Baby Corn... First Shed

[enl0001]

I'm a first time snake owner, and as far as I know, this is my baby's first time to shed. I've read a couple of places that I should not feed them or handle them while their eyes are milky blueish, but I've also read that you can offer them food although they may not eat it. Tomorrow is her feeding day, should I offer her some food? Or just leave her alone?

Also, on another note, is soaking necessary? I'm perfectly fine with doing it, I've just never done it before and just wanted to know if everyone does it, or if I only need to do it if my snake doesn't shed completely.

[K. Rene]

I usually don't offer mine food while they are in blue. Especially the little ones I had one regurgitate so now I just wait till they shed waiting a few more days will be fine.

As for the soaking we only do that if part of the shed doesn't come off. If your humidity if good there shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure that the tip of the tail comes off as well as the eye caps.

[MysticExotics]

Depending on where you got your snake, most breeders wait until after the first shed & feeding, although some do not.

My first "baby", 10 months old, ate the day I brought him home, & he went blue last week, (I offered him a pinkie as soon as I noticed-which he ate) & finally shed last night. I took a small round plastic container (similar to small butter container) cut a hole in the side, & put a couple folded up damp papertowels in it, put the lid on it, & put it in his cage. The moisture helps the shed process.

If the water dish is big enough for them to soak in, they'll sometimes do it on their own.

If you feed him in the inital blue phase, it may take him a little bit to eat it,since their eyes are clouded over. I just put mine in a feeding cage with the pinkie, left him alone for a little while, & when I came back, he had eaten it.

[enl0001]

I don't have anything to control the humidity, but I do live in Alabama so it stays humid all the time. I guess I'll know in a few days if it's humid enough.
I'll wait until she's done to feed her because her eyes are blue right now.
Thanks, :)

[EsotericForest]

I personally wouldn't offer food if the snake is this young. There shouldn't be anything special you need to do for the shedding to go smoothly either. Most snakes handle it just fine, and only need soaking if part of it doesn't come off.

[enl0001]

Depending on where you got your snake, most breeders wait until after the first shed & feeding, although some do not.

My first "baby", 10 months old, ate the day I brought him home, & he went blue last week, (I offered him a pinkie as soon as I noticed-which he ate) & finally shed last night. I took a small round plastic container (similar to small butter container) cut a hole in the side, & put a couple folded up damp papertowels in it, put the lid on it, & put it in his cage. The moisture helps the shed process.

If the water dish is big enough for them to soak in, they'll sometimes do it on their own.

If you feed him in the inital blue phase, it may take him a little bit to eat it,since their eyes are clouded over. I just put mine in a feeding cage with the pinkie, left him alone for a little while, & when I came back, he had eaten it.


It won't hurt if I wait until after shedding to feed her, right?
I'm worried about moving her while her eyes are blue, she seems pretty on guard.

[MysticExotics]

Note: I am very new at this, I just offer what I have read or been told. :)
There's several people here with LOTS more experience than I do :)

[MysticExotics]

It won't hurt if I wait until after shedding to feed her, right?
I'm worried about moving her while her eyes are blue, she seems pretty on guard.

Everyone else so far has said to wait to feed her, & since they have more experience than I do, I would follow their lead.
I offered food to mine as soon as I noticed his eyes haze over, & didn't have any problems. I was told by the guy I got him from that it's ok to offer it if you do it in the very beginning of the process, & that even then, they may refuse it.

[Caryl]

I concur with all the advice you've gotten about not feeding during blue and the reason for it is sound. I just wanted to add that you can take the advice of "don't handle during blue" with a grain of salt. The main reason for this advice is that the snake's vision is impaired when his eyes go milky. Their natural instinct is to hide away during the blue phase, and some of them get temperamental. Others don't mind being handled gently during this time. With certain morphs it's easy to miss the blue stage, and they get handled exactly the same as usual by many owners. If you want to handle your baby, go ahead.