Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my python's eyecaps have not completely peeled off during shedding lately. i didnt know exactly how to remove the remnants of them and now it seems that the caps have formed solid skin on the eye: not completely covering the eye but may continue to build in the future is there anything i can do to fix this problem. any help or insight would be greatly appreciated

Retained eyecaps can lead to problems down the road such as infection and you need to get them off. Start by soaking your python in a room temperature to slightly warm water in a Rubbermaid tub or appropriate container and let him soak for 30 minutes. Check on him and see if the eyecaps have fallen off. If not take a soft wet paper towel and fold it to 1/4 size and gently wipe the affected eye to help loosen the eyecap. If it still doesn't come off dab a drop of mineral oil with a cotton swab on the eyecap and put him back in his enclosure and wait 24 hours to see if it softens it enough to be gently wiped off. Check again if it will wipe off with a wet paper towel. If it still won't come off I would suggest a trip to the vet for proper removal and determination of any injury.

This is just your first problem. You really need to address the evironmental issues because it is to dry and that's why you get retained eyecaps. I don't know what kind of python you have but with Ball's it is a common occurence due to lack of humidity. You need to keep the humidity at a level appropriate for your species of python. It can something as simple as misting with water a couple of times a day. Use a substrate that retains moisture better and not dessicating. At the very least during shedding, provide a container with moist moss and this should help prevent retaining eyecaps. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

Robert

>>my python's eyecaps have not completely peeled off during shedding lately. i didnt know exactly how to remove the remnants of them and now it seems that the caps have formed solid skin on the eye: not completely covering the eye but may continue to build in the future is there anything i can do to fix this problem. any help or insight would be greatly appreciated

i appreciate your insight robert. i have contacted a vet and i will schedule an appt. soon. she is a carpet python about three years old now and i have her in a fifty five gallon tank. the screen top is covered 3/4 with plastic to trap humidity but i think i may need to spray some more during the day. i use reptibark for substrate and i have a large water container for her. is there anything wrong with the setup of the enclosure? i am also building her a new one more of a vertical setup for heat gradient effect and to allow her to climb more often. if there is any tips on the enclosure you could share they would be greatly appreciated. thanks jeff

Jeff,

I'm glad you have looked into scheduling an appt with the vet. I would still try the soaking. What type of heating do you have?

I would definetely spray more often or better yet set up a permanent misting system. An easy way to keep humidity at a constant level is with an Ultrasonic Humidifier. Having to manually spray can sometimes be too time consuming and we tend not to be consistent. Some of my tanks I use an automated misting system and some I use the Humidifier. You can buy a humidifier at Walgreens for $30 and what I do is get some tubing and route the output from the humidifier into the cage and I have it set up on a cycle timer to turn on at regular intervals. When setting up this system you need to figure out at what cycles will keep humidity at the level you need. Remember too much humidity is not too good either.

Still put a container with moist moss during shedding. This alone will help a lot.

Your snake will enjoy the opportunity to climb and it will give her exercise.

Depending on what material you are using for the new enclosure you will have to see how it holds humidity. You are going to have to "tweak" your temp and humidity set up. Use thermometers and humidity gauges to determine temp and humidity. Once you get it down it will be much easier and your snake will be much happier. Good Luck

One more personal comment. I don't like Repti Bark, it tends to hold waste and you have to soak and clean it often. A more economical choice would be aspen. It doesn't look as natural as bark may look, but it is easy to spot clean and cheaper to totally replace. I've purchased Repti Bark in the past and it has had parasites. If you use it bake it in the oven at 250 degrees for 30-40 minutes on a baking tray to kill any. Too much work for me.

Robert

hey man, thanks alot for all the pointers. these tips will be a big help and will make a big difference for my carpet python. i will pick up one of those humidifiers soon and probably change the bedding. good point on the financial situation too, my budget is kinda tight right now. i have an undertank heater only right now but i will soon have the new enclosure up and running with a slide drawer in the bottom with the pad heater under that and then i plan to install heat lamps up top. i just have to complete the construction. once again thank you much, youve been a HUGE help. jeff