sheding

Question
Hi,
I have a royal, that i've had about 6 months think he's about 9 months old. he's shed 3 times already & he's just started his 4th. is this normal.
Thanks

Answer
Hi Lee,

young snakes are growing much more rapidly than adult snakes and therefore will need to shed regularly to accommodate for the growth. the frequency of shedding that your royal is showing sounds perfectly normal for a snake of his age.

just to be on the safe side, check him and his enclosure for the presence of mites. they look like tiny black/brown dots about the size of an average full stop. you will most likely find them in his water bowl if any are present. you can also rub your snake down with a damp tissue to see if there are any on his skin.
if there are mites they may have been causing him to shed so often and will need to be removed. to do this you will need to thoroughly clean his tank with some warm water and get ahold of some anti mite spray. the bottle should have instructions specific to that product that you can follow to treat the mite problem.

i hope this helps,

Andy