My Dumerils just shed.....while I was holding him!

[KWenger]

Strange and unexpected experience this evening: I got home from the office late and decided to take my Dumerils....I've had him only two weeks.....out for a bit. With the exception of 48 hours after feeding him, I've been handling him for an hour or so every day. Exceptionally sweet, docile snake and lots of fun. Generally I just "wear" him around my neck while I go about doing whatever I'm doing. Tonight I sat outside on my porch for awhile with my iPad and then started playing fetch with my Golden Retriever. Very hot, humid evening.....lovely snake weather outdoors here in NC. While I was playing with the dog, I became aware that the snake was squirming around my neck and shoulders more than usual. Then I heard an odd crinkling sound.....kind of like the sound of a sheet of paper being crumpled. Couldn't figure out what the sound was, so I went inside and looked in the mirror. My snake was about 1/3 through shedding! I wasn't sure what to do, so I just stood there in front of the mirror and watched. It took him about 10 minutes to completely shed, and he was very nonchalant about it. Completely surprised me as I had no idea he was about to shed. If I had, I wouldn't have been handling him in the first place. In any case, no harm done, and it was rather fascinating to watch my Dumerils slither out of his old skin.....all while crawling around my neck and upper body. Has anyone else ever had an experience like this? I put him back in his enclosure and later offered him the rat I had thawed earlier for his dinner. He aggressively took it immediately. Now he is curled up in his hide digesting his meal.....and I'll leave him in peace for a couple of days. Such an interesting experience I wanted to share it.

[Amadeus]

My dum's shed cycle takes a very long time so whenever he's about to shed you'll know it at least a week in advance.

An hour a day may be a little bit excessive and could stress the snake. Was it a complete shed with eye caps?

My dum is a puppy dog too. Just sits on me =]

[KWenger]

Yes. Complete shed including eye caps.....I checked that carefully as one of my BPs has been known to retain his eye caps when he sheds. I am NOT experienced with Dumerils and honestly had no idea at all that he was about to shed. How can you tell? I have 2 BPs and one corn snake and can tell at least a week before any of them shed. Not a clue (obviously) about Dums though. Also, why is an hour a day too much to handle him? He certainly does not seem stressed.....and if he was stressed wouldn't he have refused food when I offered it to him?

[rocknhorse76]

Glad he shed in one piece. Sounds like he's doing great!

[rocknhorse76]

My Dum's both have very shed times compared to my other snakes. They generally go into blue (cloudy eyes) and look very dull and dark with pink bellies at least a week before they actually shed.

[Mikoh4792]

Yes. Complete shed including eye caps.....I checked that carefully as one of my BPs has been known to retain his eye caps when he sheds. I am NOT experienced with Dumerils and honestly had no idea at all that he was about to shed. How can you tell? I have 2 BPs and one corn snake and can tell at least a week before any of them shed. Not a clue (obviously) about Dums though. Also, why is an hour a day too much to handle him? He certainly does not seem stressed.....and if he was stressed wouldn't he have refused food when I offered it to him?

Maybe because snakes don't want to move around for an hour when it's not necessary. It's a waste of energy. While you are handling him hes probably just trying to find a spot to hide and stay still until it's time to go out and hunt, get water...etc