Scales Flaking?

Her water bowl was bone dry and I use an Accurite dual hydrometer/thermometer with a probe for the hotside. The humidity stays between 45%-50% always unless she is in shed and thats when I spray the tank to bump it up. Hot side is between 90-92 and cool side ambient is in the 80's by way of repti heat cable (attached to a dimmer) run through the rack because of how cold my roommates keep the apartment. The heat cable will dry the rack out which is why i usually keep the water on the hot side to counteract this. She has been on paper towels for the last 1.5-2 months due to a rat bite and my putting neosporin on her twice a day for at least a week. She was just put back on aspen last night because it holds humidity better and is easier for a shed imo.

I use a Zoomed heating pad connected to a reptitemp 500r thermostat until I get a Herpstat pro. She was kept in a 50 quart tub measuring 33X19X7 inside of a melamine rack but I just had new custom rack built and switched her last night to a 41 quart tub (35X16X6)

Temps upon my arrival: 78.1 cold, 89.8 hot. I didn't check humidity because it wasn't my first concern when I saw the paper towels and knocked off thermometer. Now I wish I had.

When I came back last night everything, including water bowl, was bone dry. I left Tuesday and came back Friday night so I'm assuming it happened Tuesday night/Wednesday sometime. I'm thinking it may be dehydration but it could also be shed.

Maybe some mild dehydration going on...but I don't think that would cause flaking scales outside of the shedding process. It would, however, make the current shed cycle very difficult.

I believe you said you already soaked the snake, yes? And with a bowl full of fresh water, I'm sure she is properly hydrated once more. I don't know what size bowl you usually use...but if it's a small one, you might consider trying a big, wide dish in there for now...on the warm side...that she can soak in if she wishes. I don't normally recommend allowing a ball python to soak at will (I'm not anti-soaking...I just don't believe it's necessary most of the time)...but in this case, when she got sooo dry...it might at least help her feel better to soak at will for a few days, and may help her shed more completely on her own.

Will do, the bowl I currently use is not big enough to soak in so i will put one in that is. And yes, I already soaked her for 30 minutes last night. Thank you and I'll be sure to post updates!

UPDATE***

Its been 4 days and still no shed. She looks fine, just ate a small rat yesterday and is prety much acting normal. Put a bigger water bowl in with her and the humidity is in the high 50's to low 60's. My guess would be that shes just beginning the whole shed cycle.

Well, her belly is starting to turn pinkish so it looks like she is beginning the shedding process.

The neosporin may have something to do with it. I had an imported female with a scrape that I put neosporin on and she shed individual scales. Silver Sulfadiazine (SSD) cream is a good alternative, but you have to get it from a vet or order it online and it's not cheap.

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Originally Posted by FireStorm

The neosporin may have something to do with it. I had an imported female with a scrape that I put neosporin on and she shed individual scales. Silver Sulfadiazine (SSD) cream is a good alternative, but you have to get it from a vet or order it online and it's not cheap.

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Excellent diagnosis and advice!

Neosporin can and will cause scales to flake off. When I read the OP's first post my first though was that neo or polysporin may have been applied to the snake.

Silver Sulfa is the gold standard when it comes to reptile skin issues - it works great and it doesn't result in the scale issues.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FireStorm

The neosporin may have something to do with it. I had an imported female with a scrape that I put neosporin on and she shed individual scales. Silver Sulfadiazine (SSD) cream is a good alternative, but you have to get it from a vet or order it online and it's not cheap.

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That was the first thing that I thought of as well - had the same thing happen to me when I first got into ball pythons and had to put neosporin on a snake - there's no way NOT to get it all over the snake, and it does shed individual scales all over the place.

Not to mention they are almost impossible to clean off of glass and plastic once they've dried there.

What ended up happing. Did the snake make a full recovery. I used Neosporin recently which caused some scales to flake off. He shed now, but where they flaked they are still seem dry in that area. I don't want him to get reinfected so keeping him very clean. What was your outcome?

I can't comment on the OP's snake, but I can say the female I had made a full recovery. I still have her, and she's sitting on eggs now that should hatch any day. The neosporin doesn't do any long term damage. I bet with the next shed, your snake will be fine.