Mr. Bojangles hasn't shed yet, so I don't have any input as far as that is concerned. However, when feeding Bo, I usually take him out of his terrarium and handle him for a short while (10-30 minutes), and then just prior to putting him back, I'll stick the live mouse inside (this provides minimal time for the mouse to "use the restroom," so to speak). It doesn't take more than 3 minutes for Bo to get into his strike position, wait for the mouse to wander by and BAM!! I also handle Bo at least once every couple of days when I'm home, so I don't think he associated handling with meal-time, which is good.