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im going through my first experience with the shedding process..it just so happens that he is in the 3rd day of the blue eye stage i held him yesterday for a little bit then put him back so he can go into hiding again lol..is it ok to feed him during this stage or should i wait an additional week to feed him? that would make 2 weeks since his last meal.. or is it ok for me to disturb him for some food?

He should be fine without food another week. He can go much longer with out food than you think. the day after he sheds just give him a nice sized mouse. Also be sure to mist his cage a few times a day to raise the humidity making it easier for him to shed. Don't make it too humid though!
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Judge me all you want...just don't share the verdict

It's generally a good idea to leave your snakes alone while they're in the blue eyed portion of their shedding as it's harder for them to see and they're slightly more agitated during this time. Like mentioned before, make sure you mist their cage to help the shedding process and it's ok if they miss a meal for a little while. They can go a while without eating so I'd even wait 3-4 days after it sheds to feed it. In a few days the eyes will clear up and then a few days after that it will shed. Just hold off on the feeding till after it's shed.
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thanks for all your help!! i will definately do what you said..and its a good thing i asked because i would not have known to mist the
cage, but it makes total sense

You didn't mention how old your snake is. Mine has always eaten right on schedule, blue eyes or not. When he turned about a year old (7.22.05), he decided he didn't want to eat during his pre-shed phase. During his next shed, I fed him on time and he took it. I think you should offer his meals on schedule. If he won't take it, put it in the fridge til the next day. If he still won't take it, toss it out. If he falls into a habit of always refusing food during his shed phase, then wait til after. I always give my snake the choice. Also, keep in mind that the snake is much more sensitive to handling in the shed phase. The blue coloring and general milky appearance are due to a fluid build-up between the new skin and old. So they have their own built-in method for properly shedding. If the viv is too dry, put in a plastic container with a hole in the side and put damp substrate in there. Make sure it stays damp until your snake sheds. He knows if he needs more humidity, and will either use it or not. The last time my snake shed, he didn't use it. His shed was fine. I do go on.

If you feel that the humidity is low, go ahead & mist or provide a humid hide. This time of year I seldom worry about it. My snakes seldom have trouble shedding "as is" and if they do I deal with it then.

As for feeding: Most of my snakes will feed while in shed. A few will not. Some eat, but very slowly. I don't usually offer my larger snaked food while blue...they just don't need it. My smaller, younger snakes get a chance to let me know what they want. I have learned not to bother some & to continue feeding others (although, as mentioned, they don't need really). Some will tell you that feeding while in shed may lead to an increased probability or regurge. This has not happened to me ever. I do make it a point not to offer large meals when blue. Actually, now I usually don't bother thawing food out for my "blue" snakes...but they may be offered leftovers or given food if I didn't check first to see why they were hiding.

i would say he is only a couple months old, and also my first snake so kinda a learning experience for me..is it normal for them to hide more often when they are in the shed process? he usually comes right out when his lamp goes off and the past few days he has
not come out at all..i did hold him 2 days ago just cause i was worried and had to check on him and change his water..just not too sure what normal behavior is..

They are even more reclusive than usual when in shed. Sometimes I will just assume that certain snakes are in shed cycle if I have not seen them for several days. I generally just leave them alone. Unless, as I said, I accidentally thawed a meal for them or somebody else failed to eat theirs. Then I at least offer. I do have a few snakes that simply do not miss a meal, blue or not. You really get to know them as individuals after awhile, and modify all these "rules" that are simply guidelines. Enjoy. Duffy

I agree, First off it is typical for them to hide during blue because this is when they are most vulnerable, (they are practically blind) and therefore very jumpy and scared of about everything. Secondly, these are all just guidelines! ALL of my snakes eat while blue and it just so happens that they ALWAYS have a shed ctcle during feeding I have a corn and 2 rats and they are all voracious eaters. Never miss a meal! But you will grow to know your snake as an individual and then you can start to set your own rules accordingly! Untill you know your snake better and are completely comfortable with each other, just don't bother trying to feed during blue. Also, something I've learned that makes a good make-shift humid hide during an unprepared shed is fold some toilet paper in to a rectangle and wet it then place it on the bottom of the hide they prefer when blue. This helps greatly with sheds!

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