Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi I have a ball python. On the last shed before this my girlfriend pulled some skin off the tail and it got a little bloody. That part of the tail turned brown. Now on his recent shed that part of his tail came off. It did bleed a good amount not to bad but enough to concern me. What does anyone suggest that i do. Will it heal and be ok, or is it proned to infection. He has always had a problem sheding. I raise the humidity, soak him and all that good stuff. I am thinking of putting cod liver oil of his rodents. Any good info would be greatly appriciated.

Mike

Was this from a sore or a bite? What happened?

Why would you put cod liver oil on the rodetnts?

What's the humidity, warm side temps and cool side temps?

Was he injured in that area?

Don't pull the skin off...there are many other/better ways to help remove stuck/incomplete sheds.
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No it wasnt from injury my girlfriend had the great idea to pull off his skin cause it wasnt finished shedding. It bleed a little bit like a scale came off. It turned to a bruise looking thing on the end of his tail. Then the next shed same thing happened, but this time he was crawling on me and it came off and started to bleed on me. I put his tail in water and the bleeding stoped. But the part off his tail that was bruised looking came off like about a quarter inch or so.
I keep the humidity at 60 and when he sheds between 75 and 80. the cool end of the cage is 82 and the hottest part is at 90. Thanks for your time Mike

If this snake lost part of its tail, could there be a chance of infection? I would be more worried about that, than an incomplete shed. I really don't know, but maybe one of the more experienced people can answer this...?

I've seen this in boas(not mine, I only have two boas right now) but never in a ball. If the shed on the tail doesn't come off, and the retained shed flakes off the tails tip, leaving a ring of retained skin around the circumference of the animal. When not removed, the ring of skin dries out and shrinks then constricts, killing the end of the tail. In a month or so, the now dead tip will fall of on its own. Sad that it would go that far, but I've had inexperinced friends let it happen.
The snakes never displayed any residual problems from this trauma. Some Providone Iodine a couple times a day surely wouldn't hurt.

Tom Chambers

Thanks for giving me a real answer Tom Cambers

No problem, sometimes people get too involved in chastising that they never answer the question for help.
I usually give my snakes a good look over after a shed to make sure there are no retained areas.
Actually I just check the eyes and tail, since they all shed in one piece. Live and learn good luck. BTW Providone Iodine is a generic Betadine solution you can pick up at any drug store.

TomChambers

I'm glad you got a straight answer... I wasn't trying to chastise you, I just wanted to get you the answer you were looking for. I'm glad there will be no permanent damage... although you may want to change his name to "Stubby". Good Luck!
Mindy

Mindy,

I'm sorry I didn't mean you were doing this. I usually just skim through and read a few posts that look ineresting. Your title cought my eye so I read it(then the others). It just seems that sometimes when someone makes a mistakes around here they get dumped on, and sometimes never get an appropriate answer. I won't usually post unless i have seen or experienced a similar situation.
Again sorry for the placement of my reply, your post was not derogatory.

TomChambers

next time there is an incomplete shed put the snake in a wet pillowcase and leave on warm side for an hour or two and bam all shed will some off.
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1.2 Ball pythons (1pastel 2 normals)
"whats with you and all those dang reptiles?"

create a humid hide w/o the access hole and provide ventilation holes instead, add damp spaghum moss, put BP in, close lid, sit on warm side and leave for at least an hour.
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa
"Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa
"Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake
"Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
"Indigo"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

yes that works well too. Although I have had quicker results with the pillowcase (with balls usually 1-2 hrs.). The moist hide is more of an overnight trick for me or just a pre shed trick for that matter. I usually take the tub that my snakes in and cover up most of the holes add cypress mulch and give it a good spray and voila the tub becomes a giant humid hide.LOL normally though I dont have to use the pillowcase with my BP's. I have a stubborn corn that has trouble shedding sometimes no matter what the humidity is.
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0.1 Leos
1.1 Corn snakes (1 Lav & 1 Ghost)
0.1 Banan California King
0.0.1 Childrens python
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow boa
1.0 Rat (as pet not food)
1.2 Ball pythons (1pastel 2 normals)
"whats with you and all those dang reptiles?"

First Off NEVER let clueless "humans" handle your snake(s)
Second Pull abit of skin off her "tail" as a reminder not to hurt the snake ever again(so make it a big piece)

Poor Snake (

T/