Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: neilep on 15/08/2007 17:26:38
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Dear Snake Supervisors:
This is a snake:
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcache.eb.com%2Feb%2Fimage%3Fid%3D66413%26amp%3BrendTypeId%3D4&hash=794c59a74c111f1fefa9af52cff66ae5)
Nice isn't it ?..notice how in need of skin moisturizer it is ?
Why do Snakes shed skin the way they do ?
Well, I gather the obvious answer is because they are growing yes ?...but why not have skin like ours that shed's the way ours does ?
What evolution process can you sssssssssssspeculate about why they shed their sssssskin that way !...this must make them very sssssssusceptible to attack !!
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Hmmmmpth !!
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It'ssssss a mysssssstery to me.
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It'ssssss a mysssssstery to me.
Thanks Toyah...
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Hmmmmpth !!
HEE HEE HEE HEE! LOL
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Hmmmmpth !!
HEE HEE HEE HEE! LOL
YOUR thread got an answer !!..all I got was a beaver doing an impression of an 80's Uk pop star !!
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I did not know it got an answer.. LOL Thanks for the picture and making my brain work a little! LOL I have always wondered that!
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Dear Snake Supervisors:
This is a snake:
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcache.eb.com%2Feb%2Fimage%3Fid%3D66413%26amp%3BrendTypeId%3D4&hash=794c59a74c111f1fefa9af52cff66ae5)
Nice isn't it ?..notice how in need of skin moisturizer it is ?
Why do Snakes shed skin the way they do ?
Well, I gather the obvious answer is because they are growing yes ?...but why not have skin like ours that shed's the way ours does ?
What evolution process can you sssssssssssspeculate about why they shed their sssssskin that way !...this must make them very sssssssusceptible to attack !!
Do you think they are vulnerable during this process?I am curious do the shrink their own body to slide out of the skin which was so tight before.. How do they do that..?
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Where is bass.. isn't he the snake expert?I keep thinking that is the wrong name! It is wrong it is the mad man he has Bob The snake and was it Bobo..The female..? I can't remember! LOL
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Karen - snakes are indeed more vulnerable when shedding. They're a lot more tetchy too & are liable to bite without warning. That could be a reaction to their increased vulnerability.
The reason for their vulnerability at this time is that the scales on the shed skin don't work. The scales beneath the shedding skin are not in contact with the ground, hence the snake is almost immobile.
To shed its skin the snake uses motion similar to that with which it moves & it gradually crawl out of the old skin. The whole shedding process can take hours.
Often the snake will use a tree or rock to rub against to help loosen the old skin.
The AC Cobra does not as a general rule shed its skin unless it runs into a tree or a lamppost. It does, however, rock to the side when you put your foot down. [:D]
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LOL Thanks Doc THAT IS INTERESTING!...I did not know they became that immobile! You know a lot about snakes.. I don't unless your talking about the human kind! LOL LOL
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I don't know as much as I'd like to; but there just aren't enough hours in the day for me to learn everything I want to.
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Thats a good Motto Doc! I like it!
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My motto is "Semper in foecebium ego, non molo profundum variat" (I'm always in the sh*t, it's just the depth that varies) [:D]
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They shed skins to get rid of toiled skin.
THEY COVER DIVERSE LANDSCAPE AND THEY DONT HAVE LEGS.
WE HAVE .WE TOO SHED OUR SKIN.
MOREOVER IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHED OLD SKIN BECAUSE IT
INCREASES PLEASURE.
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Ooooh, just seen this. [;D]
Strange as well as one of my snakes shed only last night, I will take some photos later.
The whole process, not just shedding, is called "ecdysis" and takes several days. The first sign is that the snakes skin will go a dull grey colour for a few days, including the eye covering and then go normal again for a few days. It will then shed.
She takes only around 1/2 an hour to shed completely and does that so that she can grow, so the amount of shedding depends on food and growth. Unlike humans her scales don't peel off separately from ageing and are held together as one piece. Probably because their skins have much thicker and tougher scales than ours and are not as flexible.
When the shed is fresh it is limp and has a damp feel and is also a bit sticky. It don't smell too nice either and has an acrid smell to it. After 5 mins or so it then dries out and has no smell.
The snake itself is also damp to the touch straight after shedding and its new skin is a bit soft so it remains vulnerable for several minutes until it too dries out. The scales then harden as it dries.
I think that what happens is that an enzyme is produced by the snake on the snakes skin allowing the older and tighter skin to be able to separate easily. It then crawls out of the old skin which rolls back in one piece making the shed inside out.
Its a bit like humans having sunburn and peeling away bits of dead skin but in the snakes case it does it all in one go.
Bee
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Unable to find my post?????
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Ooooh, just seen this. [;D]
Strange as well as one of my snakes shed only last night, I will take some photos later.
The whole process, not just shedding, is called "ecdysis" and takes several days. The first sign is that the snakes skin will go a dull grey colour for a few days, including the eye covering and then go normal again for a few days. It will then shed.
She takes only around 1/2 an hour to shed completely and does that so that she can grow, so the amount of shedding depends on food and growth. Unlike humans her scales don't peel off separately from ageing and are held together as one piece. Probably because their skins have much thicker and tougher scales than ours and are not as flexible.
When the shed is fresh it is limp and has a damp feel and is also a bit sticky. It don't smell too nice either and has an acrid smell to it. After 5 mins or so it then dries out and has no smell.
The snake itself is also damp to the touch straight after shedding and its new skin is a bit soft so it remains vulnerable for several minutes until it too dries out. The scales then harden as it dries.
I think that what happens is that an enzyme is produced by the snake on the snakes skin allowing the older and tighter skin to be able to separate easily. It then crawls out of the old skin which rolls back in one piece making the shed inside out.
Its a bit like humans having sunburn and peeling away bits of dead skin but in the snakes case it does it all in one go.
Bee
FANTASTIC !!!!!.......and I LUFF Dream On and Falling Rain....ewe must have some Tangerine Dream somewhere in your collection ?...don't happen to know GANDALF do ya ? (Bee knows what I'm talking about)
Are ewe able to post piccys of your snakes here ?...I have seen them !!
THANK YOU for your wonderful post and for what I'm listening to right now !
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Unable to find my post?????
Scroll up one post and look to the right and you'll see
"post by dkv click to view"
It looks like your post was shrunk. Just click it and it'll appear for you.
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Thanks neil. [:I]
I been building a new pc and forgot about the snake shed pictures.
Will post them tomorrow. [;D]
Bee
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...making the shed inside out.
Sounds like me with DIY [:(]
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...making the shed inside out.
Sounds like me with DIY [:(]
Is that how you make a TARDIS ?