Feeding while Shedding

[EllasLlama]

I typically feed my snow corn on Saturdays. I happened to be a day late this week and was attempting to feed her on Sunday morning instead. I have a regular routine of putting her into her feeding box until she gets comfortable and then introducing a pinkie. However, she refused to eat it. Normally, I just drop a f/t and she has it half-way down before I blink.

Ok, a couple things here.

I tried again tonight, and she still would not attempt her food at all. She knows its there because she stuck her nose into it a couple of times, but does not seem the least bit interested in it.

I'm not sure of her specific weight currently, but she is large enough to eat fuzzies. Is it alright for her to miss a week or should I keep trying? I don't really want to stress her out.

Another thing, I did happen to notice that her eyes are duller than normal which is indicative of shedding, but the problem is I have never seen a snow corn in the blue phase to have anything to compare her to. Would anyone happen to have a picture I could compare her to?

Is it normal to refuse food while beginning to shed or in the blue phase?

Thanks for all of the help! I'm not too paranoid, but it is nice to know about these things.

[Rich in KY]

It is normal for some snakes to not eat while in blue.

Wait at least 5 days before trying to feed again. Or if you want, wait til she has shed. She will be fine not eating during that time.

[JustineNYC]

Yes. My butter refused for the first time a few nights ago. She was out of her blue phase but hadnt shed yet. She refused and shed the next morning and that night she ate for me.


Dont worry about her missing a feed, she'll be fine.

[EllasLlama]

Thank you for the help and decreased worries. :)

[Nanci]

I would just stop offering her food now until she sheds. Is she hiding away? She will be just fine waiting until after she sheds.

[Weebonilass]

All three of mine will eat before, during and after a blue phase and shedding, but I know our first snake would often refuse just before she went blue, although she would eat when she was blue.

I would agree with the others to wait until after she sheds or a week, whichever comes first :)

[EllasLlama]

I would just stop offering her food now until she sheds. Is she hiding away? She will be just fine waiting until after she sheds.

She was out exploring last night after I wrote this. I have not seen her out today, but she is typically not out until after I turn the light out.

[Nanci]

Well, they go through a phase where their eyes clear, but they haven't shed, and you think you've just not found the shed. Maybe she is doing that, if her eyes were cloudy before. They generally shed 12-48 hours after clearing. Unless you find the shed, though, I would wait five days or whatever her regular feeding interval is before trying again. It's not recommended to keep trying for days in a row- you can create a picky eater by doing that.

[tsst]

My MBK Balthazar does not eat thru blue and shed. He is totally not interested. But Deuce my corn will eat anytime. I have fed him in blue, during clear phase and even once right before he shed. I did not intend that but was feeding night and I fed him. About an hour later he was half shed and working on the rest. He has never missed a meal ever, a true eating machine.

[ssmith_1187]

EllasLlama,

However, she refused to eat it.

How long did you leave the fuzzy in with her???

Roxanne will actually come out of her feeding container to get the mouse and then proceed to wrap 2-3 coils around it...SSSHHH, I haven't told her they are already dead ;)

However, this past Sunday she was as blue as blue gets. I opened her feeding container and dropped the mouse in. She nudged it with her nose and didn't seem interested. I then turned off the lights and left the room to clean my instruments and tend to her viv. When I came back 20 minutes later the mouse was resting comfortably in her belly.

With that said, there are some snakes that will just refuse to eat when in blue, I’m just relating my experiences with Roxanne.

Regards,
Steve

[EllasLlama]

How long did you leave the fuzzy in with her???

I would say it was in with her for around 15-20 minutes. Usually she doesn't coil at all and is perfectly content that her food has already been lovingly prepared for her enjoyment.

[ssmith_1187]

You could leave it in with her a little longer, but like others have said and I agree, there's really no reason to stress her out in an already vulnerable state.

Good luck and I'm sure her normal appetite will return once she has shed.

Keep us posted!!!

Regards,
Steve

[wax32]

Some of mine will eat in blue some won't. If I happen to notice they are blue before defrosting mice I don't even offer them one. It doesn't hurt for them to skip a meal. Big Red is staring at his fuzzy as I type this... pretty sure he isn't gonna eat it, and he isn't even blue. Sometimes they just aren't hungry. :D

[susang]

I then turned off the lights and left the room to clean my instruments and tend to her viv.
Regards,
Steve

I have no idea why but when I read this all I could think of was Hannibal Lector:eek:.

I agree with others you have to find out what your snake will do, my new Jungle ate the other day went back in the viv and shed. I wasn't even sure he was blue.

[EllasLlama]

I thought I would update everyone on the situation.

She shed last night, which was kind of odd. Everything had cleared up, and she didn't really look dull, but when I woke up this morning, there it was, neat as can be.

I decided to try and feed her when I got home from work this afternoon, and she took one good look and the f/t fuzzie, and then would not have anything to do with it after that. So, I gave in and found a live one, and she took rather well to it. As much as I hated her to eat a live one, I was just happy that she was eating.

She's now nice, happy, full, and freshly shed while sleeping in her hollow log.

Thanks everyone for the help and support.

