What is your shortest time between sheds?

[Emily Hubbard]

Tonight, I reached in to check on my snake and she absolutely panicked. She jerked away from me and literally dove into the substrate to get back in her hide. She has NEVER tried that violently to get away from me, and I just closed the glass again and left her completely alone since she couldn't have been more clear that now was not a good time for me to hold her.

It was so unusual all I could think is maybe she is going into shed and couldn't see my hand til it was right on top of her and it just scared the crap out of her. However, she is not due for a shed for another two weeks. Since I got her, she has shed every month like clockwork, so I have come to expect sheds, and I never touch her or bother her while she is in shed, so I don't know if freaking out is "normal" shed behavior for her. She is in a vision cage, so I really can't tell if she looks dull without pulling her out into the light, and I just don't want to do that if she is so freaked out.

So, my question is, have any of you had a snake go only 2-3 weeks between sheds before? enter a growth spurt or something? Or, can you think of any concerning reason why my snake who is usually very calm and chill had a sudden panic attack when I reached toward her?

Warm side is 88 with a UTH, cool side 78, ambient around 80 under the lamp, which is a low wattage (and a black nocturnal lamp that gives off next to no light so is completely useless in observing) and I am maintaing 50% humidity, which is the best I can hope for with a lamp. As soon as the weather warms up, the lamp is going off, it's just a winter necessity to get the ambient up. She has a humid hide that she uses every shed, and she is eating a 40-50gm rat once a week with no issues, never refuses. She was 372gm when I weighed her before her last meal.

I know the answer to this is likely, "sometimes, snakes are just weird." but I just want to make sure I have no cause for concern. Thanks!

[The Serpent Merchant]

I had one of my BP's only go 3 weeks once. Nothing was wrong with him so I suspect he just had a growth spurt.

[Simple Man]

I feed a lot and 3 weeks is nothing out of the ordinary especially with my young ones Most of my adults are almost monthly.

Regards,

B

[zeion97]

3 weeks sounds like its the average considering that is what is was when mine sheded..

Sorry skimmed your post, but I will say my Roger retic is going to shed TWICE in a 2 week period. Little Guy is putting on some good size..

[AK907]

I feed a lot and 3 weeks is nothing out of the ordinary especially with my young ones Most of my adults are almost monthly.

Regards,

B

This.

[Emily Hubbard]

Thanks everyone! She was in her humid hide this morning, so a shed it is. Wow, I guess I'll just see what kind of size she starts putting on now. I think she's going to be a big, healthy girl