Depigmented spot post shed

Monty just shed but he has been left with a weird depigmented patch on his nose. I've had the odd patch of retained shed in the past but this is totally different. The patch looks dry, not pink or wet like an ulcer and seems to straddle several scales over the top of his snout. I'm at a loss to explain it. On the shed skin from his snout the equivalent patch has a dark, thicker patch - it almost looks like the shed skin has 'pulled off' a patch of pigment. The pictures are not ideal - epsecially of his head as the glare form the flash obscures things slightly but they are the best I can do for now.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/...5cd48bf9ef.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1427/...818cc71076.jpg

Any ideas? Should I try to put some neosporin on it? - he is very headshy and it may be fairly tricky.

Is it possible there was some small injury there that is healing?

I certainly didn't notice any injury and I'm not sure what could have caused one but I certainly can't rule it out. He has had minimal handling for the last month so we may not have noticed

thats crazy. it does look like it split his scale. :/ and took some off with the shed. I guess if its not infected there shouldnt be any problems

Hi,

I think it looks like the area was scabbed before and when he shed this time the scab came off.

It's only a guess based on the photo though. If it is the site of a small old injury it should get progressively better with each shed.


dr del

It does look like a injury of some sort. Just throwing this out there, but is it possible that he may have done it while starting his shed? Even the shed before this one? As mentioned before I'm sure it will be ok.

Monty is doing fine, his spot has got a bit duller and I don't think it is going to be a big issue - hopefully it won't leave a mark after a few sheds.

I think I have a culprit too - I had just replaced one of his hides with an Exoterra reptile cave. Loking at it the moulding process had left a few imperfections on the bottom - some with quite a sharp edge which I have no sanded down. I imagine that he scraped his nose on a sharp bit trying to start his shed off. I can't prove it is the cause but I am annoyed. It's a nice hide and I had just ordered another one which also came with soem sharp pieces below that I have no sanded over. So just a warning to anyone else using these products. I will try and make contact with exoterra in a non confrontational fashion to let them know there may be a QC issue somewhere.:taz:

I bet that's the culprit. Good lesson to all of us to run our fingertips over all our hides to make sure our little scaley friends don't end up hurt from a manufacturing mistake.

He's finally going into shed which is great because I feel very guilty every time I see his snout. Nice pink belly last night and he's gone into shy don't bother me mode although he did take two weaner rats last night which is unusual for him pre shed.

I know that it will probably still be visible after just one shed (and that there is a chance that some mark will always be there although fingers crossed) but I will feel so much better to see that it is healing/fading. I will post pics after shed.