[Skin] Shedding help!!

[Adamhasboa]

Hi all,

New member here.

I have come to this site to try and find out some answers.

I have a Hogg island boa. I have had her for about 8weeks now.

About 10-11 days ago she went all milky and grey like she was about to shed. Great I thought my first souvineir. 11 days have past and still nothing. She's not even trying to break the skin. Should I be worried??

She's not a fussy eater. She's take everything first time. I fact she just had her first feed on the larger mice(medium).

Is there anything I can do to help her shed?

I have also noticed her eyes are different. Her right eye looks normal, white with a small black vertical slit. But her left eye is just black. Any ideas??

Also she hasn't been To the toilet yet.

Thanks
Adam

[Pandorasdad]

Re: Shedding help!!

She's fine. Everything is going perfectly to plan.
Typical boa shed cycles go something like this:

Skin begins to dull. Also called dark phase. Mine do this a week to 10 days before the next stage.
Eyes go opaque. Skin gets really dull. This lasts from 3-7 days. The boa tends to be mostly inactive and will hide. A lot.
Eyes clear up. This is the last phase before shedding actually begins. can be anywhere from 3-5 days typically.
Shedding. The actual shedding takes place. This almost always happens at night in my house.
If you're really (un)lucky, she'll take a dump while shedding. This ruins your souvenir, but makes clean up super easy.

Let us know when she sheds. It should be any day now.

[Adamhasboa]

Re: Shedding help!!

Thanks for your reply pandora, but she shed literally an hour ago.

She was out when I went to pick up my son from school, when I came back she had shed. Still no poopy though.

[acephantom903]

Re: Shedding help!!

From what I've read, in some cases a boa constrictor can be opaque for up to 14 days before going clear. It just depends. From what I've read, boas don't tend to poop when opaque because that would require having to move which they don't want to do. I don't know if you said that you fed her when shedding, but that is not the best idea because digestion takes moisture and so does shedding. Even baby boas can go a month off of food if they have to for what ever reason.

[Pandorasdad]

Re: Shedding help!!

From what I've read, boas don't tend to poop when opaque because that would require having to move

From experience, sometimes, they poop while shedding. It makes for a convenient little clean up job.

Still no poopy though.

Do you know what I love about snakes? They poop infrequently. My adults drop a deuce about once a month or so. But when they do, it's a doozy.

As long as she has access to fresh water to keep things moving, and your temps and humidity are good, no worries.

Unless you can see and/or feel a lump near her cloaca. That would be a sign of impaction. If not, no worries.

[Noelle7206]

Re: Shedding help!!

....I have also noticed her eyes are different. Her right eye looks normal, white with a small black vertical slit. But her left eye is just black. Any ideas?? ....

That doesn't sound right, can you post pics (close up)? "Just black" sounds like her left eye is staying fully dilated, & unless there's a strong light shining in only that eye, that's a bit strange & could be a
problem.

Sometimes my snakes go right inside their shed skin as it comes off (A+ for being very tidy but it does ruin that souvenir!), but most of the time they do it elsewhere, even in their water bowl. As already
mentioned, they don't go until they need to...that may take a while so enjoy the clean cage while it lasts. And welcome to the forum here...

[Adamhasboa]

Re: Shedding help!!

That doesn't sound right, can you post pics (close up)? "Just black" sounds like her left eye is staying fully dilated, & unless there's a strong light shining in only that eye, that's a bit strange & could be a
problem.

I will get a pic up tomorrow. I'm working right now!! Permanant nights sucks!!

Sometimes my snakes go right inside their shed skin as it comes off (A+ for being very tidy but it does ruin that souvenir!), but most of the time they do it elsewhere, even in their water bowl.

Am kinda glad she didn't go. It looks like she just slid straight out of her old skin. No unraveling, just a whole skin with no tears

And welcome to the forum here...

Thanks

[Adamhasboa]

Re: Shedding help!!

I will get a pic up tomorrow.

Here she is, freshly shed. Her eyes are fine too no need to worry about them.

[Adamhasboa]

Re: Shedding help!!

I will get a pic up tomorrow.

Here she is. Freshly shed. Her eyes are fine too. I was worrying about nothing lol

[zamora]

Re: Shedding help!!

That is one extremely beautiful boa, you MUST continue to keep us updated and post lots of pictures often! Woo Hoo on the good shed too!

[Noelle7206]

Re: Shedding help!!

...Her eyes are fine too. I was worrying about nothing lol.....

Gee, none of us have EVER done that before, ha ha ha... (anyway, questions & a bit of worry are good...they mean that you care-)
Beautiful boa!

[msfirebeerd]

Re: Shedding help!!

She's fine. Everything is going perfectly to plan.
Typical boa shed cycles go something like this:

Skin begins to dull. Also called dark phase. Mine do this a week to 10 days before the next stage.
Eyes go opaque. Skin gets really dull. This lasts from 3-7 days. The boa tends to be mostly inactive and will hide. A lot.
Eyes clear up. This is the last phase before shedding actually begins. can be anywhere from 3-5 days typically.
Shedding. The actual shedding takes place. This almost always happens at night in my house.
If you're really (un)lucky, she'll take a dump while shedding. This ruins your souvenir, but makes clean up super easy.

Let us know when she sheds. It should be any day now.

My girl is just now going into shed for the first time. I got to looking on here bc I didn't know how long typically the shed cycle takes and whether or not I need to feed her. I feed her a fuzzy every 5 days, and the last time I fed was on the 27th. I always get her out 2 days after and let her roam, and the day after that I noticed her eyes starting to cloud up so I put her back in and figured the shed cycle was beginning! 2 days ago I saw that her eyes were cleared up, so it looks like she's right on schedule? Should see a shed any day now right? I live in MS so humidity is not really an issue ha but I have a temp and hygrometer to keep an eye on it and I have been misting her down every day since I've noticed her eyes. So now I just wait?

[acephantom903]

Re: Shedding help!!

Yup, just a waiting game. Buddy likes to aim for day 4 of clear before shedding.

[Noelle7206]

Re: Shedding help!!

My girl is just now going into shed for the first time. I got to looking on here bc I didn't know how long typically the shed cycle takes and whether or not I need to feed her.....So now I just wait?

Yes, and wait to feed her too. Both shedding and digestion requires extra hydration from the snake's body to accomplish, and for some snakes, digesting a meal will mess up the shed, causing it to stick &/or come off in a "million pieces".
Many snakes will refuse food when they sense they are going into a shed cycle (even before you can see any difference); if that happens, trust them, they know what they're doing, & don't worry about it. Snakes are "designed" to fast at times, & yes, you should see her shed any day now.

[acephantom903]

Re: Shedding help!!

Snakes are "designed" to fast at times

Is it that boas are designed to fast or is it that they are designed to find a small animal home and sit in front of it for months at a time if needed waiting for food to come to it?