Should he have shed by now?

[spacetiger110]

I have had Rocky for three weeks now, and he is about 20" long and weighs 18g. He is eating two pinkies every 4 days.

Petsmart gave me a feeding chart when I bought him. It says he came into the store the last week of July, and has records of him eating one pinkie every Thursday or Friday up until the Saturday I bought him. However, the key for the abbreviations on the chart also included "S: Shed" and there was no "S" marked on the chart anywhere.

I know the chart could be inaccurate about the shedding, and I'd like to think that they weren't lying about his feedings. If he shed, he wouldn't have eaten one week, right?

So if he actually did eat every week it would mean he hasn't shed in over three months. He hasn't shed in the three weeks since I've had him and his eyes haven't blued. He hasn't had anything less than a healthy appetite since I've had him. He just housed two pinkies as I was writing this post.

Should I be concerned that he hasn't so much as blued since I've had him?

 

[Jitt]

Just an amateur opinion, but if they house snakes together (as I understand is a "normal" for PetSmarts and similar pet shops in USA as I live in Europe) doubt they would be able to keep track on who's currently shedding/just shed. Can imagine they will be able to keep track of food though, unless someone was lazy and making checks "for show" regardless of eating or not (but since the snake is still alive, I guess they had to feed him with something )

After all, snakes are not clockworks to be ""on time" as we want them, so personally, I think he might take a week or even two more before feeling too tight in his own skin Mine (3 months old at that time) was entering blue when I got him and lately he wasn't active at all ... but yesterday he ate pinkey (gotta weight him, that's not usual stuff to do with snakes here in Europe as far as I understood), so tomorrow I guess will try my luck ... doubt he would eat if he would head towards blue. But snakes are all kinds of personalities, some doesn't even mind handling during that time, so who knows.

Overall, as long as he eats, poops and drinks (doesn't look dehydrated) and does his "snake things" I wouldn't be too concerned. They know better than us when is the right time to shed, after all

..... which reminds me I still have no clue why my own critter decided to stay hidden for so long now >.> maybe he's just bored or found out he can't get out of his viv and sulking because of that in his hide ...

 

[DollysMom]

Wow, you are lucky they gave you a chart! Many snakes eat right through shed. I had one eat when I didn't know he was in shed with no negative consequences.

At least all the PetSmarts around me house their baby corns separately in little plastic small animal keepers with substrate, water bowl and hide. Then those are housed in a locked case.

Someone could have missed marking a shed down. As long as your snake looks and acts normal, he will shed when he sheds. No worries.

 

[Karl_Mcknight]

it could be they just didn't mark the shedding down.

Or, maybe he hasn't shed in 3 months. That would mean that he's probably going to soon.

I've had Rufus for about 5 months now, and he has only shed once since I got him, but he is preparing to again right now, so that will be 2 sheddings for him in about 5 months or so.

There is no time frame carved in stone so try not to fret about it. A snake Sheds "When he needs to." Obviously your snake is not ready just yet. Now if it goes 7 or 8 months without shedding then you might have some concern. But I'd not worry about it just yet.