Eating: Using Sight or Heat Sensor?

I've read that the reason not to feed BPs while shedding is that their eyes are clouded over so they can't see the rodent, or that they're too skittish to eat because of that inability to see.

But then I've read that f/t rodents should be presented warm so that the snake can locate it via its heat sensors. Doesn't seem like vision is needed.

It sounds contradictory, or am I misunderstanding something?

They hunt with both their eyes and heat pits. Lets just say this: Completely blinded Ball pythons can still eat.

Both of my snakes eat while in shed (even in blue). They are just more secretive and cautious about it.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

They hunt with both their eyes and heat pits. Lets just say this: Completely blinded Ball pythons can still eat.

Both of my snakes eat while in shed (even in blue). They are just more secretive and cautious about it.

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Exactly, some snakes won't eat in shed, just depends on the animal, mine have always had no problem doing it

my bp didn't eat when she had a retained eye cap. but she ate during its shed when she was in full blue o.O. maybe shes just a piggy :)

I don't believe that refusals while in shed have anything to do with sight, but more to do with discomfort. It's itchy, it's tight, and it's also a time when they are more vulnerable to approaching predators.

I watched a study on television once where the researcher taped gauze over a snake’s eyes and introduced a live mouse. The snake snatched the mouse up with no problem, even though it was not able to see.

When I see my snake is in shed, I don't try to feed it because it is a moment of reprieve for buying mice from the store :) But anyway, if I was snake, I wouldn't want to eat when I was irritable and almost blind.

A small percent of my snakes will eat during a shed. I try to feed all of my ball pythons once each week regardless if they if they are in shed.

It's rare for one of mine in shed to refuse. They hit and hit hard each and every week, regardless of their shed status.