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Occulars not shedding..........

Arredondo Dec 04, 2004 04:46 PM

Hope someone can help me on this one. I have a Trans Pecos who didn't shed his occulars during his last shed. What can I do for him? Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

Replies (4)

happycamper Dec 05, 2004 03:11 PM

try sticky tape, apply and pull off.

Arredondo Dec 05, 2004 06:19 PM

Happy camper,
Your demented advice toward a serious question only demonstrates a complete lack of profressionalism on your part. To do what you suggest would only result in extreme pain & suffering & probable infection to the snake. Do you even believe your own suggestion?

oldherper Dec 06, 2004 09:45 PM

Tape is a very common method to remove stuck eyecaps. I DO NOT recommend using anything other than Scotch tape, and only as a last resort. Things like duct tape and other super-sticky tapes can pull the eyeball right out of the socket...not the desired result.

Here's what I recommend:

My suggestion would be to put him in something like a Sterilite sweater box full of rolled up damp terrycloth towels and let him stay there for several hours. Then, if they don't come off on the towels (most of the time they will), they should be much easier to remove manually. If you aren't sure about what you are doing, DON'T try to use tweezers or anything like that.
Just take a damp Q-tip and try to gently "tease" the stuck ocular off working from front to back. If that fails, take a piece of Scotch tape and roll it around your 1st 3 fingers making a loop, sticky side out. Gently roll that across the eyecap, working once again from front to back. Don't use anything like duct tape, the adhesive is too strong. Use only Scotch tape.
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We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Arredondo Dec 08, 2004 06:39 PM

Thank you for the well articulated response! We realize the hazards of indiscrimenantly using tape on unshed oculars and appreciate your explaining, step by step, how to do this properly. It was suggested to us that we put him in a damp pillowcase overnight and that seemed to work. Again, we appreciate your well versed reply.

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