Skin Flaking Off

[kimbosaur]

My albino checkered is overdue for a shed. When she was basking under the light yesterday, I noticed her skin was slightly off. When I handled her today, my fingers were covered in tiny scale sized & shaped pieces of skin. I put her into a shed box for about an hour, took her back out and it was the same thing, even while she was still wet: little pieces coming off. Tried running her under warm water, and making an edge to work with and nothing. She's still sitting in the shed box now.

I didn't think humidity was an issue because it's been steady at 45-60%. Now I'm starting to think my hygrometer is crap because it's telling me the humidity in my room is 60%. Seems unlikely that the heated winter air in my room is that humid...especially since my skin and hair feels really dry.

Is this definitely a retained shed or could it be a pre-shed with dry air type of a thing? How long should I leave her in there for? She seems super miserable.



Edit: Forgot to mention, she's been on and off with sheds. First shed was perfect all on her own. Second shed came off in two pieces on her own. Third shed was assisted.

[guidofatherof5]

Is this definitely a retained shed or could it be a pre-shed with dry air type of a thing? How long should I leave her in there for? She seems super miserable.

Yes and yes or a combo of the issues.
You could leave her in until she sheds or take her out and do the running water thing and shed her yourself.

[kimbosaur]

Steve, I tried the running water thing and it really wasn't working at all. No luck getting any sort of an edge...even in the spots that I could see had pieces coming up.

I took her out once again and there was much less flaking. Going to leave her in her enclosure tonight with a large flat water dish and a wet towel covering the screen and see if she does anything on her own. If not, it's back in the shed box tomorrow morning.

Got some pics:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--uPjNnDSkkw/TyIV8hohIdI/AAAAAAAAAFE/JvT8HoXClec/s640/IMG_0204.JPG
She's actually very shiny in some spots...

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QOezoL1iDVw/TyIRb0XbQxI/AAAAAAAAAEo/1rVvtkmuPYc/s640/IMG_0210.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kaNWrQJ_Aik/TyIRglhd77I/AAAAAAAAAFA/nBm0c9nsOvk/s640/IMG_0214.JPG
Flaky spot

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-G-N8SYK7dF0/TyITYKmdB3I/AAAAAAAAAFM/LZL3RybQtK0/s640/IMG_0220.JPG
Flake


Edit: Two towels and two large water dishes later, all the glass of the tank is fogged up. Guess I kind of made their tank into a shed box. Hope my other girl doesn't mind...

[guidofatherof5]

Looks to me like it might just be a patchy retained shed. If that's the case I wouldn't worry too much.
As long as the shed is broken it will not be as constricting. Far less of a problem then a full retained shed.

[kimbosaur]

Noticed something else today!!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Kb4MkiLxOhY/TySpOj6iA3I/AAAAAAAAAFU/E6TZ6aoW7Ng/s640/IMG_0244.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RXF6ShLT9gA/TySpdV3WADI/AAAAAAAAAFc/gyo_xT1nMbU/s640/IMG_0239.JPG


I've kept the two large dishes in the tank for the past two days, a well as a towel on the top. She's been in and out of the shed box. No notable changes other than this! I'm starting to get really worried! Any ideas what this is?? :(

[guidofatherof5]

Looks like a small abrasion. Probably nothing to worry about.
Doesn't look infected.

[kibakiba]

Perhaps the start of scale rot? Doesn't seem bad though.

[kimbosaur]

I use Carefresh as substrate and it's always completely dry. Also, she spends most of her time (I'd say at last 80%) on a platform with no substrate at all. Unless it's because I've been putting her in the shed box for too long?

[chris-uk]

Looks more like she's caught herself on something sharp, or the edge of something. I would keep an eye on it, but I wouldn't worry unless it gets worse.

[Light of Dae]

Mite bites maybe? I've never seen mite bites but I'd guess that's what they might look like?

