How to Help Pet Snakes Shed Their Skin

Snakes shed their skin as part of their normal growing process. Captive snakes may have a problem shedding and if left unassisted, the old skin can cause permanent damage and even death to the snake. It is difficult to provide adequate humidity in a snake cage in an air conditioned home. Use the following methods to help your pet snake shed its skin.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Always provide a large dish and plenty of fresh water. Consider using a spray bottle to mist the snake with water just before it sheds. Allow the snake to hide in a cardboard box. Mist the snake inside the box until the cardboard is damp. This may add some additional humidity to the snake cage.

2. Get a large plastic container and drill holes in the lid for ventilation. Half-fill the container with lukewarm water and allow the snake to soak in the container. If the snake will not settle down, put a wash cloth or small hand towel in the water. Allow the snake to soak for at least 30 minutes.

3. Take the snake out of the plastic container. Wring most of the water out of the wash cloth. Hold the wash cloth around the snake's head and allow the snake to crawl through the damp cloth. Gently grip the wash cloth around the snake. As the snake wriggles through the cloth the old skin will get snagged. The snake will feel its skin shed properly and will pull out of its old skin.

4. Make sure the skin has shed all the way to the tip of the tail. Look closely at the snake's eyes and the shed skin to verify the eye caps have shed properly.