Question:I havn't had this snake too long, and it shed about 1 month ago... now, only 5 minutes ago, it shed again.
It's 2 and a half years old, and I'm worried that it has shed too early!
Is it even possible for it to shed to early, or am I worrying for nothing?
I also noticed earlier today, his skin looked very dry and flakey (This is probably because he was about to shed..) but, again.. im worried!
Answers:
A snake sheds as he grows . A snake grows its entire life time , just at a more rapid pace when young . It will depend on how well he is eating as to how fast he sheds .Snakes should shed all in one piece . If he does not shed in one piece and the skin is dry then your cage humidity is to low . You should have a good digital thermometer with a hydrometer to accurately measure your temps and humidity level . you should Not be using a heat light or rock but a under the tank heater . To increase your humidity get a larger water bowl , get rid of a heat light and you can place a warm wet towel over top of half of the cage . Do not mist the cage or you will end up with a snake with scale rot or mouth rot .You can also give him a warm soak for a few minutes . Make sue the water is warm to your elbow ( not hand ) and take him out before it cools down .Here are a few good web sites with care sheets and forums
http://www.repticzone.com
http://www.kingsnake.com
Snakes shed as they grow so him shedding often the first couple of yrs is going to happen. It's nothing bad that he sheds alot that means he is healthy which is a good thing. For the flaking of his skin what you can do is soak him in water which will help him shed his skin, sometimes reptiles have problems shedding so soaking their skin helps them also make sure he is in the right type of temp and humidity range and that he has something that he can rub up against to shed to help him with future sheds.
how often your snake sheds depends on how often it is fed which helps determine how fast it will grow, your snake shedding every month isn't unusual, but the dry flaky skin is a concern.your snake may be having shedding problems because of low humidity, i don't believe in letting them soak in water dishes but do advocate warm baths when signs say they are preparing to shed(eyes'). you can also check for bites from live feeding they can irritate and cause repeated shedding until the area has healed. other then that don't trip my 2 year old rtb sheds on average every 6 weeks unless i inadvertently change something: heat, lighting, water, humidity, feeding regimen, etc.
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