Is this okay with my snake?

Question

Yesterday I bought a snake from my neighbor, He had a bad shed and lots of dead skin was on his scales. When I picked him up, he started dragging his dead skin he didn't get off across my hand, it came off with ease. So I carefully pushed my thumb on to the tip of the dead skin, and let him crawl, the skin began to come off very easily...all the dead skin left in a very tiny bit on the bit of his tail and some around his neck. He almost got the neck off...Did I possibly hurt the snake? He isn't bleeding or in pain it looks like it...

Btw its a KingSnake...

Would this be better then other methods then putting him in a wet pillowcase..? He doesn't look like he's in pain..just laying around like a normal snake...

Answer 1

you mean you pulled off the extra skin well if anything your doing him a favor i do that when my snakes have bad sheds

Answer 2

it wont hurt him. i always liked to put my snakes in the bathtub with warm water when they had a bad shed.

Answer 3

If he has trouble shedding again give him a bath first before removing the dead skin, this will help it seperate from the live tissue. If there is not damage to the scales then you didn't do any harm to the snake, i'm sure he's grateful for you helping him out! :)

Answer 4

To me, it doesn't sound like you hurt the snake. The only way you possibly could of is when he started moving and pulling the skin off. But as long as his scales are okay and he's not bleeding, he'll be fine.

Shedding is a very uncomfortable process for any reptile. The wet pillowcase is a good idea because in order to shed the skin successfully, they have to be moist.

The next time you see your snake start to shed (and you'll notice this by seeing a milky "cap" over his eyes), spray him down with water twice a day until he sheds. It'll make the process go by faster and less stressful.

By the way, grats on your new pet. =)