Belly scales flaky

My BP is a male, 1270 grams. He has not shed since I have had him. His temps have been fine but his humidity has been a bit low, down to 40. I put a larger dish in his cage and gave him a bath today. I am just wondering what it might be. It is only on his belly scales. He has been eating fine and has not been soaking so I don't think it is mites. The scales are flakey like they are shedding, some of them are wrinkled like pruned skin, and some have light brown edges. I took everything out of his tank and put newspaper down and the bowl of water. I took his hides out as well and covered his entire tank with black paper to give him privacy. Does anyone have any ideas on what it may be, or anything else I can do?

Pics would be very helpful.

I have a few questions.

Is this your first snake?

Have you seen the shed process before?

It you have a under tank heater, is it on a thermostat?

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Originally Posted by KMG

Pics would be very helpful.

I have a few questions.

Is this your first snake?

Have you seen the shed process before?

It you have a under tank heater, is it on a thermostat?

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The UTH is on a rheostat, I am getting a herpstat Friday, I ordered a zoomed but when it arrived it didn't work. This is my first snake. I will post pics tomorrow. I have seen the shed process before and he has not had a pink belly or the "blue phase" I am more concerned it is the beginning of scale rot but I am unsure because his humidity has been low not high. I had thought it may have been a burn but I monitor the temps constantly all day. I may have to look into getting a different thermostat, I use a probe right now.

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Originally Posted by earthwormjim

The UTH is on a rheostat, I am getting a herpstat Friday, I ordered a zoomed but when it arrived it didn't work. This is my first snake. I will post pics tomorrow. I have seen the shed process before and he has not had a pink belly or the "blue phase" I am more concerned it is the beginning of scale rot but I am unsure because his humidity has been low not high. I had thought it may have been a burn but I monitor the temps constantly all day. I may have to look into getting a different thermostat, I use a probe right now.

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That's great that youre getting a Herpstat. They are wonderful.

Without being there and seeing it I don't know what to say it might be. It doesn't sound like a normal shed process though. Lets get those pics and go from there.

Not knowing what it may be you may want to drop the dimmer down to lower the heat for right now and make sure that you do not have sitting water on the cage floor.

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Originally Posted by earthwormjim

My BP is a male, 1270 grams. He has not shed since I have had him. His temps have been fine but his humidity has been a bit low, down to 40. I put a larger dish in his cage and gave him a bath today. I am just wondering what it might be. It is only on his belly scales. He has been eating fine and has not been soaking so I don't think it is mites. The scales are flakey like they are shedding, some of them are wrinkled like pruned skin, and some have light brown edges. I took everything out of his tank and put newspaper down and the bowl of water. I took his hides out as well and covered his entire tank with black paper to give him privacy. Does anyone have any ideas on what it may be, or anything else I can do?

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Couple of things:

First and foremost, stop bathing your snake. It doesn't need it, doesn't want it and it can have deleterious side effects. Just stop doing it.

Second, without a picture, no one is going to be able to do anything but give you guesses as to what's going on. Having said that - flaky, wrinkled belly scales with brown edging could be a bad sign, or it could be no sign at all.

In the meantime, stop changing things in the enclosure. Stop giving him baths. Stop adding hides, Stop removing hides. Don't put in a blue bowl, or a red bowl or a green bowl...leave the bowl alone. Dial all your parameters in and leave him alone. Be watchful and observant without bothering the animal. See if this is part of the shedding process, or see if his belly gets worse.

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

Couple of things:

First and foremost, stop bathing your snake. It doesn't need it, doesn't want it and it can have deleterious side effects. Just stop doing it.

Second, without a picture, no one is going to be able to do anything but give you guesses as to what's going on. Having said that - flaky, wrinkled belly scales with brown edging could be a bad sign, or it could be no sign at all.

In the meantime, stop changing things in the enclosure. Stop giving him baths. Stop adding hides, Stop removing hides. Don't put in a blue bowl, or a red bowl or a green bowl...leave the bowl alone. Dial all your parameters in and leave him alone. Be watchful and observant without bothering the animal. See if this is part of the shedding process, or see if his belly gets worse.

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I don't appreciate you and your condescending advice.

I like the comment better with the swear words....

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Originally Posted by earthwormjim

I don't appreciate you and your condescending advice.

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Tis good advice, though. You will be hard pressed to find a better source of advice on this site (or others), even if the tone makes you unhappy.

It is annoying how the dude is being about it. I asked for some advice, he is touching on subject matter that I didn't even ask about. If my question bothers him, why is he even responding.

Some of the best advice given to me when I was first really getting into keeping exotics was given in a way that made me want to tear my hair out. In a lot of situations it's really beneficial if you can just take the advice, ignore the tone, and learn something without being bothered by what someone on the internet says. I'm not making any commentary on this particular conversation, IMO that's just good general advice.

He's giving you good comprehensive advice and covering a lot of slip ups some owners make with their snakes. Whether or not you like the tone the advice is sound.

