Feed during shed?

So as far as I can tell from searches, most of the advice is that you should NEVER try to feed live to a ball python with cloudy eyes. The advice for f/t seems to say that it doesn't hurt to wait until after the shed. I am wondering, does it hurt to go ahead and feed?

My ball is coming into her second shed with me, and I really want it to go well because she got into a tape incident. I took her to the vet immediately and they used the organic solvent to pull off the mailing tape I had used to keep her thermostat sensor in place. (I erroneously thought she couldn't possibly get into it....) None of her actual scales were removed, but the ...skin?... pigmenty part of some of the scales did come off, and her skin has looked a bit dull and loose there since then (this was 3weeks ago.) Anyway, she's been eating fine, but I want this to be as good of a shed as it can be for her.

Tonight is her usual feeding night. Last week I moved her up to 2 tiny hoppers because she doesn't seem to be growing, and she was all about eating the second one. I am worried about getting off her feeding schedule and her refusing food. Would it be okay to present the mice to her, paying special attention to my hands so she doesn't accidently strike me? Her eyes are cloudy, but they weren't this morning, so they're really not as cloudy as they will be in days to come.

Any advice is welcome.

I can't say what everyone else does....but I feed live and if Zeke is in shed(any stage of it) I skip that feeding.

Most of mine will feed in shed. It doesn't hurt to offer.

And hoppers are an awful small meal even for young BPs

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Entropy

And hoppers are an awful small meal even for young BPs

---

Her lack of growth makes me really think you could be right, though my vet said hoppers were fine. Her largest width isn't even that of a soda bottle cap though. What would be appropriate for her?

I always feed during sheds. if they eat, awesome, if they dont, oh well, try again next time.

is an adult mouse larger than her girth? cause it sounds like it wouldn't be. i would switch to an adult mouse... just one a week (missing a week now and then is good for them).

many people pick the time during shed to be the week they miss for feeding... but others prefer to feed during shed.

really a personal choice.

Hoppers do sounds awfully small but only you'll really be able to judge their size compared to your snake's largest girth. As far as feeding during shed, remember that ball pythons use their sense of smell far more than they are sight hunters so offering during shed is usually not a problem. If they want to come out and eat they will, if they don't...they won't.