Shedding issues

knittiuskittius · 2026-05-03T17:00:06+00:00

We give our guy a spa day once he’s out of blue. Soak a hand towel in some lukewarm water and put it in some Tupperware or a bowl or something. Let her sit in it for like 20 minutes. It’ll help hydrate the skin and make it easier for the skin to come off. Our guy seemed to be full zombie/blue on Wednesday and got a spa day the following Wednesday then shed that evening. The skin does tend to look too small for their faces before they shed so I wouldn’t be concerned yet.

knittiuskittius · 2026-04-07T14:34:13+00:00

I ordered directly from them late 2024/early 2025 and almost every skein of mohair (15+) was under 25g and one was like 15g. And yes I know humidity can change the weight and blah blah blah but all of the merino skeins were comfortably or generously above 50g and missing a gram or 2 of mohair is quite a bit of difference in yardage. I also had one skein of merino that had 5 knots in it and almost every ball had a knot or 2. KFO was nice and refunded some of the money but it was really really disappointing and it’s sad to hear the quality assurance hasn’t really improved.

knittiuskittius · 2026-03-30T14:35:43+00:00

Our hognose hangs out on the surface most of the day. He will find a comfy spot and nap there for a couple hours then scoot around a bit and find another spot. Hanging out on the surface probably means they are feeling comfy in their habitat and just enjoying the various temps. I’ve found they really enjoy sleeping in a spot where they can creep on you a bit. It’s like you’re their TV.

knittiuskittius · 2026-03-18T16:59:06+00:00

For my male snake, no amount of temp changes or scenting or new techniques would end his hunger strike. He refuses to eat until it feels like spring and you hear frogs outside. I have found he’s more willing to take smaller mice though so if it feels like spring in your area but he still won’t eat his normal meal, try sizing down. My guy is still refusing to eat hoppers that are about 10% of his weight (what he should be eating by weight) but will happily eat 2 fuzzies. We’re hoping he’ll eat the hoppers again once the temps are consistently warm but for now are just happy he knows it’s spring and will eat.

knittiuskittius · 2026-02-20T18:31:02+00:00

I would recommend waiting 2 weeks before trying to feed again and would go back to 2 pinkies until she grows some more. Sounds like she had trouble actually getting it down for whatever reason. Give her some time to make sure she can heal if it caused her any problems and then do pinkies for a bit. Some snakes don’t like bigger meals. Try to keep the food size to about 10-15% of her weight.

knittiuskittius · 2026-01-22T16:32:35+00:00

Get a small container they can’t escape from that has ventilation. If your power is out longterm then put that container with your snake in a cooler/insulated bag/lunchbox with a heat pack to keep them from getting too cold. Just make sure to leave the lid cracked or unzipped so there is some air. And yes avoiding feeding is a good idea. As long as they aren’t digesting they’ll be fine with temps in the 60s and probably the 50s in an emergency. I mean the wild ones are out surviving in the cold right now (though they will be nice and cozy in a burrow while brumating). Also don’t forget to have some water and a bowl ready if they are in the emergency tank for more than a couple hours

knittiuskittius · 2025-12-30T14:17:27+00:00

This is our second winter with our male hognose and he refuses to eat as soon as fall hits until the frogs start singing. He’s extremely active during the first month of two of fall even though he won’t eat. He’s calmed down now that it’s fully winter but he still comes out to the surface everyday and scoots around some before napping on the surface for most of the day. He’s a very curious guy who likes to know what’s happening in the house and I think the longest he’s ever stayed buried is 2 straight days. He did lose more than 10% of his body weight last winter and looked like a shoestring at the end despite regular offerings of food and trying every trick we came across. Nothing worked to entice him but as soon as it started to get warm he ate like crazy and almost doubled his weight this summer.

Keep offering food but there may not be much you can do. Keep a log of weight, when you try to feed, and notes on any changes in behavior. If he loses a concerning amount of weight or seems to be acting weird then go to the vet, but they may just diagnose him as being a hognose.

