I've gotten used to feeding my snakes, I've gotten used to holding them and how they act...
One thing I never get bored of is watching them throughout the entire shed cycle. It is fascinating to see.
But I was wondering about what happens "behind the scenes" on shedding. What makes a snake shed? Since their brain is only the survival part of a human brain (basically), but smaller, they obviously can't wake up and think about it and decide to. They act on instinct.
So, what makes them start the shed cycle? Why is it that the day before they enter the cycle they look fine, and the next day they are all dulled out and have a pink underside?
What makes the fluid build up under their scales? What makes the fluid clear up, and where does it go?
What part of the snake's brain tells it to start rubbing its nose on things, and how does the snake know to just start rubbing on stuff?
I hope there are some experts out there who can help me. I've been scratching my head over this since I got my first snake and watched her shed.
If no one can answer, well, I'm just so interested in this cycle of a snake's life that I would go to college and take classes and conduct studies just to find out.
But I hope someone knows now, because I don't want to be scratching my head for the next 8 years, driving myself crazy looking for the answer in school.
Also, what DOES a reptile's brain look like? What parts does it have?
(in case you haven't noticed, I'm a science and medical geek...biology, chemistry, anatomy, psychology...it makes my world go round)
Shellie
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