Medusa, a boa constrictor, came in for her regular checkup. Upon examination, her shed broke and started shedding. We assisted with the shedding till it was complete. “PS: please DO NOT remove the snake’s shed unless you are a trained professional as it can harm the snake if done incorrectly and lead to further complications.” Ecdysis, or shedding of the skin, is a normal occurrence throughout the snake’s life. Young snakes will shed much more often and begin to have a longer resting period as they reach adult size. Young snakes may shed every month. Because the top layer of snake skin consists mostly of keratin, which is dead material, it is incapable of expanding during the snake’s growth process. Therefore, it needs to be shed every so often. Age, nutrition, species, reproductive status, overall health, and hormonal balance also play a role in the frequency of ecdysis. As it gets warmer, snakes will become more active to sunbathe and hunt and their sighting becomes more frequent. Fear is a common reaction from humans and often ends with the snake being the victim of ignorance and fear. Snakes are an integral part of a healthy, thriving ecosystem. They play the role of predator (feed on small preys and help in pest control) and prey (feed for some birds of prey and certain mammals). Snakes will never attack humans unless triggered, so when you see a snake just walk away and the snake will definitely crawl in the opposite direction. #snakes #boaconstrictor #petsnakes - @vitalliaanimalhospital