With the brown edges I would be most concerned about belly burns. Do you have an under tank heater? If so is there a thermostat on it? UTH's must be connected to a thermostat otherwise belly burns are pretty much inevitable.

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Originally Posted by earthwormjim

It is annoying how the dude is being about it. I asked for some advice, he is touching on subject matter that I didn't even ask about. If my question bothers him, why is he even responding.

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I advise putting me on "ignore"....or you can follow my advice and see if it helps.

...or you can continue to call me names....

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Originally Posted by Asherah

He's giving you good comprehensive advice and covering a lot of slip ups some owners make with their snakes. Whether or not you like the tone the advice is sound.

With the brown edges I would be most concerned about belly burns. Do you have an under tank heater? If so is there a thermostat on it? UTH's must be connected to a thermostat otherwise belly burns are pretty much inevitable.

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I think he has a rheostat on it.

Between bathing the snake and using a loosely regulated heat source, he could be looking at several potential issues....if there is an issue at all...

Without pics, it's hard to tell...

You say the temps are fine but how are you measuring the temperatures in your cage?

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

I think he has a rheostat on it.

Between bathing the snake and using a loosely regulated heat source, he could be looking at several potential issues....if there is an issue at all...

Without pics, it's hard to tell...

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Ah, I missed that part. Agree pic's would be best, hopefully OP will post some soon.

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Originally Posted by Asherah

Ah, I missed that part. Agree pic's would be best, hopefully OP will post some soon.

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Sometimes, depending on substrate, the edge of the scales can take on a tattered look. This becomes worse if the animal is new and is acclimating to it's surroundings and is therefore roaming and moving more than normal.

However, if you take into account the potential for a heating issue (burn) or an issue associated with bathing, the description could run the gamut from a burn, light rot, or pre-shed with some expected scale damage.

That's why it's always better to reduce stress, make sure all heat sources are properly regulated, avoid bathing, misting and other things that could induce rot and see if the snake doesn't go into blue.

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

Sometimes, depending on substrate, the edge of the scales can take on a tattered look. This becomes worse if the animal is new and is acclimating to it's surroundings and is therefore roaming and moving more than normal.

However, if you take into account the potential for a heating issue (burn) or an issue associated with bathing, the description could run the gamut from a burn, light rot, or pre-shed with some expected scale damage.

That's why it's always better to reduce stress, make sure all heat sources are properly regulated, avoid bathing, misting and other things that could induce rot and see if the snake doesn't go into blue.

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Indeed, totally agree with your suggestions on determining what is wrong with the animal. - off topic but very much enjoying reading your blog.

For what it's worth, there's a lot of supposed experts on here. But Skiploder really knows his stuff. Wish others would not try so hard, and let the points he brings forth set precedent. He might not always put it the way you want to hear it, but I got to give credit where it's due.

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Originally Posted by earthwormjim

I don't appreciate you and your condescending advice.

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You meant to say thank you right? :rolleyes:

This is an excellent advice that you should take, you ask for advice and got one that is RIGHT on the money so maybe you should try before dismissing it.

Or

You can put Skiploder on ignore, and wait for the answer you want to hear instead even if it will not help with your issue, it's your choice!

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Originally Posted by earthwormjim

I don't appreciate you and your condescending advice.

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His advice is sound.
Many of us will give you advise for a reason and its not to sugar coat it for your liking.
The truth is easier given blunt.

How are you measuring your temperatures?
If you changed this much stuff you are interrupting your snakes normal activities and adding even more stress during an already stressful time.
FYI, did you notice an iridescent shimmer on the water when soaking your snake? That is an oil they produce to assist in the shed process, if you wash it away it makes things harder.

For whats its worth, my snakes hate bathes. I usually just wipe them down once every couple months with a warm wet washcloth if needed. Its mostly only needed when one of them decides to body paint her cage with poop or urates. Otherwise I don't bother bathing them. And I only wipe them down because I have them out a lot sitting on me while I do stuff around the house or have them stretched out on the bed or couch and I really don't want a snake with rat urine dried on it sitting on me http://ball-pythons.net/forums/image...v0IKbQcTPf.png If I didn't take them out much, I probably would never bath them unless they did the body paint thing.

So where are the pics I asked for?

We cant help you without knowing what is going on. Don't let what or how something was said bother you and concentrate on the fact we are all trying to help you and your snake.


PS- Skid is just like that. I have seen many of his post and that one to you was pretty easy.

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Originally Posted by KMG

So where are the pics I asked for?

We cant help you without knowing what is going on. Don't let what or how something was said bother you and concentrate on the fact we are all trying to help you and your snake.


PS- Skid is just like that. I have seen many of his post and that one to you was pretty easy.

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"Skid?"

As in skidmark?

I'm okay with it....

Hey skid, don't take what msg said personal. XD

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

"Skid?"

As in skidmark?

I'm okay with it....

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No, that was purely a typo. It was in no way intentional.

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Originally Posted by KMG

No, that was purely a typo. It was in no way intentional.

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Maybe unintentional...but somewhat accurate.

Pics please :please: