Why Do Reptiles Shed?
If you’ve ever noticed your reptile’s skin turning dull or peeling away in patches or coming off like a glove, you’ve witnessed an important process that is vital to all reptile species: shedding.
Reptiles shed their skin because, unlike mammals, their skin does not grow with them.
Instead, it’s made up of keratinized scales that form a rigid outer layer. As the reptile grows, this outer layer becomes too tight and must be replaced.
Think of it like a growing child wearing a t-shirt. They cannot fit into the same size shirt for very long, and if they were to try to wear a shirt that they had outgrown, the shirt would not fit well and might even rip. Reptile skin is the same way; once it no longer fits, they need to size up to a new shirt size.
Reptiles grow most rapidly in their first few years of life, but will grow very slowly over their entire lifetime, meaning they will continue having shedding cycles throughout their entire lives but less frequently
Shedding does more than help reptiles fit into their skin. Old skin can carry parasites, bacteria, or damaged scales, so replacing it helps to keep the reptile healthy. Some species also shed more frequently when healing from an injury, almost like hitting a reset button for their skin.
Different reptiles shed in different ways.
Bearded dragons, for example, are “dry shedders,” meaning the skin comes off in rough patches that flake away on their own. In contrast, most snakes usually peel away their old skin in one long piece that comes off like a sock, leaving behind a perfect impression of their scales and eye caps. Humidity, temperature, and overall health all play a role in how smooth—or difficult—the shedding process is.
In captivity, shedding can tell keepers a lot about the quality of their husbandry. A healthy, complete shed for humid shedders like ball pythons often means the enclosure’s conditions are dialed in correctly. But if sheds are patchy, stuck, or frequent, it could point to husbandry issues like improper humidity, dehydration, or nutritional imbalances.
Healthy shedding for dry shedders looks a bit different; patches of skin will come off in sheets or scales, and the way a keeper can know their enclosure conditions are proper is if the reptile doesn't have any shed that remains stuck for long periods of time or constricted around toes and tail.
To learn more about reptiles and proper husbandry, check out our other blogs and guides!
