Another couple shedding questions

[Whodinidunit]

since it appears my BP is getting ready to shed (pink belly, cloudy eyes), should I still try to feed it or wait until after the shed is complete?

Also to help in his shedding process should I put him in a tub filled with a little water and keep him in there for a bit? if so, how long?

just looking for whatever I can do to help him shed easier

[python.princess]

my snakes will usually still eat in shed. sometimes there is a problem though, because their eyesight is HORRIBLE when they're in blue, so they might have trouble spotting the meal. as far as soaking, i've only done that on a couple occasions, when they've had trouble shedding. but, as long as you have the humidity up he should be okay.

[RoyalGuardian]

There is actually stuff at some pet stores called shed aid for conditioning their scales when they need it and when they dont. as for soaking, my snake loves to soak in luke warm water. Feeding.... mmmm my snake eats when she is in shed. Ball pythons have heat sensory organs on their face, Viper pits if you will that show them heat signatures so in a way your ball can still "see". give it a try and if not you can always freeze the mouse and save it for later. just make sure when its unfrozen its not to gamey. k? Hope this helps!

[Swingline0.0.1]

Hi,

I believe I've read on a couple of threads that it can actually cause problems with the shed if you soak before the snake gets a chance. Mine just finished his first complete (one-piece) shed last week.

When I got him, he had just finished a bad shed and still had the eyecaps from it. Making sure the humidity is consistent made all the difference for me, and this one went great. I just made sure it never dropped below 70% once he went into blue, and a few days later I woke up to find a complete shed (and a monster poo!) next to his hide. Here's a pic!

[Jonny2184]

Viper pits if you will that show them heat signatures so in a way your ball can still "see". give it a try and if not you can always freeze the mouse and save it for later. just make sure when its unfrozen its not to gamey. k?

What do you mean by too gamey? How does a mouse get too gamey?

[frankykeno]

Gamey as in stinky from being thawed and left out and starting to decompose, I would think.

As far as the shed, there's no need to soak or use sprays. A healthy snake kept properly will shed just fine without being messed about with. Keep the soaking for when there is a problem with the shed. We have two stickies here...one about the shedding process...one about what to do about bad sheds...both are well worth reading.

[kurgan]

When he was younger Monty would eat in shed but these days he won't so I have stopped offering - try it a few times but i your snake consitetntly turns it down then don't bother.

The only bad shed I've had coincided with a long weekend trip away. When at home we spray his cage twice daily from the first sign of shed and turn a hide into a humid hide with wads of wet tissue.

[Whodinidunit]

thanks guys is t normal hat one day his eyes are almost a white kind of cloudy then the next they seem to be a lot less cloudy? is this a sign he is almost ready to shed?

[Nikki0326]

Yeah the eyes clear up right before they are about to shed. I would say within a few days your lil buddy should be fully shed.