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This article was co-written by Jeff Jensen. Jeff Jensen is a reptile expert and owner of The Reptile Zone in suburban Bend, Oregon. With decades of reptile and wildlife experience, Jeff specializes in advice and guidance on reptile care. As a science teacher, San Antonio Zoo employee and reptile expert, Jeff’s knowledge and ethical business of reptiles has earned The Reptile Zone an Intrepid Marketing Award “Mark of Excellence” award in 2018.
This article has been viewed 1,981 times.
During their life cycle, snakes need to molt regularly to continue to develop. The molting process of snakes usually takes place within one to two weeks. While this is a completely natural process, there are certain steps you need to follow to care for your snake. Provide an ideal environment for snakes by adding water and increasing humidity in the cage. Place an extra basin of water and raw material in the cage to aid in shedding. If you find any complications, such as an unclean molt, you need to ask your veterinarian to intervene.
Steps
Create an environment that supports snakes molting
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Learn the signs that a snake is about to shed its skin. You need to make preparations before the snake’s molting process begins. To do so, keep an eye on snakes and look out for signs that they are about to molt. When the signs start to appear, it’s time to start preparing. [1] X Research Source
- Observe snake eyes. The snake’s eyes will turn opaque green before molting.
- You also need to pay attention to the snake’s current skin. When preparing to molt, the snake’s skin will be whiter.
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Create a wet molting box. Snakes need large amounts of moisture in order to molt smoothly. You can provide molting boxes to increase humidity in the snake’s habitat. Prepare a box, such as a shoebox, then poke a hole in the air and place a damp tissue inside the box. [2] X Research Source
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Spray warm water on the snake’s cage. You can also use a spray bottle and spray some warm water into the snake’s cage to increase the humidity, or spray water on the snake just before it molts if possible. [3] X Research Sources
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Control the humidity in the barn. Keep an eye on the ambient humidity in the snake’s cage. You can use a hygrometer purchased at a pet store or electrical appliance store. During molting, the humidity in the snake cage needs to be maintained at 50 to 70%. [4] X Research Source If the humidity in the barn is lower than this, you can increase the humidity in several ways. [5] X Research Sources
- Place a large dish of water in the coop.
- Cover the roof of the barn. If your snake’s cage has a glass lid, you can cover it halfway to increase the humidity.
- Spread pine bark growing medium on the bottom of the barn. Orchid pine bark usually retains moisture better than other products.
Supports snakes during molting
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Place a basin of warm water in the snake’s cage. When the snake begins to molt, you will see patches of skin on its body peeling off. In the process, add a basin of warm water to the snake’s cage. Snakes can soak in water to make their skin peel off faster. [6] X Research Sources
- Use a pot big enough for the snake to fit its whole body in.
- Use enough water so that the snake can wet its entire body, but not too much so that the snake does not cover its whole body when crawling into the pot.
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Add raw material to the snake cage. Snakes can scrub the skin off by crawling over rough material. Rough materials such as twigs and rocks will be very helpful for the snake’s molting process. You can also use bark, pine cones, and other easy-to-find raw materials. [7] X Research Sources
- If a snake rubs its nose against objects in its cage, it is rubbing off the skin. When you detect this behavior, quickly add raw material to the snake’s cage.
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Place the snake between several layers of paper towels. If the snake’s self-molting process doesn’t go well, you can help it. Moisten multiple layers of paper towels, then place the snake in the center. Let the snake slither and twist between layers of towels. Moisture and rubbing will make it easier for the snake to molt. [8] X Research Sources
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Clean up snake cages after molting. After the snake has molted, the snake’s skin will be scattered throughout the cage. Snake skin can be piled up in small scattered piles or dried into tubes. All you need to do is clean them up. [9] X Research Source
- Snakes will usually excrete after molting, so wear gloves when cleaning the snake’s cage as you may have to clean up its waste as well.
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Provide plenty of water for the snake. After molting, snakes need a huge amount of water. Pay attention to the snake’s water dish and add water regularly. You will need to water the snake more often for a few days after it molts. [10] X Research Source
Handling Complications
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See your veterinarian if the snake’s molt is incomplete. No matter how hard you try to help, the snake may still not be able to shed all the old skin. If the snake doesn’t complete this process within one to two weeks, take it to the vet. The veterinarian will help remove any remaining dead skin and check the snake’s health. Problems encountered during molting are usually due to a lack of moisture, but a medical examination will help rule out other potential health causes. [11] X Research Source
- You should never remove the remains of a snake on your own, especially around the eyes and mouth.
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Give snakes a stress-free environment. Stress is also a possible cause of incomplete molting. If the snake’s molting isn’t going well, you can try to relieve the stress on it. Design a quality habitat for your snake and avoid touching it. [12] X Research Source
- Keep humidity at a comfortable level. You also need to give the snake plenty of hiding places in the cage. Snakes are solitary creatures and crave their own space. Put a few boxes or enclosures in the snake’s cage so it can be alone.
- Do not touch snakes too often. Snakes may not like to be touched and if touched too often the snake will think you are a predator. Do not hold snakes for more than 30 minutes at a time, up to a few times a week.
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Have your snakes get regular veterinary checkups. Regular visits to the doctor can help snakes molt more smoothly in the future. In rare cases, snakes’ difficulty in molting can be due to a health problem. If you take your snake for regular checkups, your veterinarian will help diagnose and intervene before molting problems appear. [13] X Research Source
Warning
- Avoid disturbing the snake during molting – holding and intervening not only makes the snake more stressed, but can also disrupt the process. Snakes will also become more aggressive while molting.
- Snakes will get sick during the molting process – not eating, changing color and appearance, and hiding more than usual, but you don’t have to worry about taking it to the doctor, molting is a process. natural and inevitable process that must go through in order to continue to develop.
X
This article was co-written by Jeff Jensen. Jeff Jensen is a reptile expert and owner of The Reptile Zone in suburban Bend, Oregon. With decades of reptile and wildlife experience, Jeff specializes in advice and guidance on reptile care. As a science teacher, San Antonio Zoo employee and reptile expert, Jeff’s knowledge and ethical business of reptiles has earned The Reptile Zone an Intrepid Marketing Award “Mark of Excellence” award in 2018.
This article has been viewed 1,981 times.
During their life cycle, snakes need to molt regularly to continue to develop. The molting process of snakes usually takes place within one to two weeks. While this is a completely natural process, there are certain steps you need to follow to care for your snake. Provide an ideal environment for snakes by adding water and increasing humidity in the cage. Place an extra basin of water and raw material in the cage to aid in shedding. If you find any complications, such as an unclean molt, you need to ask your veterinarian to intervene.
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