Welcome to "The Niblet", two quirky exotic animal breeders sharing a taste of the farm life.

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All the best,

Ross Lasley	Amy Lasley

Shedding Problems & Solutions

Controlling humidity is probably the hardest part of keeping a green tree python, and improper humidity conditions can lead to a number of health issues, both short and long term. The most prevalent of these are shedding issues, usually caused by humidity that is too low.

The ideal shed comes off in one, unbroken piece. With GTPs that aren't receiving enough humidity, the skin will crack and come off in small pieces or shreds. In these situations we like to make a mini steam room to soften the skin and help slough off the remaining skin.

The Steam Room Method

You'll need a waterproof container with a tight fitting lid that is about the same diameter as your snake is when he or she is all coiled up. Make sure to punch air holes in the container so your snake can breathe once inside.

Next put an inch of warm, but not hot, water in the bottom of the container. Take a big wad of paper towels or several facecloths and submerge them under the water. You'll want the towels to be completely soaked, with about 1/4" of water above the level of the towels.

Put your snake in the container, and let him/ her soak for a couple of hours. Make sure to supervise your snake to ensure that he/she doesn't drown.

When the skin has had a chance to soften up, take your snake out of the 'steam room' and let him/her crawl through a dry cotton towel. Hold the towel in your hands and apply gentle pressure, but let the snake do most of the work. All those little pieces of skin should now be stuck to the towel, and your snake should be looking nice and smooth.

If you need to assist with one or two stubborn pieces of skin, make sure to never pull the dead skin away. Use one finger and rub gently in the direction of the scale growth - from head to tail. Resist the urge to grab at a loose piece of skin and pull it off!

Prevention

The best offense is a good defense. If your snake has a bad shed, make sure to correct the root of the problem by increasing the humidity in your enclosure. If you don't already have one, a hygrometer can be your best friend. GTPs should be misted EVERY day around sunset. Ideal humidity is 90-100% right after misting, tapering off to not less than 50% just before you mist again the next day.

As always we are here to answer your questions, whether you bought your snake from us or not. There are many other techniques for handling a bad shed in addition to the one shown above, and we'd be happy to share them with you. Feel free to drop us a line.