Is my BP finished shedding yet?

[SamTLam]

Thanks Joanna!

OK, I finally got 99% of the skin off of him after about 30 minutes, from all his trying to get out of my hands and onto the carpet. He sure wasn't having a good time! But he seemed to be cooperating a bit, moving around and tensing his body where he needed to to make the skin come off easier. It came off in two very large chunks (it tore a bit in the middle because of how I lifted him out of the tank) with a few bits and pieces here and there, so that gave me a better idea of how it's SUPPOSED to happen naturally. Still, some pieces were really hard to get off, and I wonder how he's supposed to do it naturally! I'm presuming that if I *up* the humidity, like you said Joanna, at the beginning of the shed cycle, that'll go a long way in helping him out next time.

There was a little bit of skin left around his neck that was really hard to get off. It seemed pretty stuck on there, even after I moistened it a bit, and also Ash just didn't like my being next to his neck. Poor guy probably is going to hate me for a day or two!

Also, his belly looks pretty pink, even though the skin is off. Is this natural, for the skin to be pink after removing the old skin?

I'll take pictures of him next time I handle him, after I've given him time to recuperate! He's all shiny and bright now, a lot more golden than when he was a baby! And, man, did the little dude get bigger in the last two months! I guess all that feeding is worth it. Also, that was one of the coolest bonding experiences I've had in a while. Even though he wasn't having a good time, the fact is that NEITHER WAS I--it was pretty frustrating for me too. But it was clear from our interaction that, aside from my trying to get off his old skin, he knows me now, or at least he tolerates me. A few times he was trying to escape from my fist to hide in my armpit. Maybe he hasn't figured out that the fist and the armpit are parts of the same Big Ape.

I hope the guy rests is and is out and about again soon. Anyway, it's feed time for him on Sunday.

OH, that reminds me: I fed him his first f/t mouse on Sunday, and it was an adult too. Let's just say he had very little problems eating it, i.e., about half a second after I put in the thawed mouse, Ash was on top of it.

Thanks again!
Sam

Edit: Nevermind, I just looked in the tank and he's poking his head out. He must've rubbed that last piece of skin off because it's not on him anymore, so he's completely clean now! Still curious about his slightly pink belly, however. It's not VERY pink; it looks like pre-shed pink, except that he's post-shed.