Kenyan sand boas / Shedding

Question
I have a Kenyan Sand Boa she is 4 months old and is my first snake. I've had her for about a month and she has shed one time. I was wondering how often will she shed?

Answer
Hi Geoff,
    In my experience, captive sand boas shed between 6 to 12 times per year. I googled your question to see if captivity had a bearing on shedding and I found a great answer (see below).

Kevin L. Ogle


Snakes and other reptiles shed their skin as part of the normal process of growing. The shedding of skin is called ecdysis and is a complex process. Most snakes shed their skin four to eight times per year. How often a snake sheds its skin depends upon many factors, including the temperature of its environment, how often it eats, the amount it eats and its activity level. Young snakes shed more frequently than older ones because like humans, snakes grow more rapidly in the first few years of life.

During the shedding process, a snake will use any nearby rough objects or surfaces to help shed the skin. Shedding begins with the skin around the snake's head. Once the snake has loosened and dislodged the skin surrounding the mouth and nose area, it then moves between rough objects that can trap the loose skin and hold it as the snake glides out of the "old" skin.

Snakes are part of the reptile family and different reptiles shed their skin in different ways. Snakes and lizards shed all their skin at once every once in a while. Crocodiles, alligators and turtles shed their skin in small patches all the time. A good shed (all in one piece) from a snake means that animal is growing well, getting plenty to eat and is a sign of good health.

Thanks for your question,
Aubie and Dr. Heatley