Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok i left someone i know in charge of my BCI boa for about a month in march, and i not to long have gotten back... well she had shed while i was gone, ands apperently he didn't notice, but about 1-8th, or maybe even smaller of the skin on the tip of her tail never came off. she's only about 3 feet long right now, so its not as promonant. But anyway, it wont come off, and i've tryed soaking and things like that, and i think its to late because its started to turn the scales under it light brown.. i tryed to get tweezers to get it off but she pulls away if i try to do it..

what should i do? if it to late? do yall need pics?

it's not too late...
should be no problem, just keep soaking and misting and you should be able to get it off fairly easily.. don't pick at it, rather, use your fingers to hold her tail almost like a pencil and gently roll it down..

Joe
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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

Try using mineral oil. If you cant get the stuck shed off you may need to see the vet. The shed can cause the circulation to be cut off in the end of the tail and the tail might then have to be amputated (if the end of the tail dies).
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Jeff
0.1 Wife: Kim
2.0 Hogg Island Boas, Bob Sears Line: Ham-let and BLT
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas: Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa: Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery: Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman: Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix: Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie: Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

>>Try using mineral oil. If you cant get the stuck shed off you may need to see the vet. The shed can cause the circulation to be cut off in the end of the tail and the tail might then have to be amputated (if the end of the tail dies).
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>>Jeff
>>0.1 Wife: Kim
>>2.0 Hogg Island Boas, Bob Sears Line: Ham-let and BLT
>>1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas: Xerxes, and Sa'rai
>>1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa: Solomon
>>0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery: Sheba, Jasmine
>>0.1 Doberman: Princess Grace
>>1.0 Pitbull Mix: Popcorn
>>1.0 Rough Collie: Dante
>>---------------------------------------
>>“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”
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Jeff
0.1 Wife: Kim
2.0 Hogg Island Boas, Bob Sears Line: Ham-let and BLT
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas: Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa: Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery: Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman: Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix: Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie: Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

Like Joe said... the key to getting that stuck skin off is moisture. Soak the tail. Mist the enclosure. Get that humidity up.

One thing you might want to try if it's handy is to rub aloe vera on the stuck skin. Don't use the bottled kind, that stuff is not pure aloe vera even if the bottle says it is. Go to a gardening store and buy an aloe vera plant. You can cut off the "leaves" and open them up for pure aloe vera. Rub the inside of the leaf on the stuck skin and let it soak in. The rubbing action plus the moisture from the aloe should help loosen it.

I would stay away from mineral oil... and don't use tweezers either. Good luck!
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David - Houston, TX
Young Red Tail Boa
Purchased 11/16/03
www.geocities.com/davidag02

I am just curious and learn something new everyday like everyone else. Why would you stay away from mineral oil? Mineral oil is even listed in the book “What’s Wrong With My Sanke?” by by John Rossi, Roxanne Rossi (Contributor), Philippe de Vosjoli as a use for constipation, the old "mouse-lax".

Jeff
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Jeff
0.1 Wife: Kim
2.0 Hogg Island Boas, Bob Sears Line: Ham-let and BLT
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas: Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa: Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery: Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman: Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix: Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie: Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

Jeff - You do make a very good point. However, I tend to stay away from talking about things that can confuse people on public forums. There are many different types of mineral oil... FOOD GRADE mineral oil is only type of mineral even remotely suitable for use on an animals skin.

Other types of mineral oils contain petroleum distillates and are meant for use as lubricants (similar to vasaline). I have seen many studies where this type of mineral oil eats through latex....
I'd hate to see what that might do to a snakes skin or membranes.

So I hope you can see how simply saying "rub mineral oil on your snake" could be detrimental...
I'm not saying it's wrong, it just needs more clarification when said on a public forum such as this.
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David - Houston, TX
Young Red Tail Boa
Purchased 11/16/03
www.geocities.com/davidag02

Yes, I did not think about the different kinds of mineral oil. People will do some crazy things without thinking about it. I guess we all need to start using disclaimers. lol.
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Jeff
0.1 Wife: Kim
2.0 Hogg Island Boas, Bob Sears Line: Ham-let and BLT
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas: Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa: Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery: Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman: Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix: Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie: Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”