About to shed and I'm going away

[zendragondrew]

I'm going on vacation on Sunday, so I was going to bring Matt, with his cage, to my friend's house down the street. The problem is he's about to shed. His eyes turned blue yesterday (Wednesday), how long do you guys think until he sheds? Should it be before Saturday? Is there anything I can do to help him shed? The humidity has been a little low, but it's at 50 right now.

I just don't want to move him across the neighborhood in the cold when he's sick like this and then leave him for a month.

[EasternGirl]

If his eyes just turned, it usually takes a few days for the eyes to clear back up and then a few days after that before they shed. So I doubt he would shed before Saturday. Keeping the humidity up, misting his plants a couple of times a day...perhaps letting him go for a little swim in a bowl of water...all help before a shed. Just make sure to keep the humidity up...the level it is at now is good. Make sure he has a water dish big enough to soak in inside his enclosure...but that he can get out of easily. Make sure he has things in his enclosure to rub against to help get the shed off when it's time...things that are rough...like a log hide or a coconut hide. You say he is sick...you mean because he is about to shed? Or he is sick with something else? He isn't sick because of the shedding...this is a normal process...he should be okay...has he had problems with sheds in the past?

[chris-uk]

Don't panic.

He's not sick when he's going into shed.
50% humidity is fine for shedding.

If his eyes only went blue yesterday I'd guess it will be at least Sunday before he sheds. Going on my snakes it usually averages 2 days of blue eyes, then anything from 2-4 days after the eyes clear before the shed happens.

Chances are he'll shed just fine on his own, and the friend who is taking care of him may be privillaged to witness the shed (or more likely Matt will shed when nobody is looking and your friend will just find the shed). Pre-warn them that he's due to shed, and what to check when he does shed. If Matt has shed fine in the past the chances are that he'll be fine this time. Point them at the forum so that they know where to get advice if there is a problem.

[Stefan-A]

Could take around 5 days, give or take.

Make a humid hide. Get a plastic box with a lid. Cut a hole twice the size of the snake's diameter. Fill the box with moist paper towels, toilet paper, moss, a sponge, peat moss, vermiculite or whatever substrate you might have handy.

It's okay to move the snake, just keep it warm. If you own a cooler, just put the snake in a smaller box in it and add a bag or bottle of warm water. If you don't, just pack the snake in a small box inside a larger one and insulate it with newspaper, clothes or anything you happen to have lying around.

[zendragondrew]

Thanks for the advice, looks like he probably won't shed before I leave.

Yeah, he's not sick-sick, I just meant sick as in he always acts grumpy and sick before he sheds. He should be perfectly healthy and hasn't had problems with sheds in the past, just didn't want to move him in the cold in this state, I don't like handling him when he's in shed-mode. My friend will just have to pick up the skin while I'm enjoying myself in Thailand

[EasternGirl]

I would definitely tell your friend about the forum and tell him he can come on here and talk to us if Matt should run into any problems getting his shed off....or if he has any questions at all about caring for Matt while you are away. We will be happy to help him.

[zendragondrew]

Thanks a lot, I will tell him when I do the transport on Saturday!