Angela .. Marla had a great quickie shed explanation in another thread that should answer your question

Quote Originally Posted by Marla
OK, quickie shed explanation. When a snake is about to shed, the old skin starts to separate and it builds up a thin layer of fluid between the old layer and the new. When the fluid layer between the old and new at the eyes is complete, the eyes are no longer cloudy. When the layer is complete throughout, it can shed. When you find a fresh shed, you'll notice it's damp. Your snake apparently was in the water dish while or just after shedding. This fluid layer is why humidity is so important for ball pythons. Some snakes don't need as much fluid as others to complete their sheds (kings vs. balls, for example) and so don't require as much humidity.

Make sense?