| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| jimspook |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 13:24:27
separate their old skin from the new? Always wondered this and all the publications I have read don't really tell you. Do they have an oil like film between the two? Or do they blow air down between the two layers to gently separate them? |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Ailsa |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 19:42:52
Well thank you Jimspook for starting this thread, really fascinating how snakes shed their skin, been reading the links on the thread and it's very interesting. |
| lotabob |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 17:09:23
Snakes shed their skins when they outgrow them; snakes with slow metabolisms eat less often, grow slowly, and shed infrequently; those that eat often have, in general, a more robust metabolism, which leads to faster growth and more frequent shedding. Shedding, also known as ecdysis, is hormonally directed and is carried out in distinct phases. New skin is produced under the existing one; when the new skin is complete, it secretes a fluid that separates it from the old skin and causes the latter to take on a bluish hue (since the eye covering is a part of the snake’s skin, this area becomes opaque, making the snake temporarily blind); just before shedding the intervening fluid is reabsorbed and the old skin returns to its earlier coloration until the skin is shed, usually in a single piece, beginning at the head, as the snake literally turns its old skin inside out. When you find a discarded snake skin, the outer surface is actually the portion that was, prior to shedding, the inner surface of the skin. Although the markings of the snake are only slightly evident in most shed skins, those slight marks, plus the clearly evident scale pattern in the skin, may be used to identify the species of snake involved.
(taken from http://bugsinthenews.info/?p=309)
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| gingerpony |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 14:41:47
there's a secretion in response to hormonal changes which you can see when the snake is 'in blue'
this lifts the old skin and lubricates it for removal by shedding and if you find a very freshly shed skin you'll find it feels damp |
| Invalid User |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 14:15:52
Just found this:
The first signs of your corn snake going into pre-shed stage is when it becomes less active than usual and you can see the skin color beginning to darken. Over the next couple of days, the skin gets darker and duller in color and then the legendary "snake oil" is secreted under the old skin by the snake, which causes the eyes to go an opaque grayish blue color and the rest of the skin to take on a very strange hue. (If you rub your fingers on a skin shortly after it has been shed, your fingers will "magically" become slippery with the invisible snake oil). |
| Mamma |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 14:14:59
Just before shedding, the skin becomes dull and dry looking and the eyes become cloudy or blue-colored. The inner surface of the old skin liquefies. This causes the old skin to separate from the new skin beneath it.
from the tinraweb  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake |
| jimspook |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 14:13:33
Just gone and found something that might bring light to it, apparently the inner skin of the old skin liquifies 'apparently' |
| Invalid User |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 14:11:38
I think you might be right about an oil, or something similar. I read a post on here (can't find it though) and someone talking about shedding did mention something about oil but I don't know how true that is. |
| jimspook |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 14:08:09
But how do the two separate? When they go cloudy I think is the point when the skins separate but how? The explanations so far are how they get out of the skin. While its still on them something must be going on or scales on the new skin would rip off. Boggling lol |
| Ailsa |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 14:06:16
I don't think it is complex or bio-chem thing at all, simple mother nature with animal species who shed their skin as they grow, the old skin has to split at some point in the body and as snakes always seem to rub their head alot to split the old skin, that's where their shedding usually starts. |
| Mamma |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 14:04:49
When a snake prepares to shed, it rubs its nose against a rough surface and makes a small tear in the old skin. Then it simply crawls out of its scaly covering, turning it inside out in the same way a human takes off a sock.
http://www.hiltonpond.org/thisweek020808.html |
| jimspook |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 14:02:14
See thats what I initially thought but I think theres got to be more complex bio-chem going on with it. Something I have pondered on for a while and thought it would make a good topic of conversation but not too many takers |
| Ailsa |
Posted - 21/05/2011 : 13:57:31
Well I think that as they are growing then their new skin and scales grow underneath the old skin and when they are ready to shed the old skin becomes really loose (imagine when our skin peals when we've had too much sun, i think) so they rub their heads to start it loosening and move around their viv/faun so that as they move the skin catches on things and just peels off them to reveal nice new shiny skin. That's just what I think. |
