feeding before sheeding

[brucey]

hi
i am quite new here
this is my first post and i just wanted to ask if my spotted python would eat before it sheds.
it should shed in the next few days.
should i feed it today
any help as soon as possible as i have to go out soon.
thanks

[Kaotic]

i always offer mine food. sometimes she will take it, other times she won't.

[brucey]

thanks for that kaotic

[alumba]

Wait till your snake sheds. I find mostly in JUV and hatchos if you feed them while there coming up for a shed when the shed it can make things hard for the snake to get its skin of coz of the bulge in its guts and it could probably do damage to the snake
So feed it after shed never during the shed process

[alumba]

hope this has helped u

[snakeeyes]

mine is coming up for a shed within a week, i offered her food last night but she wasnt interested, i would just wait till it sheds

[cris]

I find mostly in JUV and hatchos if you feed them while there coming up for a shed when the shed it can make things hard for the snake to get its skin of coz of the bulge in its guts and it could probably do damage to the snake

How could that damage the snake?

[AustHerps]

I was of the impression that the old skin, whilst still on the body (but separated from the new skin) is not very maleable. It doesn't stretch as well.

I'd recommend waiting until a day after the shed has occured. JMO.

Cheers,
Austy.

[alumba]

Because the skin has trouble getting over the budge therefore the skin gets tighter and tighter around the gut region constricting it. And I said it could probably cause damage not that it will

[alumba]

yes so true ive had cases where I had to get a pair of scissors out to cut the clump of skin of around the bulge just so the rest of the snake can shed properly.....yes I had made this mistake but with so many mouths to look after I didn’t relies this snake was shedding in till the next morning when I was checking all the snakes to see who had eaten of not then I found him and acted immediately

[snakegal]

When I got my first snake I thawed out a pinkie not realising that my snake had just begun shedding with the skin over its head. I didn't want to waste a mouse so I offered the pinkie to him, and he took it eager as ever. He then resumed shedding and seemed to have no trouble at all -he shed cleanly and easily. I should add that the pinkie was very small so it didn't cause much of a bulge and not a challenge to eat - with him having it down in under 5 mins. But I wouldn't defrost a mouse/rat knowing that my snake was coming up to a shed.

Also, just like us with physical exercise it makes sense a lot of the snakes blood would be needed to go to the muscles for them to work the shed off, and with food in the gut, the muscles and stomach would be competing for blood. It means the snake needs to digest and use the muscles at the same time - similar to humans eating and then exercising, so it can't be good. That's probably why most snakes refuse when about to shed, I don't know why my boy didn't.

[Gekkocha]

Brucey, Feeding during pre-shed is an individual matter in my experience.
I have some carpets who normally have such a hearty appetite that they don't let something like a shed get in the way of it and will eat without hesitation. (As long as the lump in their belly isn't gigantic it shouldn't get in the way of a healthy shed) On the other hand, I find that my snakes who normally have a grumpy or flighty disposition tend to be those that go off feed during shed time.

I imagine the shedding process is probably uncomfortable for snakes. It messes up their eyesight. They are dealing with hormonal fluctuations as well as the changes in their skin leading up to the shed. So the grumpy ones get more defensive and the easily intimidated become more withdrawn.

Snakes in shed are like women on the rag
Some carry on with life and you can hardly tell, while others become horrible until it passes.

Bottom line......It depends on the individual snake and it's temperment.

[brucey]

thanks guys you have been big help
i decided to just wait in case and he should be ready to go
by the way i will try to get some photos of my little snake after it sheds

[Xenogenesis]

I'd say offer it, but obviously dont force it

[Kaotic]

My maccie just went all milky today. from experience i have found she sheds roughly a week after going milky. so I offered her a fuzzie today and she took it.