Attempt to feed while in shed?

It is best to leave them be and not handle while they are in shed - they tend to get pretty grumpy during a shed.

Another issue with feeding during the shed process is their eye caps make them unable to see very clearly. The very first time I tried feeding my normal girl, she striked wildly a few times but was unable to get the prey, and afterwards looked too embarassed to try to strike again. She was in blue at the time, but I only had her for a week so I really had no clue :confused: IMO listen to people on here, they know what theyre talkin bout :)

My normal female is in shed, dull color, eyes in blue but she's such a great eater. She handled her food last night like it was any other day. Since she couldn't see very well, I slowly moved the mouse up to her face so she could strike and be less likely to miss. Works for me for my snakes. I've always fed whether they were shedding or not. In fact, I think in all the time I've had my snakes I've only missed one scheduled feeding. They sure like to eat :) But all snakes are different, you can choose to try, or you can wait until they're done shedding.

I read in someone else's posting that snakes use actual eye sight as a last resort out of their senses during feeding. It's the heat pits first, Jacobson's organ second, then eye sight. I do not believe my food, or anyone else's food has been refused in the past because of the poor eye sight during shedding. I believe it is refused because they are cranky and uncomfortable, and just want to be left alone during this process.

I have offered food in the past, and have had snakes take the food offered during even deep blue, I simply don't anymore because the chances of being refused is higher during this period, and to me it's worth it to just wait a few days and feed once they are themselves again. Just wanted to clear all that up :)

I wait and feed as soon as I can see there eyes are normal again.

Lgrey is absolutely correct visual spectrum 'eye' sight isn't super critical. i have a one eyed snake and as long as the food is warm enough she will hit it. Blue eyes has little to do with it. To me the safety risk isn't worth trying at all.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

There is a slight risk involved of feeding during shed. The old skin layer (the one to be shed) looses some elasticity and during the actual shed it can get hung up on the undigested prey item and that can cause all kinds of issues. It is super rare but has happened and has been documented. If you choose to try keep it small much smaller than a normal prey item and stick to early in the process rather than later. It is simpler just to skip.

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I never knew there was any risk involved that is good to know (even if only slight risk)

I feed live and my two BPs have never refused at any stage of shedding, even with blue eyes. However i may just wait till they shed from now on after reading some of these posts.

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Originally Posted by Ezekiel285

I never knew there was any risk involved that is good to know (even if only slight risk)

I feed live and my two BPs have never refused at any stage of shedding, even with blue eyes. However i may just wait till they shed from now on after reading some of these posts.

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Ditto 4 me

I always feed during shed just because Koga has never turned down a meal in the year I've had him.

It is slight but there is someone here (I can't recall whom now) needed to cut a shed off that was caught and bunched tight around a recent meal.