How often do babies shed?

[reptile65]

I've had my baby for almost 2 weeks now. She's been eating like crazy and really seems to be doing well. I'm just curious as to when she should be shedding. Also, do garter snakes go into "blue" like other snakes before they shed?

[Snakers]

1-2months then start to slow down

[guidofatherof5]

She'll shed when she needs to.;)
Yes, garter snakes go into Blue Phase, Opaque Phase.

[ConcinusMan]

I'll have to add that albinos have a more subtle "blue" phase. It takes a few times to recognize it. Basically colors fade but you don't get really cloudy blue or gray eyes.

If your snake is 0-2 years old the shedding frequency depends much on growth rate. Babies (and adults) shed because they outgrow the semi-translucent keratin layer of dead skin on their surface. It must come off in order to accommodate growth. The cloudy eyes and belly you are seeing is a new keratin layer growing underneath the old. After the new layer is ready, the eyes will go clear again. A day or three after the eyes go clear, the old layer comes off.

For babies 0-2 years old, it can happen as often as every 3 weeks or can take as long as 5 or 6 weeks between shedding. Depends on growth rate. Old adults at nearly maximum size, can shed only 2 -3 times per year.

Any snake, adult or baby, will have varying shedding frequency depending on the time of year, temperature, availability of food, etc.

You'll know when the time is near. Your snake will start looking dull, and then go cloudy, and often they will refuse food for a while, and then start eating again after the shed.

[reptile65]

I'll have to add that albinos have a more subtle "blue" phase. It takes a few times to recognize it. Basically colors fade but you don't get really cloudy blue or gray eyes.

If your snake is 0-2 years old the shedding frequency depends much on growth rate. Babies (and adults) shed because they outgrow the semi-translucent keratin layer of dead skin on their surface. It must come off in order to accommodate growth. The cloudy eyes and belly you are seeing is a new keratin layer growing underneath the old. After the new layer is ready, the eyes will go clear again. A day or three after the eyes go clear, the old layer comes off.

For babies 0-2 years old, it can happen as often as every 3 weeks or can take as long as 5 or 6 weeks between shedding. Depends on growth rate. Old adults at nearly maximum size, can shed only 2 -3 times per year.

Any snake, adult or baby, will have varying shedding frequency depending on the time of year, temperature, availability of food, etc.

You'll know when the time is near. Your snake will start looking dull, and then go cloudy, and often they will refuse food for a while, and then start eating again after the shed.


Thanks for the info. Sounds like the shedding process is pretty much the same as corn snakes.