Shedding normal

[Doug]

HI,
Just wanted to kick this around the forum and get some reactions.
I ve noticed many new boa owners are concerned about shedding,
1. to feed or not to feed that is the question. hehe that was bad,
I don't feed if I see a shed coming, why? cause some of my boa's dont' feel like feeding and I hate wasting food. I have feed a BCC in shed once by mistake and it wasn't a problem.
2. why did it come off in pieces, usually its low humidity , it can be due to stress or or other factors, shedding is pretty complex it requires a special pre shed fluid that causes the old skin to lift off the new skin and the outer skin will become opaque and finally it may clear and the animal sheds, snakes are more likely to be un-predectable during the shed process and may lash out or bite for little reason, they may be almost blind. And some experts think the skin may be painfully sensative ,note: if its a small snake I'll use a shoebox in the cage with a damp paper towel over night this will usally help the shed of a young snake.Other wise raise that humidity
3. mites can cause problem shed's it may be a allergie thing or the bites may cause a problem. I have heard of chemical reaction to certian oils can cause shed problems or early sheds.
4. Blisster disease and skin disease, this is what my Vet told me so don't be upset. He says blisster disease is the end result of chronic health problems due to cage husbandry and the poor immune health of the animal, it can be a parasite load too, he reccomends adequate heat ,a clean newspaper to prevent secondary infections that can occur due to the breaking down of the skin due to mites or stress and worms.. yeachhhh
SO here's my thoughts on those skin problems. Shall we chat... hehe
Doug

[Doug]

HI,
Just for the record here's the care sheets so we can review some of the approved processes and recoomendations.


SheddingMy boas eyes are milky white, what is wrong?

Nothing. This is a normal part of the growth cycle and is called Ecdysis or shedding. This will take place throughout the entire life of the boa. Boa constrictors shed their outer skin or epidermis. The milky look is a pre-shed state we call opaque. It is caused by secretions that start loosening the old skin in preparation for the shed cycle. You will also notice that the entire boa seems to be a darker, dull color. This will last several days to a week, before you notice the boa returns to almost its normal color. Then the boa will shed its skin. This is a very stressful time for your boa. No attempts to handle or feed should be attempted during this time. You should mist the boa several times with warm water during this shed cycle.
How often will my boa shed?

This is strictly determined by the growth rate. Baby boas may shed once a month, while adult boas may only shed 3 or 4 times a year.
Also wanted to mention that their are a number of reasons that boa constrictors go into a shed cycle. Although normal time and growth is reason enough for shed cycles, other things cause boas to go into shed cycles as well. Stress related events such as moving or new housing can cause them to go into a shed cycle. Breeding situations often cause very unusually timed sheds. For example, even if a female has just shed, placing her in with a male during breeding season, will likely cause her to enter another shed cycle. Also ovulation in females causes yet another, often extended, shed cycle. This post-ovulation shed is a welcome sign for boa breeders.
My boa partially shed, but it was in many pieces and some skin remains on the boa. What do I do?

Your boa should shed in 1 continuous piece of skin! However, if it doesn't it is a problem that results from the lack of HUMIDITY in the enclosure. Humidity should be 50 to 60 % at all times. To avoid this problem in the future, you need to mist the snakes with a handheld spray bottle. Fill the spray bottle with HOT water, and by the time you spray the mist will only be lukewarm to the snake. I mist any boas in the pre-shed cycle every day. Spray them down good, and they will shed perfectly, every time.

Now for the snake that has remaining skin after a shed. The quickest thing to do is to soak the boa in a tub of lukewarm water for about an hour. This will generally loosen any remaining skin. There are also products available, like Shed-Aide, that you add to the water to help with problem shedding.




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What are the eyecaps everyone talks about?

Eyecaps are the clear scales that cover the eyes. These eyecaps should come off with the shed skin every time the snake sheds. It is important to check every shed skin, even if you have to "unroll" it to visually check the eyecaps. Failure to shed the eyecaps can cause infections around the eyes.

My boa YAWNS a lot, why is this?

The yawn is used in two different situations for our boas.
1st, boas will often yawn when they are getting ready to shed. This yawning is actually a "stretching" of the skin on the head area, to start the loosening of the skin so they can start the shed.
2nd, boas will yawn almost everytime after they have eaten. Some snakes may have problems "popping" back into place, but most resolve this problem by yawning. So the next time you see your boa yawning, it is more than likely just re-situating his

[Brendon_T]

To feed says I... Ace has never missed a meal be it shedding, or not. he has a little bit more troble locating the rat if in an opaque state.(i feed in a 40 gallon aquarium with astroturf florring) but he will still activley seek and DESTROY. i also have my own notion that is backed by absolutley no scientific proof. that a smaller than normal prey item in early shed. helps to loosen old skin.

as for bad sheds it's kinda a sore subject with me aka (i have nothing constructive to say)