Snake Shed preservation?

[Bogertophis]

Just a head's up & not knowing where you live, when you save snake sheds, make sure you keep them in something air-tight- like a ziploc bag or a metal container with a snug lid. At least until you've treated them with something to preserve them & make them unpalatable, because in some areas there are moths that will EAT them. I found that out when I lived in the desert & there was almost nothing left of my saved shed, lol.

I've never done it, but I'd imagine you could coat them with something like a clear polyurethane (Varathane, or Minwax polyacrylic, etc) or probably Thomson's water seal, if you have any of those products around. For a while, nail salons were laminating pieces of snake sheds onto people's nails for a unique look- fancy nails are not my "thing", I just read about it- so I have no idea if they're still doing it, but that suggests that clear nail polish would also work. It would be hard to coat a big piece or a whole shed with that though.

If you mess up, don't worry, there should be many more sheds to practice on, & with any luck, you'll get nice whole ones. They're slightly damp when first shed because snakes secrete a little moisture between the old & new skin to facilitate the shedding. Shedding requires good hydration, & so does digestion: therefore, if you notice your snake is "pale" (we usually call it "blue"), they're in shed & it's best NOT to feed them until after they've finished with their shed. FYI- doing so can often result in stuck shed that needs your help to remove & it typically comes off in many pieces. Snakes don't need an exact schedule for feeding- just avoid feeding when in shed. That's why your snake refused food- he instinctively knew better than to eat. Very normal.

When their body secretes the moisture to help them remove the old shed skin, it usually appears for a while that they've already shed- we say they "go clear" because suddenly that cloudy old skin looks like the new skin. (The moisture makes it nearly clear.) Don't be fooled- they always "go clear" shortly before they shed. Just something to know...welcome to the fun of living with snakes. Yours is a pretty little beep (BP) by the way- saw his pic in the other thread.