Pooping and shedding? Connection?

[6037201]

I have noticed my snake is taking his time to poop, usually he poops once a week or once a week and the half, but he did not do that for almost 2 weeks now. And this morning I noticed his eyes were also dull so does snakes shedding process affect his ability to poop ???

[JodanOrNoDan]

I don't know if it affects the ability to poop or not but can almost guarantee that you get a huge gift right after it sheds.

[6037201]

I don't know if it affects the ability to poop or not but can almost guarantee that you get a huge gift right after it sheds.

A juicy one too ... lol

[ladywhipple02]

It never fails, if they're getting ready to shed, seems like they'll hold the poop off so they can wrap it up in their skin like a little present for you. I don't know how many times I've had a snake shipped to me only to find both shed and poo waiting in the bag as well. It's like they do it on purpose.

Of course, maybe they do. Shedding is a pretty intensive process for them to go through. Perhaps it's a survival thing, where it's simply safer/easier to complete everything all at one time, and be empty and ready to hunt again right after?

[6037201]

It never fails, if they're getting ready to shed, seems like they'll hold the poop off so they can wrap it up in their skin like a little present for you. I don't know how many times I've had a snake shipped to me only to find both shed and poo waiting in the bag as well. It's like they do it on purpose.

Of course, maybe they do. Shedding is a pretty intensive process for them to go through. Perhaps it's a survival thing, where it's simply safer/easier to complete everything all at one time, and be empty and ready to hunt again right after?

yeah that makes sense

[6037201]

It never fails, if they're getting ready to shed, seems like they'll hold the poop off so they can wrap it up in their skin like a little present for you. I don't know how many times I've had a snake shipped to me only to find both shed and poo waiting in the bag as well. It's like they do it on purpose.

Of course, maybe they do. Shedding is a pretty intensive process for them to go through. Perhaps it's a survival thing, where it's simply safer/easier to complete everything all at one time, and be empty and ready to hunt again right after?

And also since today is his feeding day should I hold off a little bit until he finished shedding then feed???

[Craiga 01453]

Mine will always hold off on pooping prior to and during the shed process. But it's almost always there when they shed.

As far as feeding while in shed, some will eat and some will not. It's really up to you whether you offer or not. If you offer and the snake refuses you have a wasted prey item unless you have other snakes to feed as well. There's no harm in trying, no harm in waiting. I stop offering after 2 refusals. I pretty much just figure they won't eat and I'm wasting both our time and feed them after they shed.

[hollowlaughter]

Snakes are not top-tier predators like humans, they're in the middle.

Poop/pee/etc is smelly. May attract THEIR predators, while also scaring away potential prey. So it's most efficient to dump it all at one location after a suitable feeding situation (preying on a rodent burrow for example) then move onto the next location with any indicators of its presence left behind at the completely tapped resource node.

[Kit]

My Ball Python is doing the same thing! I bumped up her meal a bit and she would have normal passed it by now. But she is getting ready to shed very soon so I also think she is holding it in as well.