My butter ball is shedding

So I went to pick up my butter ball and noticed he started hissing, which is a first since I've owned him, so I continued to pick him up . when I got him out of the cage and into the light l noticed his eyes were very cloudy and knew that he was in shed so I put him down and left him alone, but today is feeding day, should I try to feed him or wait till after his shed. Also, how long is the shedding process?

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I would go ahead and feed him. If you are feeding live monitor him very closely. If your are feeding f/t and he refuses you can leave overnight at his hide or remove and toss as your preference. If he doesn't want to eat wait until the next feeding cycle or he is done shedding. Should take a couple of days to a week depending on how far along he is. Shedding time varies based on the snake and humidity.

Try to keep his humidity up around 70%

Doesn't seem like he's too happy. I'd just bump up the humidity and leave him alone. Just feed him next week.

His eyes are cloudy,may he eat, yes,but when my guys are blue,I won't feed them,just let them be,there not comfortable,that's obvious if he is hissing at you,so why stress him more. Don't stress them,they will be fine to miss a meal..just keep humidity up and mist the tank.. I also mist my guy once he's out of blue..I'll pick him up one time a day and spray him down with a mist,he loves it.

Thanks for the advice

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I have never had one of mine hiss simply due to shedding, but it is far from rare to see the occasional specimen that just does not want to do anything during a shed. I always offer food regardless of shed since most of mine take, but there's nothing wrong with skipping a meal if you do not want to chance the possibility of having to re-freeze/throw out/store a prey item.

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Originally Posted by Physician&Snakes

I have never had one of mine hiss simply due to shedding, but it is far from rare to see the occasional specimen that just does not want to do anything during a shed. I always offer food regardless of shed since most of mine take, but there's nothing wrong with skipping a meal if you do not want to chance the possibility of having to re-freeze/throw out/store a prey item.

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This is the reason I invested in a 2 gallon tank...so I have somewhere to put the prey should he refuse for whatever reason.

i did try to feed my one guy while he was blue,two times ,my other guy one time and he actually turned his head away and like hid,so from now on,they can wait to feed til they have shed 100%. There well taken care of and well fed so they will be fine.

My little albino shed this morning and I offered food on Wednesday night. Although she didn't take (she did try to strike and gave up) I still gave her the option. I offer weekly regardless, if they eat; they eat and if they don't, no problem. Good luck with the shed :D I was unwinding a not so clean shed (she pooed on top of it) to double check for eye caps about 15 mins ago!

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Originally Posted by Naom9Anne

My little albino shed this morning and I offered food on Wednesday night. Although she didn't take (she did try to strike and gave up) I still gave her the option. I offer weekly regardless, if they eat; they eat and if they don't, no problem. Good luck with the shed :D I was unwinding a not so clean shed (she pooed on top of it) to double check for eye caps about 15 mins ago!

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Lol. I do that as well after the shed. I hate when u can't see the poop till u touch it. Lol

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Originally Posted by jasonmcgilvrey83

Lol. I do that as well after the shed. I hate when u can't see the poop till u touch it. Lol

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Lol. That's why I wear latex gloves when I plan on moving substrate. Hate touching poo with bare hands.

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I tried to feed him live last night and he took. In a happy owner. :)

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That's great news! May it continue!

I looked at my guy this morning and saw that most of his she'd was off but not all. I found his shed and noticed that the bottom half of his shed came off in one piece but a small portion of the top half (the head and about 3 inches down was still on. I soaked him in warm water for 5 minutes before work. Then I misted his cage to raise humidity while I was at work. I'm heading home from work in about an hour. If his she'd is still on. Should I be worried? Today is day 5-6 in shed.

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I worry about shed stuck to the head/face area. If it's still there you can soak him again and let him crawl through a moist towel in you hands or gently rub him to get it off. I would look for eye caps as well.

Either way it's not an emergency for just one shed. If it happens multiple sheds in a row you need to change something.

Don't force it if the skin doesn't come off readily when moistened. You shouldn't have to yank it off so to speak.

He is very nippy right now. I'm a little scared to pick him up

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I have never been bit. My guy is about 400g. Does it hurt? Will it draw blood?

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Originally Posted by kingkung

I have never been bit. My guy is about 400g. Does it hurt? Will it draw blood?

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If you have ever been stung by a bee...then that is, in my experience, less painful than a snake bite. It can draw a little blood, but just a dab of Neosporin and band-aid should do the trick. If he is being head shy and the retained skin is there, then I would try the pillow case before my fingers just because you grabbing at his head is going to be quite stressful.

My pastel went very strikey with me to the point I got a little bit nervous around her (when I first got her) I went out and invested in some gloves to give me the confidence to handle her. I used these gloves once, now if she strikes at me I laugh and use the "ball-up" technique. I think the best thing to do is try not to lose your confidence in handling and use slow but confident movements and don't go for the head (my pastel used to follow me with her head in a constant s mode for striking). Just keep handling for short periods of time and you'll be fine :) I have yet to be bitten but I've heard a cat scratch hurts more! They have an anti coagulant in their saliva which causes more bleeding which is why it normally looks worse than it is. That being said, I'm not volunteering to be bitten by my lot any time soon. I'll remain a bite virgin for as long as is possible ;)

I checked my guy today and he still has shed on his head. It's been a week since he started shedding. Should I be worried?

http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMAG0441.jpg
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMAG0438.jpg


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Originally Posted by kingkung

Lol. That's why I wear latex gloves when I plan on moving substrate. Hate touching poo with bare hands.

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Me too, I've even started wearing them for feeding so I don't have to repeatedly wash the rodent smell off my hands, my skin got so dry from it that my knuckles cracked :(.

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Originally Posted by kingkung

I have never been bit. My guy is about 400g. Does it hurt? Will it draw blood?

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It doesn't hurt, honestly it's like being scratched with rough sandpaper. However it WILL absolutely startle the heck out of you. I've been hit by my 5 1/2 foot boa (drew a very little bit of blood), an 1,800g girl (broke top layer of skin, but only just) and about 47 times by one of my hatchlings (which is why she's named Nipper) who never could break the skin despite giving it her absolute best efforts. It will make you jump every. single. time. But I'd much rather get bitten by a snake than a rat or a hamster, those are way worse.

Just be gentle and remeber, if he bites it's because he's scared. He can't see what's happening, as far as he knows you're a hawk that's picking him up to eat him.

ETA: I'm not quite sure so correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like it's just one or two scales on top of his nose, and a tiny patch on his neck? If that's the case (and it's just a little patch on the neck that's limited to the one spot and doesn't encircle his neck) don't worry. Those will drop off on their own soon or come off with the next shed.

Lol. I was wearing leather gloves in the picture while holding him, in fear of getting bitten, lol

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