You shed skin every day, one invisible cell at a time. Reptiles and amphibians do it differently: every so often, the whole outer layer comes off at once. Scientists call this ecdysis (EK-duh-sis). You will also hear "shedding," "sloughing," and "molting." Shedding is tied to growth, so young, fast-growing animals shed more often than old ones. A herp will also shed to get rid of a skin infection or parasites. Many animals eat the old skin, partly for the nutrients and partly because tugging at it with their mouth helps get it off. Deep in the skin, new layers form under the old one.
This lesson is part of Certified Junior Herpetologist. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 30 hours).
