What happens if I don't remove an old eye scale?

[driftoz]

thanks to jax's re asurance a few weeks ago i managed to remove a scale off my womas eye with a damp cloth after 3 nights of tryign to give him a warm bath but he wouldnt dunk his head so i thought stuff it held gently around his head got a damp cloth and gently wiped over the eye multipul times untill it came off.

 

[waruikazi]

Dipc like most things that seem difficult it really is easy as... just like probing elapids and colubrids (they are actually way way easier than pythons lol)! I'm sure you would manage it just fine.

I think using tape is a better option than a cloth of any sort. If you use a cloth you have to put pressure onto the eye for the surface to grip the lense, i don't think it would be enough to do damage to the eye but you still have to put that pressure down. Tape comes with its own magical grippy stuff which means you don't put nearly as much pressure on the eye.

All this talk of doing things with eyes is starting to make MY eyes hurt!!!!! I've had the MD's for uuuummmmmmmmmm................. however long now...... but the confidence levels to be THAT brave, waruikazi, are totally zilch!!! I think I'd go grab a friend who handles snakes all the time, to ask what he'd do, poor soul!!!!!! and talk him into doing it for me, I'd be rather afraid of doing some sort of damage.

 

[Klaery]

Agree with waruikazi. It is what I have done in the past. I understand that people worry about their snakes but I can't really see how tape would cause damage?

 

[waruikazi]

If you use the wrong kind of tape and let it stick to the wrong parts of the snakes body you can hurt the snakes skin. It's like anythign used properly with a bit of common snese you wont have issues. Used poorly you could cause issues.

Agree with waruikazi. It is what I have done in the past. I understand that people worry about their snakes but I can't really see how tape would cause damage?

 

[Profanicus]

Thanks people, I tried with the pillow case soak followed by the cotton bud but no luck. Then the next night a warm hand towel did the trick. Must have been mostly dislodged by then because it came off pretty much first go.
Had the tape ready to go if that was unsuccessful

 

[J-A-X]

Glad it all ended well,

PS: thanks waruikazi, you provided a great debate, which i enjoy immensely, it provides insight to a topic that may not have been obvious.

 

[waruikazi]

From one advocate to another, no worries and i'm glad to do it anytime!

Glad it all ended well,

PS: thanks waruikazi, you provided a great debate, which i enjoy immensely, it provides insight to a topic that may not have been obvious.

 

[FAY]

I have a bhp that may need her eye scale removed. She is a psycho, snapping cow and has no defined head (hence she can pull her head out of your hands).

Any takers??? LOL

 

[PicklePants]

ummm...i think i'll pass on that one fay.

thanks to everyone to sharing their views on this subject. i think it is good to be aware of the pros and cons with any technique you aren't familiar with before giving it a go. at least now it has been made public knowledge that there is something else you can try if the "simple" methods are not working for you.

mind you, i'm not too sure i'd like to be doing it to my scrubby anytime soon lol

 

[J-A-X]

If you have to attack the scrubby make sure you have someone with a video camera looking over your shoulder

 

[SYNeR]

My woma had another bad shed... 3rd in about 6 weeks (she's been on antiobitics for damaged scales).
I noticed today she had a retained eye cap/spectacle.

I wasn't game to use tweezers or anything sharp (for obvious reasons).
So I just got Q-tips dipped in warm water and gently (very very gently) rubbed over the eye. I noticed after a while the cap softened
and was starting to peel back.

Eventually I got to the stage were a corner has lifted enough that I just pinched it between my fingers and pulled off..
However, first I made sure I got to the stage where the entire cap would roll back when touched with the Q-tip.. I wanted to make sure this was the case
before I pulled from the corner and it ripped the underlying new skin.

Basically, I got it softened to the stage where the entire cap would peel back, then fall into place when the Q-tip was moved away. At this point I though it was detached
and safe enough to remove by the corner.

I was almost going to take her to the vet (again!), but thought I'd be better off doing it myself slowly and patiently, so I can do the same again
if the same issue occurs.. I'm glad I took the plunge.

Just be slow and careful, making sure you restrict head movements of the snake, too.

