The poop thing is quite disconcerting for us poor mammals it is hard to imagine going so long with out you know... Snakes can and do often go a long time with out. I have one girl that is like clock work every 5 days, and the other extreme an other female that waits for at least 3 weeks and often much longer. Don't worry a snake that is eating most of the time is generally fine. If they get odd lumps in the back end and stop eating then that can be an issue but it isn't that common.

The shed cycle is usually ten days pre-shed pink belly and often a bit more shy, not always but often. Then the colours fade and go almost milky, at or near the same time the eyes go cloudy, Then the eye clear sum the skin colours seem to brighten but there is a dullness to the shine of them. The next bit is the actual shedding, fresh shed is damp and sometimes smells odd I want to say fishy? but not quite, it will dry fairly quickly. The liquid is a slick secretion to help lubricate the skin, it is water soluble and soaking the snake before a shed inside the cycle can cause stuck shed because the intradermal lubrication is washed away in the water.

A side note is that snakes will often refuse food during the cycle, personally I have started to wait until they are done before I offer. That is personal preference, my garbage can snake has decided it is breeding season and she isn't interested in eating at the moment... other things on her mind apparently.

Alex