Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I'm new here.. I have a Sinaloan Milksnake, had her about a month or so now and she'd shed twice since I've had her, but on one eye it looks like there's one scale covering the eye that won't come off.. It looks kinda cloudy with a white crust around her eye...

Is that what this is?? Or is this some other disease?! I've tried putting water on it, and a warm washcloth on it, but I don't want to hurt her eye, and it just didnt seem to be coming loose.. Any suggestions?!

Assuming the crust is not a mite infestation, it sounds like a retained scale and prob not a disease. This is always tough "over the wire" but the snake should be examined by either a vet or somebody who has seen and removed stuck spectacles before. The snake is not able to remove the spectacle by rubbing at this point.
Once you've seen it done, you'll be able to perform the procedure yourself if it ever comes up again. Obviously, it's critical that there is no question of a retained spectacle.
Boys and girls, please examine the sheds of your snakes to confirm that the spectacles were or were not sloughed.
Wasn't this issue addressed in depth in an issue of "Reptiles" mag this year?
Leave the loose skin alone (that's the tag to grab onto)and watch it done by somebody experienced before tackling it yourself.
Oddly, my Sinaloans also retained spectacles. Good luck, Jeff

She had mites when I first got her, but I believe I ridded her of them with snake oil and mite dust. I haven't seen any since her last shedding.

Thanks for the advice.. I will look into finding a vet, but if I may ask, how Do they remove it?? It's really stuck on here!

I'll tell you how the vet will remove the spectacle BUT you have to promise not to try it until you've seen it how it's done and get professional instructions. You may get better advice to share on the forum too!!
Dampen the spectacle, wait a couple minutes then grab those loose tags of skin with dissecting tweezers and gently pop one edge up and peel it off carefully. It's a real pain when there is no tag to grab.
Alternatively, a blunt piece of toothpick (those flat types)can be used to lever a corner of the spectacle up and for the truly adventurous (this works BTW) press duct tape onto the spectacle and work it off.
I use the tweezer method personally and neither of us likes any part of it. Loads of fun with a toothy cranky snake.
All for now, Jeff

Hmm really.. That's actually what I tried to do, but I didn't try too hard, I was afraid of hurting her eye..

Does this happen a lot? I just dont understand why it wont come off with a new shedding..?

Thanks for the info though..