Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Please help!

My juvenile boa constrictor can not shed the piece of his head for several weeks now. He had problems shedding all over ever since I go him, but managed to shed fine with my efforts except for his head which is still fully covered by old skin. He does not eat, but otherwise is active. Please note that another boa sharing his cage sheds without much difficulty.

I’ve tried warm baths, but he keeps his head above and tries to get out of water in any possible way. I’ve tried misting the cage daily, spraying the snake with “Vita-Spray” by Four Paws, I’ve tried product called “Shed-Ease”, but nothing seems to work till date.

Please help!!!

Thank you in advance.

Natalia

Misting the cage is a plus, but sometimes it can cause more harm than good. For example when the animals skin is moistened and allowed to dry naturally it can cause further drying of the skin much like when a person licks their chapped lips. Moist conditions also set the stage for bacteria growth. A veterinarian who specialises in exotics can assist you with removing the old skin, but if you feel comfortable enough doing it you may wish to try it yourself. Gently embrace the boas head so that he cannot retract it and lightly mist its head until the skin becomes soft (misting should be done for about as long as it would for your skin to prune under water). Once the skin has been moistened, begining near the tip of its snout, gently rub your finger toward the rear of his head. If the skin does not come off easily then dont force it. As long as the old skin is not obstructing his nose of eyes, another methode would be to wait until the next consecutive shed. At this time, as soon as you notice he is preparing to shed, mist the cage heavilty. More often then not, the old skin will work its way off with the new layer of skin and since you said it is not eating this will also be far less stressful for the boa. However if the old shed still remains then see a veterinarian as soon as possible. Good Luck!