Ball Pythons retained eye caps:
Ball Pythons, as well as all other snakes, have
clear scales
that cover their eyes. These clear scales provide the same basic function that
human eyelids provide. When snakes shed, the clear eye caps are shed as well.
Occasionally an eye cap or shed skin is retained. A single shed retained eye
cap does not pose a health risk to the snake.
You can try a few things a keeper can do
to fix the
situation. You can leave the snake alone and let the eye cap come off during
the next shed. Increase the humidity in the enclosure. Soak the snake for 15 -
30 minutes in water. Add a humidity chamber to the snake’s enclosure. Humidity
chambers work really well for retained skin, but are not always effective at
loosening retained caps. The last thing that can be done is to remove the eye
cap with a piece of scotch tape. If you are an inexperienced keeper or are
unsure if your snake has a retained cap, consult a a
licensed veterinarian.
Before moving on to this next step, make sure you have thoroughly
read sections on Ball Pythons Poor Incomplete Shedding, Ball Pythons Humidity
Chamber Box, Ball Pythons retained eye caps. Once your snake has been properly prepared
you can move on to this step.
Removing an eye
cap is fairly easy, but you better be sure
that there is a retained cap to be removed before you start. Dented eyes or
wrinkled eyes are sometimes mistaken for a retained eye cap. A dented eye cap
can be a sign of dehydration. If you try to remove a healthy eye cap (one that
is not retained shed), you risk permanent damage to your snake’s eye. If you're
in doubt, give the snake a humidity chamber or soak it.
Roll a
piece of scotch tape, sticky side out, around your
index finger. To remove the cap, gently roll your finger along the cap starting
from the head of the snake and working towards the tail. The cap should come
off easily and should be stuck to the tape. Make sure the tape does not touch
the scales around the eye or the fold of skin between the eye and the scales
surrounding the eye. Be gentle and use light pressure.
Do not
use tape that is too sticky, packing tape, box tape,
and duct tape are examples of types that should not be used. These tapes have
strong adhesives and if you accidentally stick them to your snake's skin,
scales will come off!