| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| stevethornley |
Posted - 19/03/2011 : 20:50:02
We haven't seen Kate all week - she's been holed up on her cool hide, so we weren't sure if she was going to feed after last week's success. When I lifted the lid, this is what I found:
Skin is dull and has a blueish tinge, as do the eyes. Looks like the piccies I've seen on this forum of snakes 'in blue' so I guess we're experiencing our first shedding process? If so, how exciting!
I sprayed the viv and her a little as the humidity only usually sits at around 40% and when I put the snake cave back in the viv, she came out for the first time in a week to traverse the viv to have a spell in the hot hide.
Is there anything else I can do to help? And what sort of time-scale are we talking about? I notice that the care sheet says 2-3 weeks - do I assume that her week in solitude counts as week 1?
Did try dangling a rat in front of her, but she wasn't at all interested, so didn't force the issue. Didn't try handling either as I think they can get grumpy at this time? Or did I imagine that!
Hope all your snakes are having a happy weekend.
Steve
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| 10 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 21/03/2011 : 00:58:23
I find spraying provides a quick and short lived spike in humidity, I only spray if humidity falls below 40% which isn't very often. Just get a face cloth and run it under warm water wring it out and chuck it on top of one of your hides, under the bulb will raise humidity quicker but will dry out quicker but if your humidity is already up at 70% then stick it in the cooler end.
He is a lucky kid, I wanted a snake when I was a kid, and I did have lots of pets but never the snake, Mum decided they were too long lived and I'd lose interest, shows what she knows lol. Will definitely make him the coolest kid in class, having his own Python. |
| stevethornley |
Posted - 21/03/2011 : 00:29:25
That would be a real treat Bob but, to be honest, he'll be over the moon just taking the old skin in to school. I mean, just imagine, taking in a real snake skin, from a real Royal Python. That lives in his bedroom. How cool is that! It's what childhood memories should be made of.
Kate's gone back in her cave before I could get to her moss so I'll have to try tomorrow. Did a general spray round the viv instead and humidity now at 77%.
Thanks to all for your contributions.
Steve |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 20/03/2011 : 23:05:15
Its the best, I'm still waiting for a royal shed but I just cant wait to to get home from work or out of bed in the morning when the corn sheds. Duke is really dragging this shed gap out but they know what they are doing, I'm just impatient. Your lad may just be lucky enough to see it happen too. |
| stevethornley |
Posted - 20/03/2011 : 22:50:38
Thanks Hodgie
Kate's out of her cool hide so I'm going to go and moisten the moss now. Going to try the wet flannel trick too - what a fab idea!
We're all quite excited - it's all so very new to us - can't wait to see what happens next!
Steve |
| hodgie |
Posted - 20/03/2011 : 21:35:19
quote:
Originally posted by konrad1982
Do I need to put any moss if I have big water bowl inside of the viv and humidity about 70%?
I`d say you should be fine however if for some reason you dont have a successful shed then you can raise it slightly more next time. |
| konrad1982 |
Posted - 20/03/2011 : 20:55:51
Mine looks exactly the same at the minute and I offered him a rat just to see if he will take it or not. And that's the first time when he refused his meal (however I'm not surprised). Do I need to put any moss if I have big water bowl inside of the viv and humidity about 70%? |
| hodgie |
Posted - 20/03/2011 : 20:09:39
quote:
Originally posted by stevethornley
Thanks for your quick replies. There's some moss in the snake cave but as Kate was curled up in it, I couldn't get to it! Now she's vacated, I'll give it a quick spray. I'll let you know how she gets on.
Thanks again.
Steve.
Get it nice and wet and keep it wet because if it goes dry it will actually lower the humidity. Im a strong believer in using wet flannels especially with the cold evenings and the central heating on. As soon as i see any of mine going blue i chuck 2 wet flannels in the cool end and they work a treat. |
| stevethornley |
Posted - 19/03/2011 : 21:13:49
Thanks for your quick replies. There's some moss in the snake cave but as Kate was curled up in it, I couldn't get to it! Now she's vacated, I'll give it a quick spray. I'll let you know how she gets on.
Thanks again.
Steve.
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| n/a |
Posted - 19/03/2011 : 21:04:30
Yup - she's blue all right!
As Bob has said - moss or damp facecloth, or plastic box with damp kitchen towel in, or water bowl at hot end (evaporates faster.) Anything to gently up humidity.
Soon she'll clear again and her skin will go shiny ... then a day or three later, she'll shed. And she'll also present you with a mammoth dump - well, they usually do. Shahi has just had a nice clean shed, but no dump as yet - trust him to be different!
All the best. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 19/03/2011 : 20:55:49
Yep she looks Bluer than a depressed smurf. Won't be long now, the eyes clear then a little while after maybe a few days upto a few weeks they shed.
If you can get your hands on some spagnuim moss a clump in the hot side will raise humidity, failing that a damp face cloth will do the trick. I will be aiming for a humidity of about 60% when Duke finally gets round to a shed, his viv normally sits at 45-50% so a small increase should do the trick and help get a clean shed. |
