Shedding?

[beeman]

There is a lot of info in this thred thats not right and misconception from inexperienced keepers.
On average hatchies and juvies feed at intervals of 4-7 days with food item suitable will shed every 4- 5 weeks.
A more advanced animal feed every 7-14 days with a food item suitable will shed every 8 weeks or so.

The reason i said food item suitable is there are far too many keepers feeding under sized prey and this not only limits the growth and development of the animal but slows its shed cycle as well.

The animals will shed when it need to and no amount of warm baths or what ever will bring an animal into a shed cycle, This is only usefull if the animal has gone through the milky eye stage
and is going to shed over the next week.

 

[Zoltag]

I agree with beeman on this. A juvie should be shedding about once a month and there isnt anything that you can do to induce a shed (overfeeding will shorten the shed cycle, but will not induce a shed, it also comes with its own health risks), though once a shed cycle is started, there are plenty of things you can do to help assist in the shed.

naledge - Have you spoken to the seller? Chances are that the reason they think it was due for a shed soon was the date of the last shed and nothing to do with outward signs of a shed about to occur. Also, when was its last shed?

Not eating is probably more related to the stress of being in a new environment than anything else.

Oh, another thing - Some less scrupulous sellers will claim an animal is due for a shed to make you think that its dull colouring is due to getting ready to shed, rather than just being a dull coloured animal.

 

[naledge]

There is a lot of info in this thred thats not right and misconception from inexperienced keepers.
On average hatchies and juvies feed at intervals of 4-7 days with food item suitable will shed every 4- 5 weeks.
A more advanced animal feed every 7-14 days with a food item suitable will shed every 8 weeks or so.

The reason i said food item suitable is there are far too many keepers feeding under sized prey and this not only limits the growth and development of the animal but slows its shed cycle as well.

The animals will shed when it need to and no amount of warm baths or what ever will bring an animal into a shed cycle, This is only usefull if the animal has gone through the milky eye stage
and is going to shed over the next week.

Okay, well I'm pretty sure I'm feeding correctly. The mice may be a little small, but we tried something bigger and he wouldn't take it.

I'll just let him go and shed when he needs to then, I was just a bit worried that it's been so long.

I agree with beeman on this. A juvie should be shedding about once a month and there isnt anything that you can do to induce a shed (overfeeding will shorten the shed cycle, but will not induce a shed, it also comes with its own health risks), though once a shed cycle is started, there are plenty of things you can do to help assist in the shed.

naledge - Have you spoken to the seller? Chances are that the reason they think it was due for a shed soon was the date of the last shed and nothing to do with outward signs of a shed about to occur. Also, when was its last shed?

Not eating is probably more related to the stress of being in a new environment than anything else.

Oh, another thing - Some less scrupulous sellers will claim an animal is due for a shed to make you think that its dull colouring is due to getting ready to shed, rather than just being a dull coloured animal.

Well he ate the first time, then missed two, then ate two. So he wasn't stressed in the first week haha.

Yeah that's a good point, but I don't think this seller would do that. He's come highly recommended, he was always friendly and he sells a fair bit by the looks of it.

Thanks for all the info guys.