Feeding whilst shedding

[kiiarah]

It is fine to feed once they are actively shedding, as in skin coming off. Bear with me if you already know this, but during the shed cycle you will first notice their skin will look looser and their belly may show a pinkish tone. After this, their skin will get a milky tint to it and their eyes will get cloudy. Next, they will look almost completely normal. This is usually a few days before the skin actually starts coming off.

The dangerous time to feed them is when they are in that zone where their eyes become clear again, but the skin has not started coming off yet, because you do not want to put them in a position of having to go through all the physical activity of shedding on a full stomach. Some snakes may do fine with this, but I have heard of it leading to regurgitations as well.

As for feeding during the first stage or when the eyes are cloudy, it is perfectly safe for the snake. The main concern during that time is that snakes are much more likely to refuse meals during shed cycles. It is really a financial concern in the early stages more than a safety issue, you just don't want to waste a rat if the snake is going to refuse anyway. Some snakes are fine with eating when their eyes are cloudy, it is just a matter of getting to know yours and determining whether he/she is receptive to eating during that time.

As for helping the pieces of skin come off the best thing you can do is keep humidity high and give the snake some time to work it off on its own. If it goes on long enough and you are concerned you can try allowing the snake to slither through a damp towel (make sure the water you use is only lukewarm). This will often help to remove residual bits. If you are able to keep the humidity in the enclosure at 70% or so that would be a great help. The only time leftover skin really causes a problem is if it is around the tip of the tail or in a full ring around the neck (since it can constrict bloodflow) or if the eyecaps did not come off. Stuck eyecaps are really best treated by a licensed herp vet so always confirm that they came off properly.

On a sidenote, during future sheds the best thing you can do is keep humidity consistently high and the enclosure clean and there should be no issues with skin coming off in bits. Some people advise soaking snakes that are preparing to shed, but I have heard it cautioned that this can actually take away the oils the snake needs and worsen the shed process. Just for what its worth, natural humidity is always the best bet.