My snake has started the shedding phase, has turned an opaque, duller color but is taking twice as long to even get past that first stage than it took him to go through the entire shedding process last time. (humidity is high, nothing seems out of the ordinary in his enclosure)

So just a general question, maybe its illogical but I haven't been able to find any info on it.
Is it possible for snakes to postpone actually peeling off their skins even after they've started the shedding process? Or even elongating the time it takes to go through one shedding phase?

I don't know. I wouldn't really think that they would want to. Most of the time they seem to be uncomfortable and unhappy during this time, so why would they want to draw it out?

Try soaking him some, or the pillow case trick. I'm afraid I don't know the exact details of the pillow case trick, but hopefully someone else will chime in...

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Sometimes it just takes longer than others.
They can't consciously affect their shed if that is what you are asking.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

My advice is just be patient: do not handle the snake. Just provide water and proper humidity levels. Shedding takes as long as it takes; there are no rules about how long a shed "should" take. It can be different every time.

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Andrea

what do you have in the enclosure to help the snake shed? (rough rocks, etc)