Dry Nose on Rat Snake?

[Lyreiania]

Hi all...
A puzzlement, and thank you all in advance for any thoughts you have here. My brindle rat snake, Adderal, has an incredibly dry and chapped snout/ nose. It actually is craggy in appearance and looks wrinkly/ chapped/ dry from his nostrils to about a half inch on his head. I would upload a picture as that speaks a 1000 words but I never have been able to on these forums. His skin along his whole body feels dry, and a few scales on his belly are cracked almost. Not red or inflamed, just cracked...and it is very few. Its possible he will shed soon but hes never done this before. Nor have I seen his eyes cloud.

His home is a 100 gallon terrarium, he shares it with his "brother", another rat snake who is perfectly happy and healthy. I have had Adderal since July 12, 2009; he was about two years old at time of purchase, making him about five years old now. My two boys are on pine shavings, they have a huge bin of water which they can soak in at their leisure. Fed approximately every two weeks, his appetite has been decent.

I plan to soak him tomorrow in water with a touch of appropriate antibiotic drops in case this is a retained shed of some kind.

Any other thoughts or ideas?
Thanks again in advance.

[diamondlil]

Pine shavings contain oils that are toxic, they can cause lung problems so could be iritating to your snake's skin.

[kaypar2011]

I agree on the pine. I would use aspen for substrate and check humidity.

[Isoldael]

Have you checked out pictures of scalerot? Does it look anything like that?

[Lyreiania]

Hi all, and thank you so much for your replies. Diamondlil, I know there is some controversy over the pine issue. It is the cedar shavings which contain the volatile oils which can irritate them, not so much the pine. My vets have never said they should not be on pine shavings (and I see herp vets) My snakes have been on pine shavings for years, no issue there. Kaypar, the humidity should be OK...their water basin is huge. It is a big plastic basin that patients get when they are in hospitals. It is large enough for even my biggest at a bit over 6 feet to comfortably soak. Isoldael, it does not look like scale rot. its not inflamed at all. In fact, his nose and about a quarter inch above it looks somewhat like this mans feet, here: http://www.homeremediesdirectory.com/cracked-feet-causes-2329.html I will try yet again to upload a picture. Thank you all so much for your advice here. It is much appreciated, even if I dont agree with it :)

[Christen]

There is no controversy. Softwoods are not recommended and that includes pines and cedars.

[Isoldael]

A bit like this, perhaps?

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSqzNZz7vkOLxSG2aGyf-bnnA4CN94GRbb-7Uqjzk1kCIGqFSVjNhYBU6Uo

[starsevol]

Just my two cents, but pine IS a huge no-no. It does contain toxins and is not recommended for reptile or small animal substrate.
I realize that you consider your vet a herp vet and trust advice he gives you, but really in this case he is dead wrong.
Also, even though he lives in a huge viv, he really should not be housed with another snake. Snakes are solitary animals by nature and forcing them together can cause stress and all kinds of health problems.

[Lyreiania]

Hi Isoldael, yes, it is rather like that, except a bit more leathery/ craggy, and limited to his snout and nose. Adderal's mouth is also symmetrical, the snake in your picture has an unevenness in his jawline. Adderal is named for the drug, and acts it at times (it is a medication given as a treatment for ADD); it is conceivable I guess that he injured his nose rubbing it on something. But that does not explain the occassional cracked and split scale along his belly.

Starsevol, I know the arguments pro and con on cohabitation, and I prefer them housed together. I see behaviors that I interpret as them enjoying each others company, despite what is said on the topic. I feed them separately, of course, never had any issues with it. Nor do they seem stressed, which I would expect shown in aggressive behaviors. I thank you for pointing it out to me though, I know people can be too quick to take offense at what others say, and I want to assure you I am not offended and I appreciate your response. Agreement is not always needed.

[Isoldael]

I got that picture from a thread where they suggested it could be a fungal infection - the dry skin cleared up after two sheds, being treated with Polysporin (suggesting it was something infection-related after all).

[Nanci]

Sometimes the area in between the scales especially around the nose can look VERY crusty and yellow before a shed.

[Lyreiania]

Hi Isoldael, hmmm...thank you for that suggestion. I do have human anti fungal cream, and Adderal is accepting of touches on his face so I can try some clotrimin on his nose if my vet says its OK. Nanci, his belly looks like he will shed. I am hoping that this is it. I soaked him today, he seemed to enjoy it. I will try feeding them all tomorrow. I will also try to upload some images of his poor face. I cant seem to resize them small enough for this site to load them.

Thank you all so very much for your thoughts and ideas here! It is so very appreciated.

[Nanci]

picresize.com

[Nanci]

And if you're going to soak him, I'd use weak tea-colored Betadine/water.

[Lyreiania]

If this works, here are some pictures: Thanks Nanci for the link! Great site!

[Lyreiania]

I think this will finally work! Here is the snakes face.

[Nanci]

I think that will shed off. Could be wrong! It will be interesting to see.

[Lyreiania]

Hi all...update on Adderal. They all got fed today, and Adderal would not eat anything. He has never skipped a meal in my care, and his last poor meal was in March of 2010 (yes I keep records). So this is very unusual for him not to eat. He is, however, going to shed; his eyes are starting to cloud. But shedding in any of its states or phases does not usually make any difference in this snakes appetite, so I hope nothing horrible is going on.

Thank you for all your help and advice...and if I had the space, theyd be separated for now. I can not believe it would be good for a snake used to being in a 72 inch by 18.5 inch enclosure to find himself shoved in a 20 gallon long tank (his feed tank). I think that may be more stress on him then living with a cagemate.

Thank you all again.