Why is my Eden still little?

[kibakiba]

If he's malnourished, then give him more food and stop causing him to be malnourished. Try pinkies mixed in worm slime or blood.

[chris-uk]

I've not been keeping garters for long, but having 4 checkered babies and being a bit obsessive about recording shed dates, weights and such like, gives me a pretty good idea as to how varied the growth can be over the first 6 months. However all our checkered babies have shed on average once a month, shortest time between sheds was 16 days for one of them (that one then went 40 days). But the average time between sheds for our checkered girls is around 30 days. So August to February without a shed does seem very strange to me.
They will slow down as they get older and growth rates slow but as a baby you'd expect frequent sheds.

[ConcinusMan]

I wrote a little bit about baby garter care in the care sheets, near the bottom under "Breeding". You should read it. Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet

If your snake is otherwise healthy, you can probably turn it around and get it growing better by feeding more often and feeding it something besides worms.

I wouldn't get too worried just yet. The snake is eating and that's good. Baby garters are often forced to brumate shortly after birth, and do not resume growth until the following spring, provided that they survive the winter. There's a good chance you can get him growing well soon.

[Alicia_kay_47]

I'm hoping once everything changes for the better he will thrive. I mean, the shedding issue is a bit worrysome, specially since his shed comes off in pieces, an my old snake's came off in one whole piece. But, he is wild, so maybe lack of proper diet/change in habitat freaked him out into not being a normal snake. If I have a hurtful and unexpected occurance, I believe I will make my next choice CB so that I can be more sure of their health.

[Alicia_kay_47]

Hey, I think your right...He wont get growing good until spring. He ..well, he just seems very on the up and up. I can't wait for you guys to see him and give opinions. I'd do it now, but I have 0 access to a camera at the mo'. But I'm super excited to finally find out what he is. He looks so cool.

[ConcinusMan]

I'm hoping once everything changes for the better he will thrive. I mean, the shedding issue is a bit worrysome, specially since his shed comes off in pieces.

That is concerning. Especially if he doesn't get all the skin off. Failure to shed causes constriction, which is usually fatal or results in loss of the tail. Coming off in pieces can indicate poor health or can be caused by improper environmental conditions. Poor nutrition can also cause the skin to be very thin, resulting in a shed that doesn't come off in one piece.

[Alicia_kay_47]

Do snakes like to hide/get cranky when they shed..(Like..maybe,how pms is for woman? LOL )

[ConcinusMan]

Definitely

[Alicia_kay_47]

Damnit.Well, it IS coming off. Just not how it's supposed to. .....Hmmm. Who knows. Only time will tell.

[Alicia_kay_47]

Well, he has had many changes to his environment too, new food, new lamp. AND he's wild and was caught and put into an aquarium with some girl that picks him up and holds him. Pretty stressful all around.