Frequency of Shedding
Most of our knowledge concerning the frequency of shedding is based upon observations of captives. It is known that the intervals between exuviations are largely dependent upon the amount of food taken and the rate of growth. Unless laboratory conditions closely resemble those in the field, shedding frequencies in captives probably differ much from those of free-living snakes.
Only two of my captives shed twice. The intervals between exuviations in the two snakes were eight and five months, lasting from August to April and from December to May, respectively. Ten other snakes shed once in the period from January through July. Stabler (1951:91) presented data concerning shedding of two cottonmouths kept 12 and 14 years in captivity. One shed 25 times in 12 years and the other shed 37 times in 14 years, giving an average of 2.1 and 2.6 per year, respectively. Neither of the snakes shed from December through March, but the period of shedding corresponded to the period of greatest activity and growth. In Florida, cottonmouths shed four to six times a year, according to rate of growth (Allen and Swindell, 1948:7).