How often do Juvenile Balls shed?

I’ve owned my snake for about 5-6 weeks now. I’ve been keeping an eye out for a shed coming on. He’s an ivory and it’s super hard for me to tell. I do not see a pinkish belly but he does look pinkish in the light through his neck. Not sure if that’s his blood on the inside or a possible shed coming on. His eyes aren’t cloudy yet either. I usually get him out twice a week. Wednesday’s and Friday’s. So I don’t want to disturb him if he’s getting a shed coming on. Also want to give him a nice boost in humidity to help with the shed.

When they need to- no schedule whatsoever. ;) They eat & grow for a while until they need to shed. I agree it's hard to tell a shed cycle on white & very light color snakes, but it's likely his blood circulation that you're getting excited about- sorry.

For me, the best way to tell a shed is to look for milkiness in their eyes by using a small bright flashlight in a darkened room- don't shine directly, but from the side, across the arc of their eyes, & the cloudiness- if any- should be obvious that way.

Some young snakes might shed in 3-4 weeks, others take 2 months or longer. Might as well be watching paint dry. :D It's faster & more exciting.

Don't worry too much about preparing for the shed. If your husbandry is correct, leaving him alone and bumping the humidity once the eyes cloud up is good enough. Shed cycle is going to vary based on growth, changes in temps, whether there are any minor injuries that need help healing, etc. It's pretty frequent in very young snakes, and over time it slows down to 2-4 times a year. I would imagine if he is eating well he is probably pretty close to shedding if he hasn't since he has been with you unless he hatched last year or before.

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Originally Posted by Bweiser18

I’ve owned my snake for about 5-6 weeks now. I’ve been keeping an eye out for a shed coming on. He’s an ivory and it’s super hard for me to tell. I do not see a pinkish belly but he does look pinkish in the light through his neck. Not sure if that’s his blood on the inside or a possible shed coming on. His eyes aren’t cloudy yet either. I usually get him out twice a week. Wednesday’s and Friday’s. So I don’t want to disturb him if he’s getting a shed coming on. Also want to give him a nice boost in humidity to help with the shed.

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I have six Albino Royals and they’re a nightmare to tell when they’re in shed .. lookswise there’s just no way to tell ..

All mine have branches in their vivs and they’re active in the evenings so the only way I know when they’re in shed is when they hide away for days on end ...

Then I just spray their viv well once a day and then when they reappear I spray a few times daily .. they shed a few days later .

Good sheds 100% each time


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Don't worry or panic, they all shed at different times.
Depends on the individual, how much you feed them (not just frequency but total weight of all foods consumed and quality) and temperatures they are kept at which affects metabolism. Also age. So there are Lots of variables.

Signs they are going into a shedding cycle.

1, colours darken/dull for all. Not so bright for some albinos and other light snakes
2. may (not always) go off food.
3, pink on the underbelly of lighter snakes sometimes blueish.
4, dull, or clouded colours.
5, possibly a bit less confidence.
6, more time in water bowl.
7, more time in the hide,
8, eyes dull or even blue cast like a zombie, depending on how deep a shed is coming on will determine the amount of blue.

Its pretty much the same for any type of snake.

That's all I can think of. Other members may have more.

One of my old black pine snakes in Blue before shed
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca88...Jpe0Qfbc5XJgxk

Couldn't edit, so one more tip.

Take photos of your snake after a shed when at its best colour wise, Compare the brightness and colours to it when you think it might be in shed cycle.
That helps identify shedding cycle too.

You guys do know that an Ivory royal will be white and near impossible to see any changes .. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...ec5298a0d4.jpg


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

You guys do know that an Ivory royal will be white and near impossible to see any changes .. https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ec5298a0d4.jpg


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Yes, I have white snakes too. agreed as you say almost impossible and no guarantees. but that not totally impossible if you take into account the behaviour change indicators i listed, blue eye if in deep shed and sometimes pinking of the belly.
Obviously with a snake like that, one indicator is not enough and its really hard.

Edit: admittedly I have got it wrong with my leucistics sometimes. I just listed some tips that can help.

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Originally Posted by Ascended

Yes, I have white snakes too. agreed as you say almost impossible and no guarantees. but that not totally impossible if you take into account the behaviour change indicators i listed, blue eye if in deep shed and sometimes pinking of the belly.
Obviously with a snake like that, one indicator is not enough and its really hard.

Edit: admittedly I have got it wrong with my leucistics sometimes. I just listed some tips that can help.

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Never noticed ANY visual changes in all my Albinos ... they do disappear for days though and that’s my indicator


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