Why do some snakes have a blue spot or a blue eye?

When snakes shed their skin, it is called ‘Blue’ because there is often a blue spot or blue eye.

Snakes shed their skin as they grow larger. This is called ecdysis.

Snakes produce a mucous (sticky liquid) when they shed their skin, which helps separate the old skin from the new skin. The mucous often enters their eye scale, turning it blue.

Speckled Sand Snake

When their eye is blue, they cannot see very well. After the skin is shed, the blue colour soon disappears.

Puff Adder

African Python

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM