Book 4, Question 57
Why Do Snakes Shed Their Skin?
A snake wears its skin like a tight sock! The sock cannot grow, so shedding lets the snake get bigger and replaces worn scales. Even the clear scale over the eye gets replaced.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 4
More fun facts
- Snakes shed their skin about once a month.
- Shedding makes room for growth and gets rid of parasites.
- Young snakes shed to grow, and injured snakes shed to heal.
- Before shedding, a layer of fluid forms between the old and new skin, keeping it soft and stretchy.
- Experts can often tell which kind of snake left a shed skin by its size and scales.
- Shedding has a science name: ecdysis.
Sources: National Geographic, Smithsonian, National Geographic
Questions kids ask
How often do snakes shed?
About once a month, though young, growing snakes may shed more.