Her first shed...

[EasternGirl]

Selena (the snake formerly known as Bibur) is shedding for the first time!

It seems to be freaking her out a bit...she doesn't know what is going on. Someone said something about the importance of a water dish for shedding? She is not going in the dish to shed...should she be?

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

BTW...she is still terrified of me...I think she is just a very skiddish snake.

[kibakiba]

Sometimes they don't go in the water. If they feel the need to, they will. It does take a bit of time for them to become used to you, I've had snap for 4? months I believe and I hold her often but she's still not too used to me. Some snakes just take a while to get used to you and calm down.

[EasternGirl]

I'm glad that you replied to my post, Chantel, because I've been reading some of your posts and have some questions for you. It seems like your snakes are so friendly...I know you said it took them a while, especially Mama. Selena is just terrified of me. She gets out of my hand as quickly as possible if I try to hold her. She hides most of the time when she sees me. I'm wondering if there is anything I can do?

I'm still not sure how much I should be feeding her... (she sneaks out and snatches her food and takes it to her hide, btw). I give her a couple of cut up pieces of worm every couple of days. Do you think that is enough? How do I know if she is big enough to try a pinkie?

Thanks! Oh, btw...you were talking about your snakes pooping on you...Selena likes to pee on me when I hold her..lol.

[ConcinusMan]

They're often more nervous or secretive until they complete their shed. In the wild, they are vulnerable to predators during shedding or when their eyes are cloudy.

The "terrified of me" part should subside if you don't mess with them much unless it's to feed them. After a while they associate you with a pleasant experience (getting fed) instead of an unpleasant one (getting messed with by the big mean giant)

Some snakes never do take a liking to being handled. Some of my babies will squirm and musk if I pick them up, but I don't think they're terrified of me since they come rushing toward me at feeding time.

[kibakiba]

The pee is probably musk If it smells foul that's mostly likely what it is. Snap is the same way, she can't stand me and will hide most of the day. I usually try to give them a little bit of space if I'm not feeding them or changing their water or substrate. I do hold them at least once a week for 30 minutes to an hour.

As for food, I go by feeding them enough to make a noticeable bulge in their stomachs and then feed them a day or two after, if the bulge is gone. Worms get digested pretty quickly, too so I would say a few every couple days could be enough. I wouldn't go more than 4 days without feeding if it is worms or filleted fish. Might think of your finger as food

[EasternGirl]

Interesting about them being more nervous before they shed....as soon as she got that shed off, she was all over her cage being, suddenly, very brave. Also, she went into her water. I noticed her eyes being cloudy a few days ago...I didn't know what it meant and thought she was sick.

It might be musk...it smelled a bit but not much.

I have never noticed her stomach bulge after she eats. She only eats about four small pieces of worm at a time. She won't eat from me....she doesn't like anyone watching when she eats. I put her food in a little dish and she waits until she knows no one is looking, and then snatches it and takes it to her hide.

I'm wondering if I should try putting a pinkie in for her...or if it would be too big at this point? She is still so small.

She has never tried to bite me...knock on wood.

[kibakiba]

I'm not sure about feeding her a whole pinkie, my male adult Snakey still has trouble eating pinkies. If you're comfortable with cutting it up, you could mix it with the worms and she'll probably grab onto some of the pinkie. If you're like me, it'd be kind of hard to do. I'm squeamish... Blood instantly makes me sick and scared, even cartoon blood.

Do you put more than 4 pieces in her enclosure? if so and she doesn't eat them then I would assume she's eating as much as she wants to and you wouldn't have to feed her more if she wasn't hungry enough to eat them all. With Mama she can eat 2 pinkies and it barely makes a bulge, she's pretty girthy, though.

[ConcinusMan]

If it's worms you're feeding and you're not seeing them get really full (bulge) then I would offer them daily, or at least every other day, and feed her as much as she'll eat, or until you see a bulge. Pinkies or fish will sustain her a bit longer so every few days would be OK in that case.

The cloudy eyes is the new skin forming under the old. After it clears up, the new skin is ready and the old gets shed off soon thereafter.

[EasternGirl]

She is so happy now that she shed! I've never seen her so active. She is all over her enclosure, investigating everything. Of course, now that she is brave...maybe she might decide to bite me if she doesn't want to be messed with...lol.

I have been putting about four or five small pieces of worm in each day. I was putting them in everyday because she wasn't eating for a few days. She started eating again yesterday...she usually eats about three or four pieces and leaves the rest.

I am not a squeamish person...but I am an animal lover and I don't know that I could cut up little mice...even if they are dead. Perhaps I will wait and try the pinkies when she is bigger. She was never interested in them when I tried them before...and she was never interested in fish. Worms are the only thing I have gotten her to eat so far.

[ConcinusMan]

They usually refuse food when a shed is coming up soon. Perfectly normal.

I cut up mice all the time, it's easier if they're still frozen. I even skin frozen adults. Make a cut, grab a flap and start peeling it like an orange. They don't bleed until they thaw. Gotta do what you gotta do. Don't think of it as a mouse. Just think of it as meat.