This can happen much faster with snakes like colubrids (rat, corn, king, milk snakes, etc) because their tail tips are so skinny, but really this can happen with any kind
of snake if you're not paying close attention. Just a few layers of retained shed can constrict the already-minimal blood supply in the tail tip, causing it to die & require
removal due to infection. Thanks for sharing your photo...I sure hope Noodles tail tip recovers ok.
This is why we long-time snake keepers "nag" about checking over your snakes after they shed. I'm sure it happens to wild snakes too, but they're more active & old
skin tends to get rubbed off, plus our houses are often lacking humidity, whereas a wild snake often spends time underground where there's residual moisture.
It's even harder to spot a bit of retained shed on a tail-tip when your snake is light colored like Ms. Noodles, and they sure don't sit still for you to check either, so
you really just have to gently insist upon checking.
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