Feeding during shed...

[BMoore]

Hey Everybody.................
I was wondering, is it okay to feed during a shed? ??? Is it a MUST NOT or does it just depend on the snake, whether they want it or not? It's feeding time and I hate going off schedule because between my two Boa's I try to feed on the same day. Weekends is the easiest for me to drive 45 miles to get rats since I pre-kill on don't breed. Get my drift.............. So what's up?

**Beth**

[redtailedmel]

Re:Feeding during shed...

well if i happen to have one in shed and one not in a shed ill thaw one rat at a time ill try to feed the one in shed first if he dont eat ill give it to the next. one of my babies will eat during shed one will when he feels like it.

[BMoore]

Re:Feeding during shed...

See thats the problem, I don't feed f/t. I will convert someday. ;D But I see your point about one snake may not mind and the other won't.

**Beth**

[redtailedmel]

Re:Feeding during shed...

hmm well only whack one at a time lol if one dont eat it save the other for later hehehe my baby that doesnt decided to eat during shed ill feed him the day after he finished his shed

[sclark]

Re:Feeding during shed...

Hey Beth,

It won't hurt the snake. Most won't eat during sheds. Out of all my snakes, only one of the babies will eat while in shed. You can skip the meal with no harm.. Only thing you risk is either a wasted prey item or what happend tonight. My blue beauty was out of the blue and I offered her a rat. She took it, started to get it down, shed on her head started to split, she spit it back out to get her shed skin off and then didn't want it. So I wasted a fat Med rat..

But it won't hurt your baby..

Hope that helped..
Steve

[Barracuda_41]

Re:Feeding during shed...

8)I think its fine to feed durring a shed if the snake is hungry and takes the prey, i have few that eat right thru the shedding period and then i have the few that refuse to eat till they have shed... 8)

[SnakeDan]

Re:Feeding during shed...

It's definently worth a try ,to feed during shed. All of ours eat during their shed cycles,or at least almost every time. Just kill 1 rat at a time , so you don't waste any. That can get expensive.

[BMoore]

Re:Feeding during shed...

Cool thanx everyone.....
You guys all told me exactly what I wanted to know. I may go today to get the rats then. And like redtailedmel said I will just offer the rat to my other dnake then save the live one. Maybe put it in an extra tank until Jezebel is done shedding. It should be any day now. :

**Beth**

[ClayEnglish]

Re:Feeding during shed...

Just a note. I do not offer food to any boa that has true opaque eyes. If I cannot see the pupils I do not offer food, or mess with them in any manner. This state of temporay blindness is the most vunerable time for the boa, with the process of swallowing the prey coming in second.

If they are in the shed cycle and yet the eyes are clear enough to see the pupils, I offer food just as any other of the boas. They eat almost 100% of the time.

[WeLsH]

Re:Feeding during shed...

Once my boa goes into its shed cycle, I make sure I hold off on the feeding tell she has completly shed. Like Clay said I don't want to make her more stressed out than she already is. cwm24.gif

[redtailedmel]

Re:Feeding during shed...

well i forgot to mention that i dont offer it when they are blue i wait till they clear up if shed fall into the cycle of feeding

[BMoore]

Re:Feeding during shed...

Okay, Got it, not during blue eye's. I kinda figured that. They are soooooooooooooooo touchy then! Thanx again guys.

**Beth**

[sclark]

Re:Feeding during shed...

Hey beth,

Assuming that your biter isn't the one in shed.. Have you been holding him alot? How is everything going with him?

Steve

[BMoore]

Re:Feeding during shed...

Yeah Steve, the holding is going great. I meant to e-mail you but I'm kinda slow on the "to-do" list these days. ;D

Ezzie is doing a lot better (and me too). Everynight since the first night we talked on the phone Ezzie has been coming out of hide around 10:30- 11:00pm. So when she's out I scoop her out and hold her for about 15 minute's or so before I go to bed. It's nice doing it that late since my kids are in bed. (If I'm lucky)

I fed both snakes about 4 hours ago. Jezebel ate just fine. I fed her a LARGE rat this time to see if she could take it. And she did just fine, shedding and all. Actually it was funny. When we brought the rats into the room, both snakes were sticking their heads out of their hides like 10 minute's later. I guess they were hungry after all.

Now, I'm just trying to decide whether or not I want to feed Ezzie along with Jezebel every 10 days while I'm trying to fatten up Jezebel. I'm wondering if I should take Ezzie down to one large or jumbo instead of two, since she will be eating more often. What do you think?

Also I am having a problem with the soaking and I'm hoping that I don't need to find a new rubbermaid tub. I soaked Jezebel yesterday and this is the 2nd time that when I've opened the tub, she is on the tiniest ledge wedged into the top. So she wasn't soaking after all............ any suggestions?

**Beth**