Of course, it was probably quite easy for me. She's only an 8 month old Woma.. So she isn't hard to restrain.
And in hindsight, cotton buds would probably be better than Q-tips, because they're softer.

 

[Bluetongue1]

I agree, wet cotton buds are better, gently wiped from front to back. However, there is an easier method than that or tape – a rubber counting thimble. With inexperienced keepers using tape, they may possibly end up using it on an eye without a retained spectacle. For example, looking at the slough, head scales up, the left side belongs to the right side of the snake and vice versa. If you are stressed out at the time you can make silly mistakes like that first up. Anyway, let’s put people’s suggestions together as single set of instructions. We shall leave tape to the more experienced practitioners….

To remove retained shed and/or a retained spectacle over an eye
Examine the slough to determine which areas of skin are missing from the body and tail tip. Now locate the unshed areas of skin on the snake. You can, if you feel the need, mark the unshed pieces with an indelible (water proof) marking pen. Now carefully inspect the eye areas of the slough to determine if one or both spectacles have been shed or retained. Now examine the snake and locate the retained spectacle(s).

Soaking in tepid water (around 30[SUP]o[/SUP]C to 35[SUP]o[/SUP]C) is important to loosen up the old skin, including retained spectacles. This can be achieved by placing in a shallow container of water with a lid and holes for 10 to 15 minutes, keeping a constant eye on it to make sure it does not inhale water by accident. Alternatively, place the snake in a damp cloth bag, at the same temperature, for half an hour or more. Calico is better than cotton as the rougher fabric helps remove the softening skin. Towelling is even more effective. So if the skin has not come off after soaking in the bag, allow the snake to wriggle through damp towels while you hold it. Repeat the soaking if needed.

Often a retained spectacle will come off with the above procedure. If it does not, then take a rubber counting thimble and squeeze it (finger end pointing out) between your thumb and you fore-finger. Holding the snake’s head with your other hand to clearly expose the eye, draw the thimble gently across the eye, from front to back. The rubber produces enough friction to grasp an unshed spectacle but is flexible enough not to damage the eye underneath.

 

[longqi]

Something I learned long ago is that retained spectacles can actually stick to the eye itself
Removing it by pulling it off can scratch the new eye scale underneath
The method I use now works perfectly 100% of the time and cannot ever damage anything

For people with contact lenses and some various eye problems they make a gel
This Gel contains Carbomer
Put a drop of this on the retained scale
Walk away
Sometime after the scale slips off
Zero damage
Zero drama

 

[-Peter]

If it is a fresh shed then I would remove the eye scale but if it had become dry and brittle then leave it as it will have adhered as the natural oils will have altered. I just removed one from one of the olives so she can be pretty for the weekend. I wouldn't use tape myself.

 

[SYNeR]

Phew, glad someone agrees with wet cotton buds.. It was the first time I did it, and I was quite worried about
doing damage. I definitely wouldn't be game to use sticky tape.

Having said that, my Woma's eyes have gone milky again.. This will be the 3rd shed within around 6 weeks.
I'm guessing she's still healing from damaged scales.. On top of that, she looks to have some scarring
from Baytril injections.

This will be the third bad shed. The last one was horrible.. Chunks of skin throughout her click-clack

 

[Smithers]

Some great info for the future if needed. Thanks all who have contributed a good read.

 

[GeckPhotographer]

Just one thing on multiple occasions the tape was referred to as invisible tape, and opaque with less than a sentence between. Invisible would imply see through, opaque means the opposite..... Thus by saying to use a specific tape and then using conflicting language, a noob could get confused and use the wrong stuff.

 

[Smithers]

I'll clear it up for you and the possible newb,...The tape is called invisible tape because when you use it it blends into the surface you put it on. As previously mentioned it's also called Magic Tape and is opaque.View attachment 213707

 

[Tegstep]

If you're resorting to tape I would be considering a trip to a good herp vet. These difficult ones may require sedation and then the vet can remove the scale gently and carefully without hurting or stressing the snake out.
Retained spectacles can lead to abscesses, which can then seed infections to the rest of the body. Some of the worst complications include loss of the eye, septicaemia resulting in organ failure, and meningitis.