I just had that guy on the phone from whom I'm adopting this russian ratsnake I was talking about on this site.
He said she is shedding for the third time in two month!
Now I don't know if that is normal,because that snakelady is already 7 years old! I know that 'grown-up' snakes still shed,but I thought only 2-3 times a year?!
Could it be that she wasn't fed well enough before,or could it be that the guy who's got her now since about 6month feeds her one big rat(live) a week?
She is now about 130cm long.They can reach up to 180cm.

Snakes will continue to shed no matter their age, as their body never really stops growing. As hatchlings, 2 sheds a month are normal. after about 3 or 4 years, shedding usually drops off to once every 3 to 4 months. But, if you increase feedings, sheddings can increase too as the snake is growing a little faster.

Is there a way that you can find out what the feeding schedule was like before the guy that you are getting the snake from, and then compare it to what the guy that has the snake is feeding him?

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Paul

Everything is do-able in life, you just need to know how to do them to get them done.

PCar's Reptiles

Thanks Paul.Yes,I could ask the guy if he knows about the feeding schedule from the guy before.
So there's still a chance she could get 180cm?!?She's already a strong girl-I'm glad I chose the thicker glass for the sliding doors,lol!

lol. Well, if she is shedding as much as the guy says, there is a good chance that she is going through a growth spurt. Which means, that you might have a 180cm/6' snake on your hands. Shouldn't be too bad to handle.

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Paul

Everything is do-able in life, you just need to know how to do them to get them done.

PCar's Reptiles

According to my Reptile Medicine and Surgery book, factors that influence shedding include: species, age, state of nutrition, reproductive staturs, parasite load (WATCH OUT FOR MITES!!!!!!!!!), hormonal balance, infection with bacterial or other skin pathogen (!!!!!!), ambient temperature and humidity may have an effect on the frequency of shedding. (Also if the snake has been injured it can go through several sheds in rapid succession -- was it perhaps bitten by a live rat feeder?!)
Be very careful, Jacky: take a VERY close look at the snake you're getting. I know you're excited about having her, but she could be ill, parasite-infested, or malnourished.
Why is this guy getting rid of her? Why have the other owners gotten rid of her? If you decide to go ahead and get her; make ABSOLUTELY sure she has no contact with your other snakes for at least 3-6 months. (Her terrarium should be in a separate room, don't use the same cleaning tools between terrariums and make sure to handle this snake last or clean out her enclosure last and change your clothes and sterilize your hands before going near your other snakes afterwards. Get stool sample containers from your vet before you get her and have it checked. If you see little specks of dirt moving on her (white, red or black): soak her in a bath and start immediate mite treatment procedures.
Good luck, I hope it's nothing serious, but it's better to be prepared!

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Andrea

Thanks Andrea! As you mentioned temperatur changes can affect her; he told me on the phone that she's going crazy with the shedding and he mentioned that her temps in the tank are 28°C,which is much too high for this species,that's why she is VERY active at the moment.But what can you do in this hot weather;my corns are lying in the water all day long!
Why the guy before that guy wanted to get rid of her I don't know,but this guy I'm getting her from wants to start breeding and is concentrating on just one species (he is a total Elaphe freak) and because he is moving soon.
The snake itself comes from a very serious reptile store in Basel,called Reptilien Oase. Andrea,I'm sure you've been there and heard of them!
Thanks a lot for your tips! If she's ill when I get her,I'll send him the vet bill!But I think That guy is a serious snake owner,I'll wait and see!

I just re-read your post and noticed this information: The guy is over-feeding her and that's probably causing the frequent shedding. A 7-year old 130cm long snake should only be fed one rat every 3 weeks IMO. (Talyn is 6 years old about 175-180cm and gets one medium sized rat every 3-4 weeks.)!!

Feeding too often is NOT healthy for snakes. It keeps their metabolism running too high. They need some fasting time between meals. This snake probably hasn't even finished digesting the rat before when she's fed again. (Some snakes will eat everything whether they are hungry or not -- this ratsnake girl sounds like one of them.) Tell that guy not to feed the snake again for the next 3 weeks!

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Andrea

Thanks Andrea for your reply.I read about this kind of snake that they do have a very high metabolism and can 'go to the toilet' 1 or 2 days after eating.The trouble is,there is not so much useful information on the net about this snake.Joe was so kind and gave me a site from England ,and on this forum some people own a russian ratsnake.
I can still ask Patricia at Reptilien Oase,she is very good and knows a lot.
I do know that they are very active snakes,they sleep at night,they like to climb branches and they do not require special heating.It's recommendet as a beginner snake.
(Well,as you are an English teacher,I know you will find lots of mistakes! I must confess Andrea,sometimes I get nervous when writing to you! 'Cause you're a teacher,but not in a bad way,don't misunderstand,you are great,it's the teacher in you,lol.Because I know I do make a lot of mistakes.Please forgive my writing,it really must 'hurt' you seeing lots of mistakes,lol!)
Tomorrow I will make some phonecalls and try to find out more about that big and hungry snake girl,lol.

Your English is great, Jacky: you don't make a lot of mistakes. Don't worry about it.
I'm still concerned about the snake: even snakes with a high metabolism need some fasting time. Even if she is defecating so soon after eating, it does not mean she needs to be fed again immediately. Over-fed snakes can get fatty-livers and it shortens their life-span.
She is shedding unnaturally often for her age. (Shedding takes a lot of energy too.)

Snakes are opportunist eaters and, especially females, will often eat more than males. If I offered Talyn a rat per week, she'd eat it without hesitation, too.

Another question: if you don't handle a snake when it's just eaten or when it's in shed, when would you have time to handle this snake? It seems she's always "just eaten" or in shed"!

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Andrea

I have to disagree Andrea,. it depends on the species of snake as well as the size and age. We feed our 5/6yr old boa and carpet python (7/8ft in length) once every two weeks, 1/2 large rats (they could manage much more food than this, however they are slightly overweight and we are trying to cut them down) - same with our Dumerils boas, except at present because the female is (hopefully) gravid, because they have slow metabolisms. But something like our corn snakes and rat snakes we feed every week - they have very fast metabolisms and should be fed more frequently.

I do have concerns about the live feeders though - Jacky you may find it hard to swap the snake onto f/t and it is dangerous, and IMO cruel, to feed large live rats to snakes - a one second glance away could mean injury or death.

It is likely that the snake is simply having a growth spurt. Snakes continue to grow throughout their lives and their is no set rule as to shedding - most of the time older and larger snakes will shed less often but sometimes they can have a series of rapid sheds for all sorts of reasons. Our larger boa and carpet python still shed every 6 weeks or so! (which means they are still growing at quite a rate!) Your snake is quite capable of reaching 180cm, or bigger, and you should be prepared for this to happen. Sorry to keep going back to our carpet python, but he is capable of reaching 12ft, and we have to be prepared for him to do so. I doubt he will but you must always expect to house the larger snake.

Good luck, when do you hope to get him?

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004