Water Python Shedding in pieces?

[Emmalicious]

I have a water python around...9 months old? maybe a bit older. Ever since I hav had him a has shed a maxium 5 times probably less, and every time it is in pieces.

When I notice he is going to shed I always make the enclosure humid. Bath him in warm water everything.

A friend said I should worm him, which I plan to do.

Can anyone else think what the problem could be?

 

[Chrisreptile]

The usual ones are increasing the humidity, adding more abrasive objects (wood, rocks etc) and wetting the rodents before feeding.

 

[moosenoose]

My large male does a stupid shed from time to time. Might be dependent on what substrate you're using??? Once in a while won't matter. Just ensure it's off the end of your snakes tail!

 

[Emmalicious]

Yep I'm going to change from news paper to that breeders choice stuff, I'll just feed the snakes out of the enclosure (so they don't swallow the stuff) I have put some sticks rocks etc in the enclosure with no change. Also I do wet the rodents before I feed him.

And I always try to get any retained shed off my snake every time he sheds! so I've got all the covered.

 

[Chrisreptile]

Yep I'm going to change from news paper to that breeders choice stuff, I'll just feed the snakes out of the enclosure (so they don't swallow the stuff) I have put some sticks rocks etc in the enclosure with no change. Also I do wet the rodents before I feed him.

And I always try to get any retained shed off my snake every time he sheds! so I've got all the covered.

You will find that the breeders choice litter is more absorbent than news paper.

 

[moosenoose]

You will find that the breeders choice litter is more absorbent than news paper.

I was almost thinking she was using BC :lol:

I think you're better off with newspaper sadly. I use BC in my enclosures, but to balance it off I've placed in some pretty large water bowls in there. Regardless of that, my water python seldom soaks himself in there

 

[Tsubakai]

As above, BC is likely to make the sheds worse rather than better.

 

[-Matt-]

Dont use BC is absorbs all the moisture in the enclosure. In my water python enclosures I have newspaper, a large water bowl, 2 hides and a piece of driftwood to be used for shedding. I also occassionally spray them with water when I see that they are in shed. They always shed perfectly.

 

[Emmalicious]

I never liked breeders choice myself, I perferred news paper but people have in the past bugged me to use it. My water has the massive water bowl, wood all that. I'll see what happens after I worm him. Thats all I can really think of doing.

 

[redbellybite]

With bigger pythons and difficult sheds ...if you can sew or know someone that can ...get two bath towels and sew them into a sleeping bag ...you are able to warm wet it, wring it out and slip the snake inside ..hold the opening so as it cant get out ,and let it move around ,you can use your hands as well ,gentley putting pressure on the snake so it slides under your hand ..this helps the skin come off as the terri toweling material is co.u.r.s.e(ha ha that word always comes up with **) enough and being wet helps immensly..and it can be washed and put away if it happens again ...smaller pythons hand towels work well ...some snakes dont like the baths or sadly placed in to deeper water and things can go wrong ...this way no chance of drowning ,but you get the same outcome .

 

[Chris1]

paw paw ointment works wonders fro bad sheds, soak the snake (or do redbellys trick) and paw paw the bits that dont come off,...

thats a great idea redbelly, pillowcases are just too smooth!!!!

 

[JasonL]

Thats one good thing with rack systems, If I notice one of the more tropical snakes is opaque, I wet all the newspaper down and they always have perfect sheds. WP's always have bad shed if humidity levels are low...