My ball python has retained eye caps. What's the best way to help?

She may have had a retained eye cap that came off and caused injury to her cornea. This can happen during difficult sheds. Only an experienced herp vet or veterinary ophthalmologist can make this diagnosis after a close and thorough eye exam. Lilith should be examined as soon as you can get an appointment. Keep the eye clear of debris by rinsing with plain saline several times daily until you see a veterinarian.

Thanks for reaching out about Nemo and including a photo. Try warm water soaks or a humidity box for short (5-10 minutes) to see if this will loosen the retained skin. You can gently try and peel off but should come off easily. If you believe it is scar tissue, it will be fine, but if an infection site, a veterinary visit needs to be scheduled. Good luck.

Any new pet should be examined by a veterinarian within 72 hours of arriving home to confirm good health or to treat any preexisting conditions. If she is having difficulty breathing, she should be seen sooner rather than later in case she has or is developing a respiratory infection. Monitor for lethargy or discharge from the nose or mouth. Increase humidity or soak in warm water to facilitate shedding. You can also use commercial shed sprays that can be purchased online or in most pet stores. Follow this link for more information regarding care of ball pythons: http://www.anapsid.org/ball.html

Eclipse should be examined by an experienced herp veterinarian. He may need antibiotics to treat or prevent infection. Monitor for discharge, lethargy, odor or loss of appetite. Keep the area clean and dry. You can apply a dab of triple antibiotic ointment topically. Use paper towels as substrate until the spot heals. It may take a a couple sheds, but he should recover. In the future, if he ever gets any adhesive stuck on him, use a bit of olive oil to soak the area then gently remove the adhesive.

Soak Razor in warm water for 15-20 minutes. Gently rub off any loose shed but do not pull or tear at it. If he is wiggly, you can place him in a small container with paper towels moistened with warm water for 15-20 minutes. The moist heat and humidity should help with the shed. Make sure he can breathe in the container. You can put this moist hide in his enclosure so he has a place to go when he is shedding. Monitor his stool and submit a sample to your vet to diagnose intestinal parasites if you see more "green liquid".

It may be a retained eye cap, injury/infection or could indeed by a genetic "defect". Have it examined by a veterinarian experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose illness or injury. Wild snakes generally should not be kept as pets as they do not transition to easily to captivity. They may also harbor parasites and bacteria that professionally bred snakes are not exposed to.

Periscoping is normal. Most snakes do it when hungry or if curious or I in an object. "Stargazing" (staring straight up, nose pointed upwards) is of concern and may indicate serious viral infection. The lost scales may have been due to low humidity during her latest shed. You can gently clean the spot with dilute Betadine solution or chlorhexidine. A thin film of triple antibiotic ointment can be used if indicated. She should heal up fine. If it does heal or begins to spread, have her examined by your herp veterinarian.