[EasternGirl]

On an albino garter, I would think it would be pretty easy to see mites...you would see little black dots on her. I would just watch the area and see if it gets better or worse. It may just go away. I would give her a little warm bath each day until the dry skin clears up. You could try doing a betadine soak. I was just reading about scale rot and betadine soaks. Now...mind you, from what I read...this does not sound at all like scale rot...but if it is some sort of skin infection, the betadine could help. I read that you should soak the snake in plain water first to allow it to drink and poop...then fill a rubbermaid container with a few inches of water and add some betadine until it is the color of weak tea. Then allow the snake to soak for a bit and then put some neosporin or polysporin on the affected area. Do this once a day until the problem clears up. If this sounds like bad advice to anyone else...please say so. Do you have a reptile vet you can take her to?

[ConcinusMan]

My albino checkered is overdue for a shed. When she was basking under the light yesterday, I noticed her skin was slightly off. When I handled her today, my fingers were covered in tiny scale sized & shaped pieces of skin. I put her into a shed box for about an hour, took her back out and it was the same thing, even while she was still wet: little pieces coming off. Tried running her under warm water, and making an edge to work with and nothing. She's still sitting in the shed box now.

I didn't think humidity was an issue because it's been steady at 45-60%. Now I'm starting to think my hygrometer is crap because it's telling me the humidity in my room is 60%. Seems unlikely that the heated winter air in my room is that humid...especially since my skin and hair feels really dry.

Is this definitely a retained shed or could it be a pre-shed with dry air type of a thing? How long should I leave her in there for? She seems super miserable.



Edit: Forgot to mention, she's been on and off with sheds. First shed was perfect all on her own. Second shed came off in two pieces on her own. Third shed was assisted.

I've had trouble with very small checkereds before. I lost an albino to a retained shed that I just couldn't get off. The injury you showed looks like what happens when you try to assist a shed that is fused to the new skin and so it takes that off too. If you can get them through it, then eventually they seem to grow out of this problem. Good luck.

EDIT: You know, I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but usually by the time they start showing distress from retained sheds, and good skin coming off when you try to assist, it's beyond help.:( Be prepared for that.

[kimbosaur]

Thanks for the replies guys! I really appreciate it.

Marnie: I think the red spot is gone. I don't think I see it anymore. It was really tiny to begin with.

Richard: I think you're right. I'm pretty sure it's fused.



A few significant things have happened in the past few days:

1. Doesn't seem like the skin is flaking anymore. She has been soaking regularly and I have kept two large dishes covering most of the floor. Also, I have been re-soaking towels and covering the top to keep the humidity up.

2. This is definitely a retained shed. Skin has started looking crustier in appearance. It seems to be only near the back and the front is smoother. You can see the difference here (front=smooth, back=dry):

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QrCVGJ6HiVs/TynCb9_PEtI/AAAAAAAAAFg/edSwrK6yI1A/s640/IMG_0251.JPG

3. She's going into shed I think. Today her eyes are clear again, but yesterday they looked like this:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wRqzeJdmZD4/TynCgfaqGHI/AAAAAAAAAFo/qt2WYlr7ySQ/s640/IMG_0254.JPG
Marnie, this the colour I was talking about in the other thread. A subdued, purpley red.

I have decided to wait a couple of days to see if she will shed. If nothing happens in the next few days, I will take it from there. I am also researching recommended reptile vets in the area. This is my baby, and I am so bummed out about this. :(

[guidofatherof5]

Waiting to remove a retained shed can be a dangerous situation. Retained sheds will cause suffication and impede blood flow.
I would suggest some warm shed box time followed by running warm water and a manual peel.
I think larger snakes can survive a retained shed much better then smaller/younger snakes.

[kimbosaur]

Steve, I have tried both continuously these past few days with no luck at all. I can't seem to get an edge and I've been picking and prodding with no luck. I will continue with the shed box though.

[guidofatherof5]

Sounds like you are doing all you can at this point.
Sometimes a retained shed will cause mobility problems? Is she getting around OK?
How is overall movement? Anything unusual?

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, that photo illustrates the crinkly look I was talking about. I'm sorry to say I have never been able to save a little one once it got to that stage (already fused) but that was a full retained shed. If it constricts the lung area of the snake, it's very dangerous. I hope you have better luck than I did.

Oh, here's a tip. After a long soaking/shed box, sometimes it's easier to start a peel near the vent and peel backwards toward the head.

I don't think this is your fault or caused by humidity issues. It just happens with babies sometimes. Seems like very small checkereds and radixes are prone to this problem.