Please Give Your Opinions!

[Cursed_Witch]

Hi there, I haven't been here for a long time due to health issues myself.
But I'm back here about Stewie. His last shed was in November, he has always shed in one full piece... but despite that, he had some skin stuck, I did my everything to add humidity & to rub em with wet paper towels.

He hasn't eaten since Dec 21 (I've never fed him live), he has not been active at all and he has been very moody (if i can say so) which is typical when he is preparing to shed... but...
A couple of days ago, I picked him up to try one more time to remove the stuck skin and i was shocked to see his scales start to come off.. not the shed, but the whole scale...and, some of his scales look damaged. I believe I even saw spots where the whole scale was off and you could see a sort of a bloody dry spot. I have called all vets around here and i finally found a vet but they wouldn't see him till next saturday... I called another animal hospital and when i described what was wrong with stewie, they urged me to come to the animal ER. Which i did yesterday... they took him in and they said that he just seems like he is going through a bad shed.. i explained to them that he's never had one, i told them i tried to take the skin off and i was waiting for the next shed hoping they would come off with. I explained about the scales breaking when i was holding him. They said they did not see any scales off... they did however do a blood test (it was horrifying to learn that they draw blood straight from the heart) and right now, I'm still nervously waiting to hear the results... I did however notice that, i guess when they checked his mouth, they squished his neck because the scales look damaged.
I have attached some of the pics hoping someone can give me their opinion on what this could be and provide me with that relief that i am hoping to get.

Thank you in advance.

Above his eyes

This is one you can see the shed skin on the far right

 

[hiddenhollowherp]

I have never seen or experienced scale rot before, but I have heard that it can happen when the humidity is too high. :shrugs:

Try googling it for a picture reference, because I don't even know what it looks like. :uhoh:

Good luck. I hope it's nothing serious.

 

[danielle]

I can't say it looks like anyting other than stuck shed have you tried letting him swim a little in some cool/warm water? I hear water in the low 80's should be good and safe and just to fill a container halfway allowing the snake to be able to keep its head up and obviously with you right there. Also wash clothes are usually rougher than paper towels and will provide more roughage to help sloth off the bad spots just hold firmly while he slithers through it to create more tension and help it off a little.

 

[Lennycorn]

Wow, That is strange Cursed Witch, I never heard or seen anything like this before. It look s like from the pictures that a few more scales might come off too.
I don't think it's scale rot. It's not burning itself is it??
What a mess . Sorry I can't help you.
But I'm sure someone here can figure it out.

It' nice to see you back.

 

[StormRose]

I can see in the pics where he's lost scales. It's more than likely that those sales didn't get enough oxygen with the stuck shed on top of them, and fell off because of that.

Give him a good bath to get rid of any left over shed, and in the future make sure to get it cleaned off right away. Here are some great instructions on how to deal with it:
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56170

For now, just watch the sore spots for infection, if they start oozing or looking generally nasty, take him to a herp vet. Be sure it's someone who knows about snakes, and not someone who mostly deals with kittens and puppies.

You also may want to house him on newspaper until the sores heal up so that the bedding doesn't irritate them. They should start looking better in one or two sheds, barring any infection

Let us know how he does!

 

[reptile_jones]

I have never seen or experienced scale rot before, but I have heard that it can happen when the humidity is too high.

Along with hiddenhollowherp, I think that it may be scale rot.

 

[Nanci]

I don't have an opinion, but after reading the description, I was very relieved to see the photos! I hope it all clears up on the next shed. Yes, my vet told me they draw blood right from the snake's heart. I'd have a heart attack. Fortunately, none of mine have required a blood draw, knock on wood...

 

[reptile_jones]

Along with hiddenhollowherp, I think that it may be scale rot.

After looking over the photo's many times, I no longer think that it is scale rot. Scale rot look more like an open sore. It looks like bits of shed still on him and will most likely come off in the next shed. Keep an eye on him till then.

 

[RobbiesCornField]

I looked at the photos several times. To me, it doesn't look like scale rot, but like a loose scale came off during shed. I've seen this happen a couple of times. You really want to make sure to keep the area clean, to prevent infection. In my opinion, this should clear up within the next couple of sheds. I have a snake right now with a spot very similar to that on his nose. Take a q-tip, and put a little bit of hydrogen peroxide on it, and gently dab it on the areas where he lost the scales. You don't want to put a lot on, but just enough to moisten it. This will help keep those spots nice and clean, and hopefully prevent infection.

