my sons kingsnake

Question
My son has a young kingsnake.  It is going through it's first shed.  The snake is shedding in pieces. Is that normal? Do snakes eat during shedding time? This snake has not eaten in 3 weeks.  How long should the shedding process take?  The temperature of our cage is low 70's should it be warmer?

Answer
Not eating for 3 weeks is not a problem. They often will not eat the week before they shed and during the shed process. It should be hungry after shedding. The reason that it is shedding in pieces is because the humidity is too low. What you can do is get a container like gladware, or a margerine bowl, etc. Fill is with damp moss or even damp paper towels. Cut a hold in the side large enough for the snake to get in, and put it on the cooler end of the cage. The snake will use this during the  shed cycle and it will help it to shed in one piece. Lastly, your snake should have a warm spot on one end of the cage where the temp is low to mid 80s. This is needed to help digest it's food. If the temp is always 70s that could be a reason why it's not feeding much.