It actually IS the skin off my nose ...

[Paul]

and the rest of me too, truth be told", said the snake. Yeah, "no skin off my nose" is really, really old school, but hey, that's just the way I roll. (Plus it was very fitting for the topic at hand.)

Snakes often seem to be sneaky about ecdysis (shedding). Unless there are issues, they seem to like to wait until no one is looking before they "undress". Then, just like a teenager, they leave their discarded "clothes" lying around until the "maid service" comes through to pick it up. Well the other day I happened to catch Osiris in the beginning stages of shedding and it dawned on my that I should take a pic while the getting was good.

For anyone who might be unfamiliar with the whole process, if conditions are right, the skin is sloughed off all in one piece. Starting at the head the skin is peeled back (usually by rubbing the nose against a rough surface). The snake then slithers out of the old skin. The resulting shed is inside out, not unlike taking off a t-shirt.

So here you go:

[nenella]

Very, Very, Cool photos! & Thanks fo the Info.... I never knew snakes shed their skins inside out that way!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Cool pic of your snake in mid shed.

Unfortunately I couldn't catch mine shed unless I stayed up all night.

[fishmommy]

good catch
I've only caught mine once so far

[Amanda L]

Cool that you caught a picture of it! Beautiful snake!
I haven't seen mine shed. Angel shed about 3 weeks ago and it looked like she decorated the tank with it, it looked like a streamer!