 

[Lennycorn]

Do you guy think this is do to poor shed /low humidity??

 

[bekers71]

It doesn't look like scale rot to me. Scale rot tends to happen when the enclosure is kept too damp and dirty and typically will start on the belly. If he's having problems shedding and you had to try and raise the humidity then I doubt it's that. StormRose is most likely correct in it being a lack of oxygen to those scales. Possible that he had some stuck shed and has been rubbing his back on some thing in the tank to get it off too. Most will probably be better on his next shed. What's the temps and humidity in his tank? As far as not eating and being inactive, sounds like he knows it's winter and is trying to brumate him self. I have a few males that do that and will go months with out eating. Your boy looks very healthy and if he's not losing any significant weight I wouldn't worry about his eating yet.

 

[Cursed_Witch]

I think he has both.. i admit that he has some shed skin that didn't come off... I tried everything but they seem to be stuck.. that's why I said, I was waiting for them to get better with his next shed. But he hasn't shed yet.

What worries me is that the exposed places where there was scales....and most importantly... the scales that look like squished or like when corn gets rotten. When you look at it him with the naked eye you see this pattern all over his spine from top to bottom.. and i know, having him for 3 1/2 years, I have never seen anything like that... I was afraid that he might be getting himself burned but I don't get how.. because his hot side never goes over 85 degrees, and i have a thermometer with a probe right on the glass in the bottom in case he decides to go under the aspen to warm himself, the heating pad is underneath from the outside.

I know it is harder to see it because of the stuck skin.
I'm going to try to take better pictures to show you what i mean with the scales.... the flash of the camera is preventing it from being visible.. but the second picture shows it the best.
I have a hard time finding any herp vets, the one that saw him was an exotic vet.... and there is another exotic vet at the other place that Im thinking i should have her check it. I searched for herp vets in Mass they are all at least 45 min away from where i live. I can;t drive because I am currently disabled.

 

[Cursed_Witch]

Do you guy think this is do to poor shed /low humidity??

ALL of his shed always came off in One piece... maybe once it was 2 pieces when he was still a few months old.
I can take a picture of the whole shed because i keep them. it's one whole piece... humidity in this tank has always been great thats why he shed in one piece... and if takes too long for him to shed, i have always used a humidity hide, i mist the tank.

Even if i consider that this might be from poor shed, let's just assume that, why would the rest of his body have those squished scales, it's like when you overcook a corn on the cob, the full pieces shrink.

 

[Lennycorn]

ALL of his shed always came off in One piece... maybe once it was 2 pieces when he was still a few months old.
I can take a picture of the whole shed because i keep them. it's one whole piece... humidity in this tank has always been great thats why he shed in one piece... and if takes too long for him to shed, i have always used a humidity hide, i mist the tank.

I don't think you need to to both...or either as long as the level are OK and the shake is shedding properly.
Well if you keep them look for some scales left on them.
How is your house/apt heated. Hot air heat???
So far I say go with what Robbie suggested with a treatment and change bedding.

And don't get lost again for 6 months at a time too haha.
Stay around a bit.

 

[StormRose]

What worries me is that the exposed places where there was scales....and most importantly... the scales that look like squished or like when corn gets rotten.

Have you ever worn rubber gloves for too long, and your fingers prune all up? It's basically the same thing. His healthy skin couldn't breathe because it had dead skin over the top of it, and it started to prune and eventually slough off in places.

It doesn't matter if he's always had healthy sheds before, it only takes one really bad one to damage the healthy tissue underneath.

I really wouldn't panic at this point. Keep him off of loose bedding and put him on newspaper or paper towels instead. Then just keep an eye on it for awhile. If it gets worse, more scales come off, or the sores start to ooze or grow, then take him to a vet. Otherwise just wait and see if he doesn't look a lot better when he sheds again.

 

[Cursed_Witch]

I don't think you need to to both...or either as long as the level are OK and the shake is shedding properly.
Well if you keep them look for some scales left on them.
How is your house/apt heated. Hot air heat???
So far I say go with what Robbie suggested with a treatment and change bedding.

