I got this corn snake off a family who bought it for their daughter who soon got bored of it (I know tale as old as time) so they sold it to me for £30 with the full set up (plastic tub with some sawdust drift wood and a rocky hide) which has been changed. But I noticed while holding her this little split on the end and I’m not sure what it is or what to do. My assumption is they didn’t give it much humidity when it sheded. And this is a build up of stuck shed. But I thought it be better to ask as this is my first snake (I have and care for other reptiles). If anyone has advice or cause of this split I’d be very grateful. (It’s the very end if the tail)
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It is indeed stuck shed, and additionally necrosis of the tail tip. Stuck shed cuts off blood flow, tip of the tail dies and will eventually fall off. You can see there’s still some shed on the tail, that needs to come off. You can soak the snake in a container of 29-30ºC shallow water for about 15 minutes and then try to remove the shed gently.
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I agree with this advice. Probably that dark end of the tail will fall off, but hopefully you’ll be able to save the not so dark area above it. Feel free to post updated pics once you’ve tried the soak.
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Welcome! I agree with the other users. It’s extremely common.
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Welcome to the community and thanks so much for taking in this animal who needed you. The good news is that although this bit of tail tip is most likely going to be lost, this shouldn’t really impact the snake in the future. Do keep an eye on its humidity when it is in shed. Provide a moist hide. After it sheds, inspect the shed to be sure that the spectacles/scales which cover the eyes and the tail tip shed completely. The snake might experience some sticking at the end of its tail for a few sheds.
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