Concern for Enforcer

[guidofatherof5]

Enforcer is going into her 3rd shed in a months time. She is an adult and this isn't normal.
I don't know what is going on but I am concerned. She is acting normal in every other way.
I think all I can do is monitor the situation for now.

[ProXimuS]

No chance of her growing more?

[katach]

That does seem to be strange. Maybe it snake OCD and she always has to have pretty new skin.

[thamneil]

Thats a lot of skin! Wonder whats going on.

[Dan72]

Is there anybody who has delt with this before in an adult? OR is there anywhere to look Steve that may have documented such a case? Hoping all is well.

[Invisible Snake]

That is unusual for an adult, typically it happens to adults who have suffered some sort of skin injury. I hope all is well with the Enforcer.

[guidofatherof5]

She has suffered no injuries and up until this has had perfect health.
She's been everything I could ever want in a garter snake.
Hoping it's nothing serious.

[Selkielass]

She is an extraordinarily well grown gal. Could she be producing higher than usual growth hormones. Of some sort?

[mikem]

Not sure what's going on. Never had this happen to any of my snakes. Keep us updated and hope all goes well.

[EasternGirl]

I do know that I have noticed that all of my snakes have been shedding a lot more during the past month. I wonder if heat and humidity could have anything to do with it. I really hope that Enforcer is okay....I know she is special to you. I looked in my book on medical conditions with snakes and could not find anything about this...it only discussed improper/incomplete sheds.

[chris-uk]

As long as the sheds are complete and she's behaving normally I'd say it's unusual but not a serious concern. If she's eating and active that's all good isn't it?
Shedding isn't something that is unduely stressful and for an adult that is eating it shouldn't be a significant drain on her. Definitely unusual though, so keep watching.

[johnc79@hotmail.com]

My female cuitzeo , shed twice in a month out of the blue. She seems fine.

[guidofatherof5]

Enforcer shed this morning as seems normal. I hope this is the end of this unusual cycle.

[EasternGirl]

Yeah...I have had snakes who did weird sheds a couple times very close together. Although Enforcer does seem to be doing it excessively. What is the heat like for her? Like I said, my snakes have been shedding a lot in this heat. I know it's been very hot where you are...could she be too hot? Is it humid where you are?

[guidofatherof5]

She has access to a cold and warm hide the same as all the other snakes in that enclosure.

[EasternGirl]

No chance one of those sneaky outside male visitors made there way into her is there? Hmmm...don't know what to think. Keep us posted though...I will be concerned about her.

[guidofatherof5]

No chance and anyway she passed jellies here about a month ago.
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/breeding/10635-why-they-called-jelly-beans.html

[katach]

There have been cases of possible dwarfism, could there be a possibility of gigantism? Just a thought...

[guidofatherof5]

There have been cases of possible dwarfism, could there be a possibility of gigantism? Just a thought...

Good thought but I have no idea. She's definitely a big, solid, muscular girl but not anything extreme. I have two others that are right on her tail for size but not strength. Speckle is another large radix female. Everything about her is just larger then most other radixes.

[guidofatherof5]

She's headed back into opaque phase.
Seems normal in every other way but this shedding every 2 weeks has got me baffled. I've never had an adult do this. 4 sheds in 8 weeks.
I do she where she has grown but this isn't normal.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/enforcer11.jpg

[Steveo]

Just a hunch but might she have some sort of skin infection or parasite? In the wild a snake can shed and leave the area. In captivity they can't escape and will get reinfected.

[mikem]

Good theory, Steveo. Have you tried isolating her and maybe letting her fast for a while? Just to see if she'll shed without eating... I dunno, at a loss on this. :confused:

[guidofatherof5]

Just a hunch but might she have some sort of skin infection or parasite? In the wild a snake can shed and leave the area. In captivity they can't escape and will get reinfected.

I don't believe there is anything like that going on. Parasites shouldn't be an issue and a skin infection isn't visible.
No lumps, scars, bruises, blemishes of any kind.
She's a perfect big radix.
All the other snakes in her enclosure are fine with no issues.

[kibakiba]

Vet check up perhaps? Maybe he or she will know more about whats going on.

[guidofatherof5]

Did a phone visit the other day. Says there is really nothing he can do at this point other then to looks her over and charge me a visit.
He suggests just waiting at this point. He was going to make a couple phone calls to a few other vets. for advice.

[Light of Dae]

Maybe it is postpartum from passing jellies?
Maybe she developed an allergy to the substrate?

Those are all that I could think of. It is weird indeed.

[guidofatherof5]

Time to close this thread out.
On 7/18/12 I found 3 additional jellies in the enclosure. Nothing important until we talk about Enforcer and this constant shed phase she has been in. On 7/20/12 she shed for the 4th time in 8 weeks. Since that time she hasn't gone into opaque phase but did pass approximately 10 more jellies(very loose ones) on 8/9/12. I believe she is now cleaned out. She has been at the screen begging for food all day. Her attitude seems more back to normal.
My thinking is the retained jellies were causing a hormone imbalance which put her into the constant shed phase.
It's now been 22 days since her last shed. I hope all is back to normal for my big girl.
She is one my list as a breeder next Spring. I have a very nice green male I would like her to meet.
She carried 40-45 eggs this time which is above average for a radix. But then again she's an above average radix.

[Light of Dae]

Holy crap! My heart Skipped a beat when I read... "Time to close this thread out" Then I read on and was relived :)
It makes sense, women and hormones equal skin issues. Why should our beloved snakes be any different?

Glad, So Glad to hear she is done.

[ProXimuS]

Haha, I'm with Michelle....I freaked out when I read the beginning of that post:p Glad to hear it seems like everything is going back to normal!

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry for the concern I created. Guess I should have worded it a little different. Note to self.;)

[Thamnophis]

Seems to me that her hormones which trigger the shedding are disordered. But this is pure a guess. What the reason could be... have no idea. Never seen it with one of mine. The snake's equivalent of a menopause maybe? (does this exist?)

[Selkielass]

I'm glad she is back to normal.