Bad Shedding

Question
My son has a 2 year old corn snake who up until now has been absolutely fine,he has had a bad shed and now his skin is really dry and he has scales missing also a wheeping patch. What can I do? I have been bathing him daily to try and keep his skin moist, is this right or should I let it scab over. Should I be putting anything on him like tea tree?

Answer
Hey Elizabeth

As I don't know if it is infected or not, it would be a good idea to give him a "bath" of dilute Betadine. To do this, you place the snake into a container with paper towels soaked with the betadine and leave him there for about 30-60 minutes. Once the time is up, take him out and wash him off. I've also read that switching to astroturf for the period of the healing can increase air flow and healing time.

Bringing up the temperature in the tank a little would also help. Mind you, this makes it drier in the habitat so make sure he has access to a bowl of water 24/7. Continue the soakings as well. This isn't going to completely correct itself until his next shed, which may be awhile. If you see ANY sign of infection then take him into a reptile vet to get the patch checked out. He may culture the area to see if a fungal or bacterial infection is responsible and may prescribe an ointment or antibiotic.