Editing Reptile (section)

==== Shedding ====
Reptiles shed their skin through a process called [[ecdysis]] which occurs continuously throughout their lifetime. In particular, younger reptiles tend to shed once every five to six weeks while adults shed three to four times a year.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Paterson|first1=Sue|title=Skin Diseases of Exotic Pets|date=December 17, 2007|publisher=Blackwell Science, Ltd.|isbn=9780470752432|pages=74–79}}</ref> Younger reptiles shed more because of their rapid growth rate. Once full size, the frequency of shedding drastically decreases. The process of ecdysis involves forming a new layer of skin under the old one. [[Proteolysis|Proteolytic]] enzymes and [[Lymph|lymphatic fluid]] is secreted between the old and new layers of skin. Consequently, this lifts the old skin from the new one allowing shedding to occur.<ref name="Dermatological Diseases in Lizards">{{cite journal|last1=Hellebuyck|first1=Tom|last2=Pasmans|first2=Frank|last3=Haesbrouck|first3=Freddy|last4=Martel|first4=An|title=Dermatological Diseases in Lizards|journal=The Veterinary Journal|date=July 2012|volume=193|issue=1|pages=38–45|doi=10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.02.001|pmid=22417690}}</ref> Snakes will shed from the head to the tail while lizards shed in a "patchy pattern".<ref name="Dermatological Diseases in Lizards" /> [[Dysecdysis]], a common skin disease in snakes and lizards, will occur when ecdysis, or shedding, fails.<ref name="Veterinary Nursing of Exotic Pets">{{cite book|last1=Girling|first1=Simon|title=Veterinary Nursing of Exotic Pets|date=June 26, 2013|publisher=Blackwell Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=9781118782941|edition=2}}</ref> There are numerous reasons why shedding fails and can be related to inadequate humidity and temperature, nutritional deficiencies, dehydration and traumatic injuries.<ref name="Dermatological Diseases in Lizards" /> Nutritional deficiencies decrease proteolytic enzymes while dehydration reduces lymphatic fluids to separate the skin layers. Traumatic injuries on the other hand, form scars that will not allow new scales to form and disrupt the process of ecdysis.<ref name="Veterinary Nursing of Exotic Pets" />