This step of the shedding process is the most easily recognizable. The eyes turn a grey/blueish color and the skin becomes very dull and faded. This step is caused by fluid buildup between the new and old skin layers. At this stage of the shedding process, handling or feeding ball pythons is not a recommended action. The opaque eyes may cause the ball python to strike defensively at both you and the prey item. During this time, the ball python is visually impaired and can also become stressed due to excess activity. Imagine yourself being tossed around and having animals running around near you, but you can't see. That could be a stressful situation for any creature. Below are several pictures of my ball pythons in this step of the shedding process. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.