Snakes
have skin embedded with scales. The scales are made of
keratin, the same substance fingernails are made of. Their
eyes are covered by a clear scale called the brille which
protects their eyes from dust, debris, and injury. The
purpose scales serve is to protect the snake's skin, enable
serpentile locomotion, and minimize water loss. From time
to time the snakes shed the outer layer of their scales.
It is a common misconsception that snakes shed their skin
-- they actually only shed the outer layers of the skin
-- since this part is incapable of growing. They do this
by secreting a special fluid between the layers of the
skin.
The
fluid causes the skin to separate and soften, the colors
of the skin becomes ghostly dull and strangely opaque,
the eyes blue. In a few days the skin and eyes clear up.
A couple of days after that, the snake rubs its snout
against something abrasive and the skin around its head
starts to peel. Then the snake literally crawls out of
its skin, turning the dead layer inside out.
