Question about scales (weird patch)

Hi guys! (first post here)

2 weeks ago I bought my first corn snake from a local pet store. The guy who sold it to me breeds snakes and is somewhat of a reptile/serpent savant so I trust him completely when I was told my snake was in excellent health.

He shed the day before I bought him, but the lower part of the tail did not shed (lack of humidity)... my substrate was still SLIGHTLY damp, so this seemed to do the trick to rid the rest of the shed the following day.

The problem though, is in the last couple days I've noticed he has a strange patch along one side. It's a VERY small circular area where the scales appear SLIGHTLY raised and hard to the touch. I don't THINK it's a tick or mite, but is there a way to tell for sure?

He's only about a month old so the scales are very small (the cluster is of about 8 or so scales). The "patch" is only visible if you're looking very closely at it or touching it with your finger. You can't see it if you didn't know to look for it.

As for remedy, I was told to keep a close eye on it, but upon internet research I see that olive oil is a good aid for mites or ticks? Is this safe? And forget water... he's terrified of the stuff. Will NOT sit still. haha

Not too sure what to do when I don't know what the problem is... Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks all!

PS. He's still fairly shy so he spends most of his time in hiding, but when I do have him out, he's very trusting and quite active - but still very calm - ... lots of tongue flicking and exploring, so the "patch" doesn't seem to be bothering him at all... if that helps...

(sorry so long!)

PS. Meet Max. (no idea what morph he is, but I THINK he's part rat snake, part albino corn... I think... I also dont know what sex he is, but my roommate says there are too many girls in the house, so he's been proclaimed a male. lol)

Good looking snake. And welcome to the forum.

As far as the hard spot on the side of your snake. watch it, and definately treat it for Mites and Ticks, if that is what you think it is. But, if it is under the scales, it might be something internal. If you can't get it to go away, or if it gets a little bigger, you might want to take your snake to the vet.

Well that is certainly a mouthful!!!

Or.....

I could just be a patch of old shed that didn't come off. Try a wet paper towel and rub gentle from the head towards the tail.

Does it look like a bug? If not then it isn't a tick.

cav said:

I could just be a patch of old shed that didn't come off.

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:bowdown:

Glad that you are here to state some of the small obivous things. they are usually the most over looked. :headbang:

Thanks for the replies.

My immediate thought was it was a piece of skin from the last shed (which is why I mentioned the rest of it coming off after I brought him home), but upon closer inspection, I'm thinking otherwise. The scales aren't as much raised as they are just seperated and dry/hard feeling... I can't explain it. I would take a picture, but you wouldn't be able to see it.

---> Like I said though I'm pretty sure it's not a mite or tick (Cav: no, doesn't look like a bug at all - but then again I wouldn't have the first clue what a bug under the scales looks like in the first place), but I'd like to try the olive oil anyway, if it's safe (is it?).

As for something internal... what could be causing this? I'm still somewhat uneducated with snakes (first one) so I'm not going to (for example) be the kind of mom who rushes to the emergency because her kid has a bruise. I asked my friend "how the heck do you boil rocks" so that was my dumb question for the month. lol

I will DEFINITELY watch it though and if I don't see it getting better I will continue to ask questions or will then take him to the vet.

I'm sure it's nothing and I'm not really worried, but I would really like to know what the hell it is... I hate the not knowing.

Thanks again, guys. Lots of BEAUTIFUL babies here!

well, if it is internal, it could be bacteria, or even a tumor (don't want to scare you) thus I suggested taking it to the vet.

spirit said:

The scales aren't really raised as they are just seperated and dry/hard feeling... I can't explain it.

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might just be very dry skin that is having problems rehydrating.

That's what it LOOKS like to me. Thanks, pcar. I'm not ruling out the possibility of something more serious, but that makes me feel worlds better.

Edit: I welcome the fear. I feel better knowing the possibilitites so I can rule them out, than being ignorant to something as serious as a possible tumor... So again... thank you.