Do (and why do) snakes go into shed at laying?
 

I was told that females go into shed when laying. This seems counter-evolutionary to me. I would assume they would be more vulnerable at this time and would want to be in non-shed. Is this true, and does anyone know the biological reason for it? I find it quite fascinating.

they swell up, stretch their skin, and are in need of new skin.

Snakes shed for a variety of reasons, to grow, to replace damaged skin, to shed parasites

If they swell, that makes sense. I don't know much about the laying process. Very interesting.


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They also shed around hormonal changes, sheds often mark the beginning of receptiveness to mating in both males and females, females shed (usually) a bit before laying and then again immediately after laying, which is probably half hormonal and half the stretching involved with laying.