Proud Parental Announcement

[ruthupton]

My Cali King has just had her very first shed. I am such a proud mummy. :thumbsup:

By my calculations, she is roughly five months old and when I measured the shed it was 17.25 inches long. When I should i expect her next shed to take place, please? Is it dependent on how much I feed her, thus determining the growth rate?

[marisa]

Measuring sheds is not an accurate way of taking measurements. The sheds can stretch up to 75% or MORE than the snakes actually length.

You can't really know when to expect it, but yes generally feeding more=shed more. Snakes that eat twice per week will grow faster than snakes fed once per week. Either way of feeding is fine though.

Marisa

[vanderkm]

Congrats on the sucessful shed - make sure you check the shed skin to ensure the eyecaps and the tail tip have shed off, as if either are retained they can cause problems.

Our youngsters shed about every 3-5 meals but mature snakes only 3-5 times a year, though it does depend a lot on the size of meal and the individual snake,

mary v.

[ruthupton]

I am pretty sure that the eye caps came off the other day. I am taking her to a friend who keeps snakes, to get her checked over, tomorrow. Not sure what I am looking for, regarding the tail tip, but I'll ask my friend to show me.

[vanderkm]

We just check the shed skin - usually it comes off in one big peice and you can see the eyecaps on the top of the head peice. I also make sure the tail of the shed ends in a point because the tip of tail skin can often adhere - more of a problem in skinny tailed species like corns I think. If the tip of skin does not shed off every time, it can restrict the growth in the tailtip and result in the tip dying and falling off.

mary v.

[ruthupton]

Right, I can confirm that she had a clean shed and my friend says that she is in excellent condition. Deep sigh of relief.

[PaulBar]

Also make sure you don't keep the snake in too dry a room.

Proper humidity will ensure no shedding problems.
40% humidity is about correct.

P