In my experience (in the instances my snake does not shed completely) once the head is clear feeding is not an issue. I have only ever owned the snake I have now and I also got it when it was several years old at least, so I do not have experience with babies. As a matter of fact my snake just shed last week and somehow left a strip most of the way down its back. I held off on the meal until I saw the skin in the cage and then fed Monday with no problems.