Help with snakes scales

So it sounds like it could be systemic. If something is wrong with an organ or a blood disorder or something else similar then the skin/scales can become affected on the outside……especially since it is spreading after a month plus

3 Likes

Could this have been something I caused? I feel like a horrible human if he’s suffering because of me. But if so I’ll use this as a learning experience so I don’t make this mistake again.
(I’ll request blood work at my next appointment)

4 Likes

No no no! I’m just trying to guess at what is going on but please don’t start blaming yourself for something that may not even be that serious! The best thing to do is go ahead and request the bloodwork and then go from there.

Please remember that healthy animals sometimes develop illnesses just like healthy humans do, for seemingly no reason. So again don’t stress out and start beating yourself up! Just keep calm and wait until you find out more. :pray:

5 Likes

@caron I appreciate you taking the initiative and understand you’re trying to help, but you shouldn’t just throw out guesses or diagnostic test suggestions unless you have solid reasoning for them. Bloodwork requires accessing either a tail vein or doing a direct draw from the heart and would be a bridge too far unless the vet thinks it necessary.

@sydneygeorge The chances this is snake fungal disease are basically nil, so please do not panic. To me, this looks like scale damage. The fact that it’s in small, isolated spots and isn’t spreading in patches or even to scales nearby makes me suspect that this is related to your boy’s behavior. I have to ask, is he a climber? Even in a bin, there are plenty of ways to damage scales with smooth decor. Heck, I literally just had a snake get stuck in the handle recess of a sterilite bin, messed himself up quite nicely (he’s fine).

Your cool end is too hot, in my opinion, I’d go mid to high 70s. The basking temp of 90-92 should be in a small area & the warm end should be about 85ºF, at least from what I know of milk snakes and North American colubrids in general.

I’d start with lowering your temps a bit and doing dilute betadine soaks. 85ºF water, put him in plain water for a couple of minutes first to allow him to hydrate, then add betadine until the water looks like tea. I’d also drop his feeder size down one to two sizes to try and entice him to eat. I’d also give him access to a humid hide, it looks like he may shed soon based on the edges of his scales. What is his current feeder size and feeding schedule? Does he have any other symptoms besides the scales and lack of eating?

3 Likes

Oops! Sorry I scared you @sydneygeorge! Jess is so right! I definitely overstepped my boundaries with this one and she is probably right with her advice! Especially about the bloodwork! The less stress your noodle goes through the better! What is his name btw and what morph is he? I’m terrible at guessing! :rofl:

Everything will be fine I am sure! :heart::pray:

3 Likes

He’s not a huge climber, to be honest the past 2 weeks he hasn’t left his hide unless I’m getting him out to clean and give him his antibiotics. I do betadine soaks just every couple days because he gets really stressed from them so I was trying to avoid doing them daily. Right now his cool end is more in the mid 70s, the summer it gets warmer just naturally in my animal room so it can go up to low 80s. I have a humid hide in his hospital setup on the cool end, but to be honest his scales have been looking like that for weeks, I keep thinking he’s going to shed but he never does. He normally eats a fuzzy mouse once a week, but the last time I got him to eat I offered a pinkie and he ate that but he hasn’t touched one since.

3 Likes

It’s totally fine, no worries! Im up for any suggestion at this point so I appreciate you trying to help and think up ideas!
His name is Waldo because he looks like where’s Waldo :joy::orange_heart:

3 Likes

Also, he’s an albino Nelson’s milksnake :blush:

3 Likes

Yes, my skink has/ had a fungus infection but it looks different to me.

It looks more like scale damage which can look like that. I am going to say keep an eye out for any problematic symptoms. I don’t think scale rot as the belly is fine so just make sure keep a close eye on it and when he sheds keep monitoring to see what happens.

3 Likes

I’d say the staying in the hide is likely due to the hospital enclosure. They like to feel hidden, especially so when they’re not 100% right so if there’s not a lot of ground cover and he’s on paper towel, he won’t be out and about. The thing with the spreading of the issue is that until he sheds, you can’t really get a good idea of what is healed and what is still looking off, because all the scabs/bent bits clear with the shed.

You say the temps have dropped down naturally, is it possible that he’s trying to brumate himself because of this? It is that time of year. You could always try bumping up the heat a little in that case, see if it has any impact. On his next vet visit, I’d see if they could do a culture of the area, see if anything grows. To me it doesn’t look like anything I’d consider absolutely concerning, and it’s possible that the lack of eating isn’t even necessarily related to the scale issues. I don’t even see the discoloration or inflammation I’d expect if this was something needing to be addressed asap. That doesn’t mean there couldn’t be something bigger going on, but I wouldn’t be worrying too much just yet. He otherwise looks to be in good body condition and if he’s not losing weight, I’d actually just give him time and see what happens after this next vet visit.

2 Likes

I love the name! And I thought he was albino but I wasn’t for sure about the Nelson’s . I have a New Mexico milk.

Again I am so sorry for alarming you Sydney! Waldo will be fine I am sure! He just needs a little extra TLC to help him get through this huddle! :heart:

4 Likes

I feel like it’s odd he hasn’t shed tho? It’s been 4 months since his last shed and he stopped eating about 3-4 weeks ago. I just want him to shed so badly so I can see how it looks.
As for the temps, his temps never go below 73 even at night, and he still has a basking spot of about 90 and warm end mid-high 80s so I doubt he’s trying to Brumate? But I suppose it’s possible just because I’m sure he can sense it being cooler out.

He also had weird poo before this started that I actually had posted here (I’ll post it again) and took him to the vet and the vet wasn’t to concerned since all parasite tests came back good and just said to use a probiotic which I use when he actually will eat his mice. (Last few poops have looked a little better)

3 Likes

No worries, really I appreciate the brainstorming!

2 Likes

I remember a post a few weeks ago about poop like this looking like tiny little beans and I think @noodlehaus was able to explain this as well?

3 Likes

Yes! So I stopped really worrying about the poo so much but now this :frowning: seems my poor guy can’t catch a break.

3 Likes

Sometimes the shed intervals change, I wouldn’t be too concerned that he hasn’t yet, especially if he’s been eating less. I can understand the anxiousness, I’m still waiting on my injured boy to shed as well to see how he’s healing. It’s possible he’s not trying to brumate, but there are also some snakes who just randomly get the urge when they realize the season. Just tossing it out as a possibility for the lack of eating.

I remember the poo post! @caron is on it! That’s a totally normal poo, definitely have seen plenty like it from 100% healthy snakes. Have you thought about trying an electrolyte soak? Both Zoo Med and Lugarti sell a powder to be added to water, might be something new to try both for his gut health and his skin.

All that said, I know it’s so easy to worry about these guys, especially when they won’t eat, but they’re pretty hardy. You’re seeing a vet, he’s had treatment, as hard as it is don’t let your worry get the better of you! I’m sure Waldo is just giving you the good old mom scare, and he’ll be tip-top soon. Wait out that shed (hopefully soon, based on the look of him) and then see how he looks. You’ve got this, and so does he. :people_hugging:

3 Likes

Well I do kinda feel sorry for the little fella! He’s been booted out of his home, hospitalized, and now his poop is on display again! Yeah! Poor Waldo!

Just sayin……. :joy::rofl::joy::rofl:

3 Likes

In my experience, poop that color is indicative of less than ideal digestion.

4 Likes

@noodlehaus Jess it’s kinda hard to forget beany poop……even for an old lady :older_woman: like me……

3 Likes

Yes that’s what my vet had suggested and why he wanted him on a probiotic (has actually started helping before he stopped eating)

3 Likes