Reptile & Amphibian Forums

King is shedding. It's been a few days, almost a week perhaps since it started. How long does it usually take? I've heard up to two weeks.
As for his eating, I didn't brain the pinky this time around, hoping that he would eat it without needing to do surgery. I know he's definitely used to his habitat now, and he's okay with handling.
He hasn't eaten the pinky yet, its been about 24 hours, but even braining the pinky last week immediately, it took him over 24 hours to eat it then.

Could the whole shedding process be slowing down the eating? Or maybe the environment isn't warm enough for him? We've got a underside heater on one side, and the cooler side is his waterbowl. He always hangs out under his waterbowl. If he was cold, wouldn't he prefer the warm area?

the shed process is usually done in a lil less than two weeks. first the snake will appear a blue tinge, and a week later usually clear up. The snake should shed within a few days when it clears up. if the shed isnt coming off in once piece try offering a humid hide in the warm end on the enclosure. simple set ups are deli cups with cutout on top with damp sphagnum moss inside. dont try to feed while in shed. it often stresses the juveniles out. if incomplete shed is occuring you can also try a luke warm water bath for about ten minutes. make sure the water is not hot to the touch. but just barely warm or use a thermometer making sure the water isnt over 86 f. your temps on the warm side should be mid 80s. a small thermometer near the warm side hide should give you a fairly decent reading. hope this helps. and just have patience with the feeding sometimes juvies go off feed. you might have to try the braining technique a few more times before it will take one without. but once they start on there own its off to the races and they are vigorous feeders. good luck.

JCS thank you for the suggestions, I will try to find some sphangum moss. I knew something had to be wrong with his shedding since it wasn't coming off in one piece.

meant to say low to mid 80s, ie 82-86. or as a few say the higher the temp gradient the better. lol