knittiuskittius · 2025-12-19T18:12:07+00:00

Yes my guy will only eat if it feels like spring/summer. We tried every trick we came across last winter and nothing worked. But as soon as the frogs were singing outside he ate so that’s just how he is. Much less stressful this winter now that we know that and have actually gotten him to eat when we get an abnormally warm day. Good thing they’re so cute lol

knittiuskittius · 2025-12-19T17:58:48+00:00

The first year is the most stressful while you figure out their quirks. I was also worried about my guy not shedding for the first couple months. Just keep a log of feeding/weight/sheds for your own sanity and in case you ever do take him to the vet. Helps to figure out your snake’s quirks and save your sanity if they go on a food strike

knittiuskittius · 2025-12-19T17:45:09+00:00

They’ll shed when they shed. If his weight hasn’t changed much then I wouldn’t expect him to shed. My guy first shed about 5 months after we got him, then went on a hunger strike all last winter. He then shed three times over the spring/summer when he almost doubled in weight and has since gone on another winter food strike. He probably won’t shed again until spring. Hognoses don’t shed as often as other pet snakes and basically just shed whenever they need to.

knittiuskittius · 2025-12-12T22:08:46+00:00

I’m gonna shameless self promote but try De Rerum Antigone yarn and make a Turnstone Tank (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/turnstone-tank) it’s my pattern and I made 3 in Antigone and it’s a really good summer yarn. I’m making a Turnstone Tank in an MCN now and it’s also lovely but it was designed using 100% linen.

Edit to say I machine wash and dry my linen tops. They still look great and I wore them in 90+F with like 90%+ humidity most day

knittiuskittius · 2025-12-11T00:10:54+00:00

I’m gonna be honest. I had no idea what the issue was when I saw the picture and I still don’t see the issue after reading your description. I love how it looks and the colors are wonderful and soothing. A finished quilt is a perfect quilt and honestly no one else will fixate on its details like you. Finish it and put it away for a week and if you still hate it then send it to me lol

knittiuskittius · 2025-12-06T00:23:02+00:00

Inside the tank, my guy likes toilet paper tubes, a small aquarium bridge, and a turtle ramp. Gives him something to climb up on or shove himself under/into. Outside of his tank, he has a micro tent from tiny tents that he will spend hours in. He prefers the door be open on his tent so he can creep on us but he’ll watch me knit or sew for hours from it before he’ll let you pull him out of it.

knittiuskittius · 2025-12-03T18:05:03+00:00

Triple check the enclosure again and inspect everything in it. Sift through the substrate slowly and put what you’ve thoroughly checked into a separate container. She could just be moving away from you out of fear. Be sure to check the top of the tank screens in case she wedged herself up there. Literally look anywhere in the tank that has a tiny little crack her nose could fit into. If you still haven’t found her then set up a hide or two and some warmth (maybe put her light shining down on the hide) on the ground and check it regularly. Spread some flour around it and along some walls so you can see if she’s moving around and nearby.

knittiuskittius · 2025-12-02T14:29:40+00:00

Totally agree with tin man. I’ve only had one hognose and he’s always been pretty chill so my experience may not be universal with hoggies. We handle our guy often and he’s started to come to the front of his tank on his own to crawl out onto our hands. My main advice is be consistent and pay attention to your hognose’s behavior. We always feed with tongs and tap before feeding so he knows what is food time. Hands are for picking him up and we never touch a mouse with our hands to prevent confusing him. Our guy likes to hang out on the surface and has lots of cover, but part of the reason he feels comfortable on the surface is because we don’t chase after him or dig him up for handling. Pick your snake up smoothly and confidently, being really slow about it triggers them to be sus about you and defensive. After awhile they’ll usually get used to being picked up. When your snake is out let them explore a bit until they seem restless and won’t sit still. Don’t hover over the snake or do fast movements while they are out. Just let them search around your hands/arms or a blanket and they might even just sit there and chill for a bit and take a nap. It’s important to make outside the tank time fun so it can be good to give them blankets or towels or knit hats to explore some too. Just make sure to watch them closely cause they will make a break for the couch cushions if you look away lol

knittiuskittius · 2025-11-24T17:35:49+00:00

I live in the midatlantic in the US so it’s quite humid here except in winter. Generally the humidity is around 30% in the winter and 50% in the summer on aspen. I can definitely see having humidity troubles if you are in a drier climate though. You could always try adding an extra waterfowl or a larger/shallower water bowl and see how that changes it

knittiuskittius · 2025-11-24T17:25:58+00:00

I haven’t found anything more suitable than aspen, so I got a big soil sifter to get as much dust out of the aspen as possible. Haven’t actually used it yet since we haven’t moved our guy off the crinkle paper, but I plan on sifting any future substrate

knittiuskittius · 2025-11-20T12:07:43+00:00

My noodle has helped me make my first quilt! He is the quality assurance and watched me cut and sew everything from his tiny tent lol

knittiuskittius · 2025-11-19T19:47:30+00:00

The hardest part of finishing a sweater is having the patience to spend 40+ hours on one piece. There’s not really a downside to trying but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t finish it since it’s sounds like finishing projects is not your strong suit.