And don't get lost again for 6 months at a time too haha.
Stay around a bit.

Hey Lenny, it's nice seeing you again... I promise I'll try to come here more often... the problem is, i have been going through a lot right now that i am too overwhelmed with everything.
Don't take what i said word for word, You misunderstood me,. I don't use both at the same time and i rarely use the humidity hide. I do however mist when i know he is in blue phase to make sure he has enough humidity when I'm out of the house all day.

I have kept every single shed for all those years, and I will go look for his last one to see if he has any scales missing from it even though it was one whole piece.

My apartment has vents, it's heated by gas. I don't use any radiators or anything similar.

This could be all related to this shed... which really was not bad but still, he had skin stuck and i tried everything i know.. I even considered using tweezers or something to remove them....
I really want someone to give me an answer for his scales that look damaged and shrunk like corn. (do you get what i mean with this description?) if that is common to happen with this kind of shed. What about the parts where there are no scales?

I will change the bedding tomorrow when i buy newspapers but would the ink contain any chemicals that could be harmful? Also, should I try to feed him again or just wait till he sheds again?

I appreciate all the answers... I just am very concerned about the scales. And i can't believe the ER has not called me yet with the bloodwork results.

 

[RobbiesCornField]

This could be all related to this shed... which really was not bad but still, he had skin stuck and i tried everything i know.. I even considered using tweezers or something to remove them....
I really want someone to give me an answer for his scales that look damaged and shrunk like corn. (do you get what i mean with this description?) if that is common to happen with this kind of shed. What about the parts where there are no scales?

I will change the bedding tomorrow when i buy newspapers but would the ink contain any chemicals that could be harmful? Also, should I try to feed him again or just wait till he sheds again?

For the shrunk corn look, are you referring to the scales that are dimpled and curled up? If you are, I've seen that happen every now and then, and it's usually related to a bad shed. They should sort themselves out with the next shed.

Regarding the newspaper, many people keep all sorts of snakes on newspaper without incident. They might look a little dirty from the ink, but that's really the only downside. Paper towels are much easier/cleaner, but do have to be changed regularly to avoid getting moldy.

 

[StormRose]

I really want someone to give me an answer for his scales that look damaged and shrunk like corn. (do you get what i mean with this description?)

Yup, actually my rescue has exactly what you're describing, and it's because she had a bad shed and the previous owner left it on her for over 2 weeks. When I got her I had to soak her in a tub of water for about 40 minutes to get all of the dead skin off.

I first thought her scales were weird because of her questionable lineage, or some other problem. She's shed twice now in my care though, and with each one those pruned up scales look more normal.

 

[Lennycorn]

You got some good responses from robbie and storm rose.
I never had to deal with what your snake has so I prefer not to answer your question directly.

By vent this could mean hot air heat which could lower your humidity in the winter months but I not saying this is the problem. You never stated levels.
I would go with whats been posted and don't overreact so much.
All will be fine. It will work out.

Now stay on the site alittle and ease your mind and have some fun on the funny threads that are going on. It's better than worrying about everything.
Enjoy Witch.

 

[Cursed_Witch]

I just took out the shed and there is NOT one single scale missing from it. I just can't understand how this could be called a bad shed when the shed is perfectly normal and no scales are missing...none from the past 2 sheds too.. it make sense to be of no oxygen but why would it happen to most of his body if it was only a few places that the skin didn't come off.

I have big pieces or paper (kind of like the ones they wrap glassware at the stores) im going to use those.

I am just so worried that there could be something wrong with him and there is no way i could know because he does not make any noise or any facial expressions that can let me know if he is okay. And i really don't want to just wait it out if there is something to be alerted about.

I remember when i first saw the stuck skin, the first thing i wondered is, how did i miss those. The other weird thing is, as he was crawling all over my hands, his scales were so crisp as if he just shed, and they kept cracking, i even heard them, and i was afraid if i kept holding him, i might break some more.
I keep the heat at around 60 degrees, I usually wear layers of clothes and use blankets, I don't like it when it's over 60 because it dries up my throat & nose. Sometimes, on cold nights (like last week, when it was in single digits, I put it no higher than 65) I hope that's not considered too much heat!