Incomplete shed.. how to remove retained eye caps on ball python?

Question

Today I bought an additional thermometer and a humidity gauge so there is a therm. on each end of my 20 gallon tank. Is it ok to have a heat pad with a hide box above it and then a clamp lamp in the same end of the tank but opposite side? I want to create more of a warm/cool temp gradient. On the opp. end I now have her water/soaking dish + various shrubbery. She got rid of all her shed except the eye caps. She ate a mouse today but I know the eye caps need off. I sprayed a special shed spray on her from my store that is for the eye caps to loosen them. I'm going to see if they come off by themself but if not tomorrow I am planning on manually removing them. I have heard numerous ways of achieving this. Tape? by hand? What's the best technique? I've never done it before and my reptile specialist @ work isnt in till thursday so I was hoping I could do it myself before then. Any help would be much appreciated!

Answer 1

I got this off a website and it looks like a great way to get off retained eye caps.

Retained eyecaps are a common occurrence in ball pythons but may occur in any snake. Problems with shedding (incomplete, patchy, delayed) are due to environmental problems (too hot, too cold, too dry) and health problems (systemic bacterial or parasitic infections). If a bad shed or retained eyecaps happen for more than one shed on newly acquired snakes, or at all with established snakes, you will need to evaluate your environment and, if that is set up properly, get your snake to a reptile vet.

Soak the snake in a warm bath for 10-20 minutes.

Remove from bath and dab mineral oil (available from drug or grocery store) on each eye with a cotton-tipped swab. Return snake to tank.

The retained shed should come off within 24 hours. If it doesn't:
Wrap your four fingers with scotch-type tape, sticky side out.
GentlyGentlyGently touch the tape to the eye and rock the tape across the eye, from nose to neck.
If this doesn't work, wait until the next shed. Then, the day that the eyes clear from being opaque, soak the snake in a warm bath. Return to enclosure.
When the snake starts working on loosening and removing the head shed, get in there and assist, gently working the shed back over each of the eyes, keeping the shed moist, to make sure both eyecaps are removed.
Do not use forceps, tweezers or other sharp, hard, pointed objects to try to remove the shed from the eye!
Dented eyes are common in snakes that are dehydrated or who have previously retained eye sheds. Thus, the eyecap may appear to be still on the eye when it fact it was shed off. Always check the sheds to see if the eyecaps have in fact shed.

If you are unable to easily get the shed off, get the snake to an experienced reptile vet. Injuries can occur all too easily due to forcible removal and infections can develop under the retained shed. These are not treatable at home - they must be examined by a reptile vet

Answer 2

others mentioned a warm soak for a while, this is the best way. just use another tank or whatever is available and use only slightly warm water. U dont want to shock the snake with huge temperature changes. let it soak for 15-20 minutes, it will try to get away at 1st, just watch it or put a cover on the tank so it doesnt climb out (wet snakes can stick to the inside of an aquarium and climb out) Only put an inch or so more than the diameter of the snake in the soak tank, it will hold its head above water and wont drown. After the soak try to gently rub any shed off that hasnt come off. If necessary repeat the process with a clean warm water. this works for all snakes and for any pieces of shed anywhere on its body. pay close attention to the tip of their tail and be sure its all off of infection will set in. OHHH by the way, the warm water sometimes stimulates the snake to poop in the water, so keep an eye on it and if it does remove the snake and rinse out the container and refill with clean warm water. ( rinse off the snake too )

Answer 3

incomplete shed remove retained eye caps ball python

Answer 4

Try wrapping the snake in a warm damp towel. After a little while, gently rub at the head area through the towel. This should soften the caps and the friction may get them off. I highly urge you NOT to try to take them off yourself. You could injure the snake if you make a mistake or if the snake moves while you're attempting.

My ball python was wandering about and got some spiderwebs stuck all over his eyes. Every time I put my hand near his head he'd flinch away (as balls tend to do) I finally did the towel friction technique and it worked!

Answer 5

Eye Caps

Answer 6

The easiest way I have done this with my ball's is to use a warm cotton ball, place directly, but softly on the eye, just for a few minutes this should losen it easily like it did mine, then the snake can remove this by itself, but since it just shed if you assist it would probably be better, with tape you have to be careful not to get the sticky part anyway but the eye, just place on top softly, you don't have to cover the entire eye, this should lift it right off.

Answer 7

you can use tape. Just take a lil piece and put it over the eye and gently pull the tape off. The eye cap should come off. You want to remove as soon as possible because they will actually push the eye back into the socket. On my ball python setup we have a heatpad on the underneath and then on the top we have a UVA and UVB lamp. We place their water bowl half on the heat pad and this will create humidity in their tank but be careful because to much humidity is bad for them.
Hope this helps you!!!

Answer 8

http://www.anapsid.org/eyeshed.html gives you the steps needed. Just be careful and if any doubt about the process, see a qualified reptile vet. This is usually caused by too low humidity.

Answer 9

soak the snake in a tub of warm water or call the vet and they will tell u what to do.

Answer 10

ideally it should be done by a vet famailiar with the situation. if not done properly you could damage the eye.