Hatchie shedding..... or not so much.

[Smurf]

Hey,
So I've done some searches and basically everyone says each snake is different and it will happen when it happens... But, how long is too long for the first shed?
(I am purposely not mentioning ages yet to avoid swaying opinions and answers.)
Cheers

 

[Umbral]

My stimmies took 15 days and all shed within 24 hours. Womas were at about 13 days.

 

[arevenant]

Wife won't let me build a dedicated snake shed... yet...

 

[Umbral]

Wrong thread?

 

[Smurf]

Thanks Umbral. Anyone got a longer time? By a good bit...

 

[arevenant]

Are they feeding properly?

 

[saximus]

A friend of mine has a couple of Carpets that have gone about a month and a half now

 

[Smurf]

Yes, he is feeding very well. In fact right now he is constricting the crappola out of a thawed pinky.
Month and a half is still a good bit less than my guy.

 

[Ekans]

Is the pinky the right size for him? Rate of shedding comes with the availability of prey as food determines the rate of growth. Are you weighing him and his food items to make sure they are the correct size for him? Without information such as type of snake, weight of the snake, weight of the prey, nobody can give accurate advice. It's all speculation and open to misinterpretation. You wouldn't go to an animal hospital and leave your pet at home and ask the vet what's wrong with it

 

[Smurf]

Hi Ekans. I am unaware of this snake-mouse weight ratio used for food size. I don't have scales that would be accurate for suck small weights, would you think it an essential purchase? He is a Darwin Albino, was feeding on pinkys when we got him and we were given a bunch more with him, with the assumption he will be on them for a little while. The mice do still give him a bulge and I have been picking the smallest in the bag to give him so i wouldn't be upping his size yet for sure.

 

[Prof_Moreliarty]

Are you sure there not pinky rats?

 

[Smurf]

Yea, come from a reputable shop. That wouldn't make difference to his lack of shedding anyway though, would it?
Just to be clear, I mean this snake hasn't even had his first shed from emerging from the egg.... He is 11 weeks old today

 

[Ekans]

Generally 10 to 20% of the snakes body weight is recommended, 30% if you are aiming to breed your snake asap. I don't use scales either I eyeball it. They can take a lot more than you expect, I wish I had gotten photos of my woma when he was younger, he looked like his mouth was going to split.

Rodent Farm has some nice info on their site showing recommended sizes of prey in relation to species and length http://www.rodentfarm.com.au/feeding/carpet-pythons/

Edit: length not age

 

[Prof_Moreliarty]

Yea, come from a reputable shop. That wouldn't make difference to his lack of shedding anyway though, would it?
Just to be clear, I mean this snake hasn't even had his first shed from emerging from the egg.... He is 11 weeks old today

Just a thought as you said you were given a bunch when you got him and I was under the impression carpets could take them right off the bat. Not sure how much difference it would make but as ekans suggested shedding is related to prey on offer

 

[Smurf]

Sorry, so do you mean he may shed when eating rats instead of mice? He is a great little feeder, no probs there
there. Could giving him a larger pinky next weekba am option instead? I don't want to rush growth to breed, they're so cute this small. And yes it is amazing what they can get down, I remember when my jungle jag went from velvets to weaned, they looked huge!
I have also started spraying his tank morning and night for the last week and a half Incase humidity is an issue. I don't think it is, and I haven't seen any change in behaviour or condition since spraying.

 

[Prof_Moreliarty]

Could try hopper mice as it's debatable how much nutrition they get from pinkies without properly developed bones and organs? And that may be reason hasn't shed yet as he isn't growing as fast? Sorry just suggestions youngest I've started with snakes is 3 months and they've already been shedding fine

 

[Smurf]

I'm not sure if the mice are all called the same and have the same increments up in the different states. Unless the shop I use has their own names, but for me it's pinky, velvets, weaned. The velvet it much larger, and would be a lot wider than this little guys head. I don't know if they can get issues from too big a feed, or if they'd just refuse it anyway, but my MD was almost 9 months when he went up (we got him at 8 and I think they purposely keep the snakes a little smaller in the shop.
It could be possible it's due to nutrition but so many other snakes do fine on pinkies, and usually have their first shed before first feed, this guy on the other hand, would have had 6 - 8 feeds by now.
Perhaps I have the next evolutionary step, a snake that grows it's scales up and no longer needs to shed..... Haha
I'm hoping to get the breeder to have a look over him one of these days but it's just been too damn hot!

 

[Smurf]

I have one 14.5 week old, rather saggy python at the moment. He's been getting the folds for a couple days now, so hopefully we have a shed coming up

 

[Bart70]

I have some carpets that are currently just over 7 weeks old without a shed. Of those, some haven't started eating yet, others have had 1 or 2 feeds. Some of the ones that have shed took 4-5 weeks before shedding and had 2-3 feeds before their first shed. All are otherwise healthy and active so am not concerned.....They will shed when they are ready.