Moon's Graden

It's the first shed since we got the critter.  Humidity was a little
low, I guess, since the skin came off in bits and drabs, not one bit
piece.  It's four days after he started actually sloughing skin, and
all there's left to go is a thin patch that runs about two inches down
one side, and a 1/2 inch cylinder right near the end of the tail.  The
skin from the tip seems to be gone (it's hard to tell).

When should I worry about the skin on the tail, and what measures
should I take (up to and including intervention)?  There's a herp
clinic tonight out near us; I'd gladly pay the $15 if it's necessary
to get this cleaned up asap.  On the other hand, if it's nothing to
worry about...

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Kevin D Quitt                   96.37% of all statistics are made up

Here's what I do, and what a vet would do:

1) Put the snake in a container of water, water from 1 to 6 inches deep.  The
container can be a bottle, a plastic shoebox, or anything else that you can
close.  Make sure there are air holes in the container.  The water should be
75-85 F if you have a thermometer.  If you lack a thermometer, the water
should be cool, but not cold, to your hand.  If the water feels warm, it's too
warm for the snake.

2) Let the snake soak in the water for an hour.

3) Gently peel off the skin with your fingers.  There are almost always loose
flaps of skin to start on.  The strip on the body may come off all by itself.

4) Dry the snake with a paper towel and return him to his cage.  You are done.

Unshed pieces of skin on a rat snake are easy.  The eyecaps are a bit more
difficult.  But for a hard job, few nonpoisonous snakes can beat a 5 foot tree
boa that has to be peeled from nose to tail.  The old skin comes off
practically scale by scale, and meanwhile the snake is trying to decide where
to sink those 1/4 inch teeth into you.  The suspense is worse than the pain.
8^)

Behold the tortoise: he makes no progress unless he sticks his neck out.

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Thanks for timely advice - after 20 minutes in slightly-cool-to-the-
touch water, my wife was able to peel off the tail section (long
fingernails have a use).  It may not have been soon enough, since he
now has a little crook at the end of his tail, but we'll see.

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Kevin D Quitt                   96.37% of all statistics are made up