A specimen harboring clinical pathogen levels, to the point of lethargy, will rarely present ecdysis in the manner indicated within the post, though some do manage to rub the facial skin off, while most normally retain the old skin or it simply starts breaking away in small pieces.
The two specimens I indicated this occurring with were perfectly healthy and harbored no clinical levels of pathogens, though I do believe better humidity could have hepled to prevent such, at least in one of teh cases . Also, I believe a large enclosure with plenty of furniture to allow for proper ecdysis will help, as many specimens maintained without such simply rub against themselves, which creates a tight ring of skin being formed and the possibility of cutting off the circulation, much like wrapping a rubber band around one of your extremities.
While it is always wise to have a necropsy performed by a competent veterinarian or pathologist, I do not believe the demise of your snake is cause for worry of an epidemic within your collection, especially if you have followed a sound quarantine process and practiced good husbandry…

Best regards,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

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