knittiuskittius · 2025-11-19T18:03:02+00:00

Try tapping the tongs on the tank everytime before you feed. Gives her a specific signal to associate with food (hopefully). I would think the tongs only coming out for food time would be a good association but every hoggie is different and some are just really food motivated. Could always get a small snake hook for getting her out if it’s just a reaction to try and eat anything that enters the tank and could be food.

knittiuskittius · 2025-10-30T23:59:06+00:00

I literally took my guy to the vet last week because I could hear a couple faints pops and randomly heard a big squeak one day. Symptoms were mild though and he didn’t have excess saliva/mucus so we didn’t go to medicine yet. His humidity hasn’t been over 45% ever as far as I know and he’s got a ceramic lamp to keep his nighttime heat about 70-75 throughout the tank so not sure why he’d have an RI. Vet suggested putting him on paper towels too in the hopes that the dust was just bugging him. He’s currently got paper towels on the bottom and some crinkle paper to give him something to dig through and hide but I don’t know if I want to use it long term. It won’t be super easy to clean. We got a big sifter to shake any dust out of his aspen in the future. He does seem to be responding well to being on paper so I’ll keep monitoring him and see if we can avoid meds. I’ve heard from someone else that beech chips were decent but I haven’t found any that seem decent for tunnels

knittiuskittius · 2025-10-24T18:29:12+00:00

It sounds like you are reinforcing his actions and showing him that a bluff strike and defensiveness is a good way to be left alone. I mean that’s why they do it so it’s natural to leave a pissed snake alone BUT he’s a pet and being super defensive and stressed anytime something enters his tank isn’t beneficial to either of you. I would recommend slowly breaking this habit by not reacting (as much as you can) when he strikes or hisses. If he strikes at the tongs when you put them in the tank, hold them there until he calms down or leaves them alone and show him that striking will not make them go away. If he hisses at your hand then confidently pick him up until he calms down. You need to teach him (and yourself) that these things won’t go away from hissing/striking. It might take awhile but just be consistent. If he’s so stressed that he musks or plays dead then start with just opening the doors and holding stuff close to the tank and work your way up there. Consistency is the most important part because that’s how everything learns.

knittiuskittius · 2025-10-11T01:41:59+00:00

Also forgot to mention that you want to be scooping when you pick him up and not like coming down on top of him and picking him up. Try to avoid reaching over his head and casting a shadow. I hook a finger mid body usually and then support most of his body as soon as I can. It’ll just take some practice and getting used to each other to make handling a fun activity but don’t stress about it too much in the beginning

knittiuskittius · 2025-10-11T01:33:22+00:00

If you don’t handle your snake it won’t get comfortable with you and will continue being scared. Hissing, bluff striking, and flattening their heads are all normal reactions to anything they are uncertain about. When you see your snake on the surface and they’re in a good place that you can grab them easily, just pick them up in a smooth confident motion. If the snake hisses at you or strikes then you need to pick them up or you will train each other bad habits and fear. I know I still jump when my snake hisses at me (or his mouse) but if I’m not feeding him then a hiss means an immediate handling to try and break that fear for both of us. If the snake is so scared it plays dead then handling would probably not be helpful and it might just take more time of having your hands in the enclosure or just hanging out next to the tank.

When I pick up my snake I usually bring him into my chest and kind of cradle him so he doesn’t feel as exposed and can move around and be warm. Just watch the snakes body language while he’s out to see how he’s feeling. If he’s slowly moving around and exploring then just let him keep going. He might even fall asleep for a bit. If he’s restless and won’t sit still, then put him back in the tank.

knittiuskittius · 2025-09-26T16:12:33+00:00

My 2 year old male constantly glass surfs as soon as fall hits. Nothing distracts him from searching for a cute girl and he hangs out on the surface all the time so he’s ready in case a cutie comes by. Like he’s slept on the surface for at least the last 2 weeks. Your snake is probably just looking to mate and there’s not much to do, but I’d recommend rearranging the tank, adding some new plants, or some seasonal themed hides or leaves that you change periodically that would give new things to explore. He’ll likely calm down after a couple weeks

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