Snakes regularly shed their skin over the course of their lives in order to grow, and while this is a completely natural process, you need to take some precautions, not only to understand when the snake is about to moult, but also to be able to take care of it properly.
Steps
Step 1. Know when your snake is about to start moulting
It is very important to understand when the animal is about to moult so that you can take the right precautions to take better care of it. There are some signs that you should keep an eye on that indicate that the moult is about to take place and one of these is the color change of the snake's eye, which will become bluish and opaque. This happens about a week before the moult begins, and once the process has begun, the eye will return to its original appearance. The snake's skin itself will be faded and whitish to the appearance and the snake may go and take refuge in its hiding place and decide not to eat when you put the food inside the case. There is nothing to worry about; your pet will soon return to normal. You may also notice a change in its temper as the snake may be more defensive than usual and try to attack you when you handle it.
Step 2. Take care of your snake
Once you recognize the signs of moulting, you need to start taking care of your pet. Since the snake will be more on the defensive, it would be best to avoid handling it until the moult is complete. To speed up the process, you can put rough surfaces in the case, such as rocks or logs, which you will obviously need to sterilize. Your snake will also need moisture, so make sure it has a shallow bowl full of water in which it can soak itself and its skin, thus allowing it to come off more easily.
Step 3. Once the snake has completed moulting, grab the skin and examine it
If the skin did not come off in one piece and intact, there may have been a problem during the process and this could be from the snake's health problems. If the skin has come off in pieces, it might be worth going to the vet.
Step 4. Try to understand why the skin didn't come off all at once
This could be due to an incorrect temperature inside the case, or incorrect humidity levels. There are many reasons and it is worth looking into the snake case to make sure everything is as it should be.
Advice
- Leave the snake alone during the moult. Handling and tormenting it will only make the process more stressful for the animal and can prevent the skin from coming off all at once.
- Don't panic when your snake sheds. The whole process should take a week and your snake's strange behavior will soon return to normal.
Warnings
- Your snake may seem sick by not eating, changing color and appearance and hiding more than usual, but there is no reason to run to the vet for the moment; moulting is absolutely normal and allows the snake to grow.
- Your snake is likely to be stressed during the moult and therefore there is a good chance that if you play with it, it will try to attack you.
