• Question: why do snakes lose skin every mouth!

    Asked by gobby to Jess on 16 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Jessica Chu

      Jessica Chu answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hi Gobby,

      This website explains it well: http://whyaskme.net/interesting/why-do-snakes-shed-skins

      But from what I have read it is because their skin restrict their growth – so sort of like having a tight pair of jeans on all the time! And by getting rid of their old skin (taking off those tight jeans) the snake are free to grow a bit more and have nice new skin growing (wearing a new pair of jeans) 🙂

      unlike other animals/reptiles etc. snakes do not have arms and will have trouble cleaning themselves and getting rid of parasites (it is something that lives on another animal or organism and can cause harm). So losing the old skin means whatever nasty things that are living on their old skin will also be lost with the old skin (i guess that is a snake’s way of taking a shower!) 😛

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