[susang]

Going from blue to clear and then shed is perfectly normal. Each of my snakes is different I have one that is clear now and has been for two days, no shed yet. She does eat while blue, however. susang

[luvmycorn]

snow corns do not usually show much sign of shedding. the only way you can tell is if their eyes are dull and sometimes the shed layer of scales on their heads start to peal, and they look ratty. other than this, the only way you can tell if a snow corn is in shed, is if it will not eat. they do not eat because the food makes their skin bigger, and it is harder to shed.

your snake may also be going through a "fast." this happens to many snakes in the winter months. but, to be on the safe side you might want to call you vet and make sure your snake is fine!!!!!!!! :)

[susang]

snow corns do not usually show much sign of shedding. the only way you can tell is if their eyes are dull and sometimes the shed layer of scales on their heads start to peal, and they look ratty. other than this, the only way you can tell if a snow corn is in shed, is if it will not eat. they do not eat because the food makes their skin bigger, and it is harder to shed.

your snake may also be going through a "fast." this happens to many snakes in the winter months. but, to be on the safe side you might want to call you vet and make sure your snake is fine!!!!!!!! :)

Please many snakes eat while blue, without incident. The head should not start "pealing" before the rest of the body. Going thru what "fast" and then call the vet why call a vet for a shedding snake.:shrugs::shrugs:susang

[Cegninedorf]

snow corns do not usually show much sign of shedding.

Oh, darn -- my striped snow just shed...I could've gotten a "blue" photo for anyone who's interested! The first time she shed, I had no idea that Schnee was in blue -- she just appeared her normal self...and the next time, I picked up on it much more quickly (I'm smart like that!): she appeared much more "dull" and the eyes gave it away: her red eyes looked "milky"...she was also super-squirmy, which gave it away, too (when explaining it to my 2nd graders, I describe the snake's "discomfort" as being comparable to how one's skin feels when sunburned...itchy & uncomfortable).

Some of my snakes are great eaters, regardless of "blue" status -- Schnee being one of them. I think that there could be an earthquake going on, and she'd be totally oblivious to it, should food be available to her! However, my lil'lav, ShugaBoog, just refused yesterday & yes, he's in blue. Shuga is also a "sensitive" eater -- where I had to wash his food first and he likes his feeding container covered/darkened -- and sometimes he'll eat when in blue, sometimes not. I figured as much that he'd refuse, so I passed it on to Schnee, who really does think she's a horse. It all worked out well. :)

snow corns do not usually show much sign of shedding. the only way you can tell is if their eyes are dull and sometimes the shed layer of scales on their heads start to peal, and they look ratty.

My Caramelo was having this problem when I first got him -- and I posted this thread about Caramelo (http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46720&highlight=caramelo)...and Caramelo is a normal. The peeling scales on his head was due to -- at least, per my perception -- due to a lack of proper humidity in his previous owner's house/his tank. I worked on regulating his humidity, running him through damp towels to aid in shedding, and I put a clay flower pot in his tank (which I misted & he hides in -- he loves it!), and he no longer has this problem. :) He's a handsome son-of-a-gun. :twoguns:

Please many snakes eat while blue, without incident. The head should not start "pealing" before the rest of the body. Going thru what "fast" and then call the vet why call a vet for a shedding snake.:shrugs::shrugs:susang

As for the "fast" that was mentioned...from my understanding, reptiles tend to slow down their eating habits during the cooler months: I guess, lack of heat = slower digestion = not eating so much/disinterested. I wouldn't call it a "fast" necessarily, just a "slow" (yes, pun intended :p ). My vet calls it "seasonal anorexia"...how's that work for everyone? :)

[diamondlil]

snow corns do not usually show much sign of shedding. the only way you can tell is if their eyes are dull and sometimes the shed layer of scales on their heads start to peal, and they look ratty. other than this, the only way you can tell if a snow corn is in shed, is if it will not eat. they do not eat because the food makes their skin bigger, and it is harder to shed.

your snake may also be going through a "fast." this happens to many snakes in the winter months. but, to be on the safe side you might want to call you vet and make sure your snake is fine!!!!!!!! :)
Do you have personal experience with a snow? I can tell when mine is shedding because she becomes dull, her skin has a different texture and her eyes are a much paler pink whilst she's in blue, but it doesn't affect her appetite at all. Incidentally, out of my 20 snakes, only 3 of them refuse to eat in blue on a regular basis, the rest usually eat whether they're in shed or not. It's not normal for corns to fast during winter if they aren't put into brumation by the keeper cooling them and keeping them dark.
It's really nice that you want to be helpful, but maybe better get some experience under your belt first?

[Cegninedorf]

It's not normal for corns to fast during winter if they aren't put into brumation by the keeper cooling them and keeping them dark.


I should have clarified in my post, as well: with the "seasonal anorexia," I only really experience that with my bearded dragon and leopard geckos, and I had trouble with it because I was also *trying* to get them to eat while medicating them...I can't say that I've ever noticed my corns refuse during the colder months, but then again, this is only my second winter with them, so I consider myself very much the novice yet. :shrugs:

[diamondlil]

Me too! I try to stick to topics I do know about, or link to a post by someone else if I think it may help. I may have sounded harsh, but I felt the other poster was perhaps running before they could walk. If the wrong information isn't challenged, the worst case scenario is it being followed to the detriment of the snake.
luvmycorn; I really didn't mean to offend you, and hope I wasn't too heavy-handed.

[CornNoobie]

I know your corn has now shed and eaten, but for all those who say you cant tell a snow is in blue, and when they are they wont eat, i just thought id show a pic of my snow, in blue tucking into a pinkie, and also a pic of her a couple of weeks before. You can normally tell when your snow is in blue, if you know your snake well and how it looks / feels.

[diamondlil]

(And our leopard gecko is definately in her winter mode now, madame will only eat a giant mealworm if she has a waxworm entree)