Reptile Forums banner

My Royal has cloudy eyes but already shed bit worried

9.1K views 21 replies 7 participants last post by  RoyalMendy  
#1 ·
Hi guys,

I have had my royal 4 days now. He ate Sunday for the first time and seems happy. I've noticed he has cloudy eyes but the chap at the pet store said he had just shed. I am a little concerned so any advice from anyone in the know would be great.

Cheers
 
#2 ·
one of my royals shed twice in 2 weeks.
its does happen sometimes, nothing to worry about as blue eyes are only linked to shedding so its not like it can be a symptom for anything bad, just keep an eye out for mites or anything else that could possibly cause it to shed more often. if you have other snakes i would suggest the new purchase is kept in a separate room for a minimum of 6 weeks (just incase)
 
#3 ·
Hi,

For things like this you really need to help people judge by posting some nice clear pictures. :)


dr del
 
#8 ·
In my experience most pet shops don't keep accurate records (or any records) of shedding and feeding etc so chances are when he said 'it has just shed' there is every chance that it shed several weeks ago or more! So this could just be your snake shedding its skin as it should do! So don't worry!! Just keep an eye on it and indeed check for mites etc (this is just good practice with any new snake) as certain things like mites can make them shed more than normal! So I would say don't take the pet shops word as true if you don't find any mites and it sheds again in the next week or two then you know something may be a little wrong but until then don't worry and just focus on giving it the best possiable husbandry you can :) and enjoy your new pet!!

Adam
 
#9 ·
Hi I have just started breeding Royal Pythons. I have been lucky in the fact that every snake I have bought recently was in mid shed upon purchase (Royals are notorius fussy eaters and with a change of enviroment most go off thier food for a few weeks, if they are shedding you shouldnt feed them anyway so doesnt matter if they go on a hunger strike :lol2:). On a couple they have had the exact same thing, finished thier shed but still have cloudy eyes. If you look closely you will realise that thier eye cap (Its actually a scale) has not come off properly during shed. This is due to the humidity in thier vivariums/rubs etc not being high enough.

This cap/scale can and should be peeled off your snake or it will cause problems during the coming weeks. If you are not experienced or you are unconfident in removing the cap your local reptile store should be able to do it for you. If you are willing to give it a go yourself the run your snake a bath (make sure tempretures right), let him/her bath for quarter of an hour, the cap may fall off during this process but most of the time you will need to go onto the next stage. Once you have dried off your reptile take a firm grip just behind its head so it cannot move fully. Then with your other hand VERY CAREFULLY use your thumb nail to peel the scale away from the snakes eye....The only way I can describe this is think of a fresh packet of ham, completely seeled and you have to peel off the top, but before you can get a grip on the tab you have to lift the tab off the packaging with your nail....not sure if that gives you a clearer picture?

For future sheds make sure your snake has a large water dish or spray his/her vivarium daily with water. I usually give my Royals a bath when thier shed starts lifting just to lend a helping hand.

Hope this helps..good luck!
 
#13 ·
Hi,



There are very few problems that will be caused by a retained eyecap that are as serious as someone removing a stuck eyecap that isn't there.

That usually results in a blind snake.

There are a few things people can mistake for a stuck eyecap like scuffed eyecaps from a rough hide, the membrane between the spectacle and the rest of the skin being pulled out during a perfectly full shed, and a dented or creased eyecap caused by low humidity.

That's why it is better to wait for pictures before recommending anything.

Not trying to be a pratt or anything but I have seen too many snakes blinded like this. :(

Thanks very much for all of your advice. I will spray his viv everyday until he sheds again and keep a look out for mites. Will post pics of him when I pick him up later on
Don't spray his viv everyday unless you have first checked the humidity with a decent unit and know it needs it.

You should be aiming for 50-60% humidity during the normal times raised to 60-70% when the snake starts showing signs of shedding.

Keeping his enclosure too moist can lead to mold and bacteria growth and, if the substrate is too wet, can even start scale rot.

There are a few things that can be done to enclosures to raise humidity so telling us about the setup could help us give more specific ideas.

I'm quoting these just so I can see the pictures as they aren't showing for me for some reason.


del
 
#10 ·
Thanks very much for all of your advice. I will spray his viv everyday until he sheds again and keep a look out for mites. Will post pics of him when I pick him up later on
 
#14 ·
I can't really see enough detail on the photo to be sure - can you try and get a much closer pic?


del
 
#16 · (Edited)
#19 ·
Hmm,

That looks as though you can see through them clearly to the eye?

Can you see his eye move around etc and are the eyes both the same?

Do they seem to bulge out slightly more than normal and look clear if you turn his head and squint through them as though there is a layer of clear liquid between the eye and the spectacle?

Is there any sign of redness or swelling inside the top of his mouth?


dr del
 
#20 ·
I haven't looked to see if both eyes move around. I've only had him under a week so I wouldn't know if they are bulging more than normal. No redness inside his mouth.
 
#21 ·
Look to see if you can see the pupil moving around in both eyes.

Also look to see if there is a white fringe around either eye at any point. Look down accross the eye to see if it looks like a build up of fluid rather than a hazy covering with no gap - it's hard to explain what I mean.

This shows the fringe and a stuck eyecap;

Image


And this shows the problem I am leaning more towards;

The Corn Snake Forum - swollen eye

Which is a blocked tear duct.