Snake Skin

As humans, we shed dead skin in tiny bits and pieces all the time.  In fact, a lot of the “dust” we find in our homes is likely our shed skin.

Snakes use another strategy for ridding themselves of old skin.  They shed their skin all at once.

Interestingly enough, a snake’s skin does not grow.  As a snake grows, they outgrow their own skin and must shed the too-small layer.  Shedding their skin also has the added benefit of sloughing off parasites.

Younger (fast-growing) snakes may shed their skin weekly.  Older snakes may shed only twice a year.   Snake skin is made from the protein keratin, the same stuff found in our hair, skin, and fingernails. 

Finding a snake’s whole shed is a weird experience.  It’s something akin to finding a ghost.  While poking around out in our somewhat wild yard, Desiree found a snake’s skin near some yucca she has been nurturing.   After finding the skin, Desiree led me to see it.  “Yup.” I said, “that’s a snake skin.

I think the skin is from a racer that I have seen occasionally over the last two years.  I captured an image of the skin and we left it as we found it.  One more ghost to slowly fade away alongside us.

   

Snake Skin

—Mitchell Hegman