Smithi molting!

[Transylvania]

I just got home from school and checked on my 3" B. smithi. I noticed that her legs were in odd positions and that there was a weird flap of skin hanging off her abdomen, so of course she must be molting, for the first time since I got her! It's unfortunate that I've been at school and don't know how long she's been at it, and I'm wondering why she didn't lay down any webbing before she started to molt. A couple nights ago she moved from her log shelter to her heat pad (she must've claimed the heat pad as her real "shelter"). Can the heat harm her during this crucial time?

 

[Transylvania]

HA HA!!! Never mind, guys! I was just staring at her exuvium! Didn't notice that she was half a foot away, fully molted and healthy. Gahhh I missed the molt. Another reason why school is e.v.i.l. XDD
Ahh I'm so happy.
Is it okay to slide open the top and take out the skin now, or would she freak out from the vibrations of the top opening and possibly hurt herself?

 

[ballpython2]

As long as she doesnt charge at you when you go within her enclosure and you dont have to touch her to get it then yes by all means pull it out if you think you may disturb her use some tongs.

 

[Transylvania]

As long as she doesnt charge at you when you go within her enclosure and you dont have to touch her to get it then yes by all means pull it out if you think you may disturb her use some tongs.

I doubt she'd charge at me. She's a bit of a pet rock and rarely ever moves unless she has to. I was just afraid that opening the top would cause some big vibrations and make her spaz and try to climb the wall, which she tends to do when she's scared.

 

[Mina]

You can pull it out as long as she isn't on it. She will probably take a week or so to dry, so don't try to feed her until her fangs turn dark again.

 

[Transylvania]

I have another question: It's been a few hours and I haven't seen her stretching out or anything, as I've heard that post-molt Ts often do. Instead she's scrunched up her legs so much that I can't even see her carapace or top of the abdomen. Could the scrunching up be a sign of stress?

 

[Talkenlate04]

No not really its not stress related...... the streching you are talking about will happen every now and then for the next few weeks. You will come home and see her stretched out like a pokie nice and flat... and they do that just to maximize growth before the new skin hardens fully.

 

[Transylvania]

No not really its not stress related...... the streching you are talking about will happen every now and then for the next few weeks. You will come home and see her stretched out like a pokie nice and flat... and they do that just to maximize growth before the new skin hardens fully.

Okay thanks. I was starting to get worried because she scrunches up an awful lot, it makes her look smaller than she really is.