Examples
| Species | Item shed | Timing | Known as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chickens | Feathers | Usually autumn | Moulting | Chickens generally stop laying eggs before their moulting begins until their new set of feathers has grown back. |
| Dogs and other canids | Hair (Fur) | Semi-annually, spring and fall (autumn) | Shedding Moulting |
Moulting in canids, as in all mammals, is thought to be due to fluctuations in the amount of melatonin secreted by their pineal gland in response to seasonal sunlight variations. It has nothing to do with seasonal temperature variations. This seasonality in shed pattern is most preserved in Arctic breeds of dogs that shed twice a year, other breeds now shed year round. |
| Snakes | Skin | Regularly, when old skin is outgrown | Moulting | Snakes will rub against rough surfaces to shed their skin. |
| Lizards | Skin | Regularly, when old skin is outgrown | Moulting | Lizards consume their shed skin for calcium, grooming, and other nutrients |
| Hermit crabs | Exoskeleton | Regularly, when the carapace is outgrown | Moulting | Land hermit crabs bury themselves for many weeks while they moult and consume their exoskeleton. |
| Amphibians | Skin | Regularly | Moulting | Salamanders and frogs shed their skins regularly, and often eat it. |
Read more about this topic: Shedding (biology)
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