Is this normal?

[hypnoctopus]

Last weekend, I bought my little sister an amel stripe from the Phoenix Reptile Expo. She's named her Popsicle and we've been basically leaving her alone since we got her.

I noticed that she had recently shed when we first got her, as her shed skin was all balled up in her little container. I also noticed that she did have a few pieces still stuck to her, and I assisted her in getting them off with a damp paper towel the day we brought her home.

This morning when I went to check on her, I noticed that I must have missed one more piece, so even though we're supposed to be leaving her alone for a bit, I went ahead and gave her a lukewarm bath in the sink.

It appears that all of the leftover shed pieces are now off. However, I did notice when we got her that she has some reddish blotches that aren't part of the stripe. I figured it was just her pattern, but when I was looking more closely today, the scales look kind of wrinkly and misshapen on the red patch and this is also where the stuck shed was. Do you think it's just normal coloration or is it related to a not-perfect shed, or is it something else?

Alright, here are some pictures so you can see what I'm talking about. It was hard to get a close enough shot without the flash wiping out the color. I've circled the red patch in blue:

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/7018988/1024/Anonymous/IMG-7620-edit.jpg

http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/7019041/1024/Anonymous/IMG-7621-edit.jpg

http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/7019049/1024/Anonymous/IMG-7616-edit.jpg

Thanks for any input! :spinner:

[Nanci]

I see what you see. I think I would reassess it after the next shed. Snakes can heal from massive injuries; I'd be surprised if whatever this is doesn't just resolve after another shed or two. No idea what caused it, though.

[Fatman608]

Ok, I will tell what would do. Nothing

I would do what Nanci said but I would not follow her advice because she is a girl and girls do not know anything unless she is my wife and Nanci is not my wife so I would not follow her advice. So, I would follow my advice and do what Nanci said.

[Buzzard]

Ok, I will tell what would do. Nothing

I would do what Nanci said but I would not follow her advice because she is a girl and girls do not know anything unless she is my wife and Nanci is not my wife so I would not follow her advice. So, I would follow my advice and do what Nanci said.

lmfao :laugh01: :laugh01: :laugh01: :laugh01:

Yes, I agree(I think)with what Nanci said.


It looks like either a peice of old shed, or an old injury, or just a blimish. Like Nanci said it should clear up after a couple of sheds.

[hypnoctopus]

Thanks for all the input! I wasn't planning on rushing off to the vet or anything, and I was also thinking that it might clear up after another shed. We'll see.

[Forcedexile]

Ok, I will tell what would do. Nothing

I would do what Nanci said but I would not follow her advice because she is a girl and girls do not know anything unless she is my wife and Nanci is not my wife so I would not follow her advice. So, I would follow my advice and do what Nanci said.

Why are the fat guys always the funny ones? lolol

[hypnoctopus]

Just a little update: the little dry patch continued to get 'drier' and looked kind of flaky so to speak. However, Popsicle just shed last night and it looks significantly better today. Maybe by next shed it will be completely gone. I'd post some pictures, but she just ate so I'll leave her alone for a bit.

Thanks for all the help!

[hypnoctopus]

Well it's been a couple months since I first posted this. Popsicle is doing well, although the little mark still has not gone completely away. It looks very much to me like a small scar. If you look at the photo below, you can see that the area has misshapen scales that are shinier than regular scales:

http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/8217791/800/Anonymous/IMG-0579.jpg

Anyway, she just shed and it was perfectly all in once piece (in fact, she has always shed perfectly for me), so I'm not concerned. I just thought I would update this for anyone who was curious. :)