of the scraping and abrasion caused by the overzealous males. Despite increased humididty offered, they ALWAYS went into this second cycle. I also have had a Cal king do this, but she went into 3 or 4 shed cycles, until she finally shed. she never thrived and finally passed away many years ago, but the shed dilema never passed form my mind. Hope this helps, or at least it makes you realize that yours is not an isolated case.

Thanks,

Fred Albury

Yes, many years ago, before technology gave us all the neat stuff we have today, I had a wild caught black rat snake, who burned his nose on the light bulb in his cage. Same thing happened. I have also seen similar phenomina with a boa who got rat bit. back before I knew about pre-killed.[mid to late 70s]. Some times it's the bodies' effort to repair dammage. But I can't imagine that being the case with you. Hey just so ya know , Gidny and Cloyd are fine and dandy. They have realy sparked that old child hood sense of wonder and amazement in me. I feel like a kid again since those two came into my life. I absolutely lovem!