It is normal for all snakes to shed their skin—referred to as ecdysis—in a regular cycle. Ecdysis is a natural process that results from the growth of the snake and is therefore dependent on a variety of factors including, species, age, nutrition, and environment. Typically, a healthy adult snake will shed approximately once every month. Snakes that are reproducing or young snakes will usually shed more frequently.
What Does a Normal Shed Look Like?
A normal shed is a sign that your snake is healthy! Learn to recognize the signs of an impending shed and keep a record of when your snake sheds, so that you are quickly able to recognize when there is a problem with the shedding cycle (dysecdysis). The likelihood of your veterinarian being able to treat your snake for an illness that has been present for 2-5 days is far greater that for an illness that has been present for 10-14 days.
Before a shed, your snake is likely to eat less, be less active, hide more, and possibly be more aggressive. These are normal behaviors prior to an ecdysis and are not cause for alarm. You will also notice that your snake’s skin has become dull and the eyes have become opaque or cloudy. This reduces their vision and may cause increased anxiety or agitation.
The shedding processes can take a few days or even a few weeks. If your snake is healthy, the shed should come off in one complete inverted piece, including the skin that covers the eyes. The “new” skin should be shiny and bright and your snake should return to normal behavior and activity.
In some snakes, the head will swell slightly during a normal ecdysis cycle due to increased blood flow. This may also cause increased saliva in the mouth.
What Should I Do when My Snake is Shedding?
Avoid handling your snake during its ecdysis cycle. Your snake will feel more vulnerable during this time and may become more defensive.
Make sure your snake has plenty of cage furniture or other rough surfaces to rub against. Your snake will use these to start the shed and to anchor the shedding skin until it is completely sloughed off.
Many snakes experience decreased food intake or even stop eating completely during an ecdysis cycle. This is normal and is not cause for concern.
Species that live in tropical environments are more prone to shedding disorders. A slight increase in the humidity of the enclosure when you first notice signs of ecdysis may prevent problems with the shed.
Make sure that your snake has an appropriately-sized hiding box in the enclosure for hibernation during shedding.
How Can I Ensure that My Snake Has Normal Shedding Cycles?
There is a lot you can do to keep your snake healthy and to make sure that it has normal shedding cycles:
Feed your snake an appropriate diet: malnutrition and inappropriate growth are the most common causes of dysecdysis in snakes.
Do not over-handle your snake: Over-handling, especially during the ecdysis cycle can affect or delay the shed. Allow your snake to remain in the enclosure and provide adequate (and appropriately sized) hiding areas when you start to notice the first signs of an impending shed.
Check the enclosure’s temperature: Remote infrared temperature sensors are a great way to check the thermal gradient of your snake’s enclosure and will ensure the cage furniture is neither too hot nor too cold. Traditional temperature gauges are not as effective at monitoring the thermal conditions of the enclosure.
Ensure that humidity levels are appropriate for your snake: Most snakes require humidity levels between 50% and 70%, although this varies depending on the species and the natural habitat of the snake.
What Do I Do if My Snake is Not Shedding Appropriately?
Since inappropriate husbandry is the most common cause of dysecdysis, first make sure that your snake’s enclosure has appropriate heating, lighting, and humidity. Increasing the humidity slightly may resolve the dysecdysis or bring on a shed in most cases. For tropical snakes, you can also try misting the snake with warm (but not hot) water to provide additional humidity or you can provide a “shedding box” by placing damp paper towels in the hiding box.
If husbandry is not the problem, examine your snake for any signs of trauma, parasites, or infections. If you notice anything unusual you should have your snake examined by an experienced reptile veterinarian. You can find one in your area on www.arav.org.
If your snake’s shed is incomplete (retained shed), you can try soaking him in a shallow tub of lukewarm water to remove any patchy pieces of unshed skin. It is important that you allow these patches of skin to fall off rather than trying to dislodge or peel them off manually. This is especially true of a dysecdysis of the eyes or “spectacles.” If you notice this on your snake, please seek assistance from your veterinarian so as not to cause damage to the eyes.
If your snake is shedding too frequently, this could suggest an underlying metabolic disease known as hyperthyroidism. If you suspect frequent shedding, you should have your snake examined by a reptile veterinarian right away.