Snake skins consist of overlapping scales of a hard, semi-transparent material called keratin. Snakes shed the outer layer of their skin as they outgrow the old one, and those that are not growing also shed, replacing their worn scales with a new, healthy skin. Some snakes shed every few weeks, others shed only about once a year. A new layer develops below the surface of the old skin. The snake begins the shedding process by rubbing its nose against rocks or other hard objects to start the separation of the old layer from its lips, and then crawls out of its old skin. The old skins are often found intact where they were abandoned.

It depends on the age of the snake in many cases. Older snakes shed their skin less often than younger snakes. An older snake may shed as few as two times per year whereas a younger snake may shed it's skin four times per year.

I cant speak about all snakes but my pet one seems to do it every 1 to 2 months it does vary but i got mine as a baby in 2008 so really mine is still young in snakes years. My snake is a Royal Python