You are all the experts so I'm back with more questions. When I got to school on Monday, Mustache (red tail boa) had cloudy eyes which the class thought was spooky but cool. Everything we've read says he is getting ready to shed, might be grumpy, won't want to eat. So we've not bothered him this week. His body looks more wrinkled than usually and looser. Today (Weds.) his eyes do not look as cloudy. Also he has been very inactive.

So the questions: 1. Should we attempt to feed him? He ate last Weds. and I would have to move him to feed him. 2. About how long from the time the eyes are cloudy does it take for the shed to be complete?

K/1 class thanks you for any info you can share, Penny

It usually takes about a week after the eyes cloud for the shed. At least all of my snakes generally do. I would wait til after he sheds to feed.

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Ken
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

I agree. The eyes will cloud and then they will clear up, which confuses people into thinking the snake has shed and they just can't find the skin.
The old skin is drying and loosening which casues the wrinkled loook.
Go ahead and wait til after the shed to feed.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

The first time one of my snakes shed, I remember being confused too when the eyes got clear again. I had no idea at the time that they'd go cloudy, then clear again before the shed actually occurred.

I always waited until after the shed to feed. It just wasn't worth risking a regurgitation. Yuck.

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~Juliane~

And many snakes will not feed during shed so you would just be wasting a rat.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I don't know about red tails, but for my ball python, when I see him start to go cloudy, I raise the humidity a bit in his enclosure by putting a clean wet washcloth in there with him. It seems to help him shed easier, and it gives him something nice and soft to rub against to get the skin off.

Mustache shed sometime between Friday and today. He has been soaking in his water all day. His shed came off in one beautiful piece. The students think it is amazing even if it does stink!! Their question is about how long will he soak. His water is cool and they are concerned that he is laying in it. Thanks again for all your expert help, Penny

Cool thing you are doing with your students. Less "yuck!"s and more,"Hey what's that?"

Laying in the water bowl is just something that boas like to do.
I swear one of mine thinks she's really an anaconda!
Check and make sure the temps aren't too warm but other than that don't worry.
And look at the head area of the shed skin and make sure the eyecaps are there. Boas aren't bad about retaining the eyecaps like ball pythons are but it doesn't hurt to check.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Ok, the skin was disgusting and smelly but we unrolled it and the eyecaps were both there. It was interesting to see the inside of the skin. Mustache had been wounded by a rat before we got him in our classroom and the kids found the wounds on the skin and looked at him soaking in his whirlpool and were happy that his skin looks better. His temps are good this is just the first time he's hung out in his water. The snake in the other classroom (a carpet python) shedded today. Is it normal for snakes in the same area to shed at the same time. The python has been at school all year -this is his 1st shed since Aug. Mustache just came to us in Jan. It was an exciting day in the K/1 classrooms!