I got a baby corn snake about two or three months ago. About a month or so after we first brought her home we discovered that she has mites. We have tried to get rid of them once but it didn't work. By the time I noticed she needed to be treated again she started shedding. I was also worried because it has taken her so long to shed, I'm not sure if that's normal. She has shed halfway and there are loose scales on her head. It's not coming off in one piece. I try to make sure the humidity in her tank is right by misting it with water everyday. (I live in the desert.) I was going to try and treat her for the mites but I don't think I can if she isn't finished shedding. I think that it has also taken a while for her to shed and her eyes are not cloudy. Half of her body still has the old skin and you can see where she starts to shed. I figured she may be having trouble shedding because of the mites as well. When she first started to shed she wouldn't eat but although it looks like she's still shedding she ate just fine two days ago. What should I do?
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
Corn snake has mites.
Replies (3)
I forgot to add that about a month ago the thermometer that sticks to the side of her tank fell off and she got stuck to sticky side and we carefully tried to remove it but i do think it may have ripped off some scales. COuld this also be a reason she's having trouble shedding?
She is having trouble shedding because she does not have localized humidity. Scale damage (minor cause by tape) will not hurt the snake - a little Neosporin will fix it.
Anyway, provide a small container, like a clean cottage cheese container and put in some damp paper towels. Put snake in, put on lid - forgot to add poke some holes in lid. Leave the snake in there for as long as it takes. Will usually take care of stuck sheds. Put in a suitably warm area - not hot, but you know - 78-82 deg area.
Since you live in a low-humidity environment, put a moist hide box (cup with hole for snake to enter, damp towels or sphagnum moss or coconut husk stuff) in the cage at all times partially in warm area.
Mites are best treated with Provent-a-Mite. Spray empty cage, let dry. Put in bedding and snake. Spray around cage and floor outside to kill wandering adults. One treatment is usually enough. I spray around my cages every 3 months as a preventative.
Thank you!
