I have this false water cobra and he has these spots on the tip of his tail and his bottom jaw, I have no clue what it is or how he got it. Anyone have any ideas?
Looks to be possibly the beginning of Mouth and maybe Tail rot…
Both tend to stem from injuries or stuck shed that harmful bacteria was able to get into and become a breeding ground. Mouth rot is common with injuries like face rubbing and tail rot is common with stuck shed, injuries or a combination of both.
The harmful bacteria comes from waste or other contaminants + high humidity or excessively wet areas of the enclosure (common areas being around the water bowl or under hides).
Veterinarian care is usually needed for this situation to be able to get antibiotics to treat worse cases. I’d suggest monitoring for now and if it gets worse (spreads, becomes red, smells bad, or begins to ooze) take your FWC to the vet.
Betadine is your friend here as well, but it will not cure the issue- it will only prevent it from getting worse. You can mix 1 part betadine to 10 parts water and either use it as a soak or since the issue areas are so small, just use a q-tip soaked in the mix and gently apply it to the affected areas 1x daily.
Polysporin without numbing ingredients can also be used, just apply a tiny bit on a q-tip and spread over the affected areas.
Yup agree with all above. We don’t see many FWCs here! Have you had him very long?
Is this a WC or CBB FWC?
Because this snake is looking like it’s starting to go in blue, I would be a little more hesitant to jump directly to mouth rot. There’s a chance if they’re burrowing more at the moment that could be from the substrate in the enclosure.
Still keep an eye on it in case it worsens. Or if they are not on a loose substrate I would definitely look into what Christina has said above.
For the tail, it does look more like a previous injury and some scale regrowth to me. Which is why I asked if they were WC. If they are I would look into antiparasite treatment as a general preventative.
Yeah I believe he is, his eyes are definitely cloudy compared to normal. I honestly have no clue what kind he is or how to tell the difference
I’ve had him since he was a baby, so like 1-2 years
Should I see how he looks after he sheds to start doing anything and taking him to a vet?
What kind of set up is he in? Tank or tub? Substrate? What are the temps and humidity? I’m only asking in case his impending shed isn’t contributing to the spots on his mouth and tail. Maybe the husbandry is a bit off. Also it would be cool to see a picture of all of him! ![]()
Go to the vet. They are likely to prescribe ABs, have you clean the mouth regularly with something they will recommend like chlorhexadine, and go over the husbandry with you. Personally, I would completely clean out the terrarium and replace anything in it that cannot be sanitized. Make sure temps and humidity are spot on. I would recommend getting a culture done because if the AB they recommend does not work, then you want to know what you’re dealing with and not waste more valuable time.
Thank you for the picture of his enclosure! To be honest I am not familiar with the FWC but I have definitely admired it in the past. Has he ever had trouble with incomplete sheds? I also don’t have experience with mouth rot or tail rot either but there are some basic questions that can be asked. It looks like your temps and humidity are in the moderate range and he has a large pan for soaking. Have you seen him soaking lately and have you tried to examine his mouth up close and personal? Stuck shed on the tip of his tail could definitely cause the tip to drop off after a while causing the end to have a blunt look. Years ago I had a corn snake that lost the tip of its tail because I failed to check it after a shed. I learned the hard way.
Mouth rot actually starts inside the mouth and works its way out. Has he been eating normally? Do you feed FT or live? His tail is not as concerning as his mouth, at least not to me. But both are definitely concerning. If the debris in his mouth doesn’t go away after he drinks a few times it’s definitely more than substrate. I know I’m repeating what has already been said above but this guy had been on my mind.
If it were me I would go ahead and make a vet appointment. Most times reptile vets are booked up a few weeks in advance anyway so I would go ahead and make an appointment for him. If he sheds in the meantime and his mouth goes back to normal you can always cancel the appointment unless you are still concerned about his tail. Also don’t worry about the full picture. It sounds like you have your hands full. Just keep the updates coming! And btw, what is his name?
He just shed and his mouth spot went away but his tail still looks odd. Usually after my snakes shed I will completely look over their body’s to check for any stuck sheds cause I have one snake that no matter how hard I try he always has stuck shed. The FWC always likes to go swimming but I haven’t seen anything abnormal with it.
Oh and his name is Little Man even though he isn’t so little anymore ![]()
This looks like dead tissue from a previous shed. It should fall off with the next shed or 2. Just leave it alone in the process. I know you check Little Man but sometimes that last little bit can hang on. Keep an eye on it for redness, swelling, etc. I’m just relieved that his mouth is ok!
Take care of Little Man as well as yourself! ![]()




