Something wrong with my BP's scales *PIC*

[Brstin2flames]

Hi everyone,

I noticed this slight discoloring on the edge of one of my BP's scales. I noticed it about 4 days ago, and I put some neosporin (without pain relief!) on it and back into the enclosure. He ate fine for me wednesday. Husbandry is 75 ambient, 80 cool side, 90 hot side, humidity is usually around 50%. Substrate is reptibark.

Is this the beginning of scale rot? Did he just get some dirt under there? What does this look like? Any advise would be great, this is my first BP and I haven't seen this before!


Thanks!

[shelliebear]

Yuck! Looks almost like he has mites irritating that bit of scale, but I've never had mites on my snakes so I don't know.
Keep him super clean, on paper towels if possible, and dry, but still humid--NOT wet though.

[Brstin2flames]

Mites?! Oh no!! Im going to completely clean out his tank today and switch over to paper towels. Anything else I can do to help this?!

[dr del]

Hi,

I would look for other signs of mites before going that far - look in his heat pits and around his eyes as well as wiping him down with a damp paper towel.

Look for dark spots on the papertowel that spread a rust coloured spot around them if you leave it for five minutes.

As for the scale I would just keep an eye on it for now to see if it changes and see if it goes away with his next shed.

What kind of substrate are you using?


dr del

[Brstin2flames]

Hi,

I would look for other signs of mites before going that far - look in his heat pits and around his eyes as well as wiping him down with a damp paper towel.

Look for dark spots on the papertowel that spread a rust coloured spot around them if you leave it for five minutes.

As for the scale I would just keep an eye on it for now to see if it changes and see if it goes away with his next shed.

What kind of substrate are you using?


dr del

I'm using reptibark. I had switched to paper towels months ago and switched back for two reasons...humidity problems and also its my only BP so I have it in a tank and kind of wanted it to look more natural. But, I've been considering changing back to paper towels because it's easy, cheap, safer for feeding and more sanitary.
I noticed his belly is ever so slightly pink today, maybe he's going in to shed. I was reading up on mites and it said that it can cause your BP to be more active and also shed prematurely? He just shed maybe two months ago tops, and I have noticed him more active at night.
Once I get home from work later I'll try wiping him down and seeing if there's anything there. I did look close at him around his eyes and vents and didn't see anything.
Just a note, I noticed his scale like this shortly after I found a urate in his hide, could it just be that he got some dirt under there?
I'm just paranoid about this mite thing because I have a crestie in the same room and don't want it to spread!

[Skittles1101]

I'm using reptibark. I had switched to paper towels months ago and switched back for two reasons...humidity problems and also its my only BP so I have it in a tank and kind of wanted it to look more natural. But, I've been considering changing back to paper towels because it's easy, cheap, safer for feeding and more sanitary.
I noticed his belly is ever so slightly pink today, maybe he's going in to shed. I was reading up on mites and it said that it can cause your BP to be more active and also shed prematurely? He just shed maybe two months ago tops, and I have noticed him more active at night.
Once I get home from work later I'll try wiping him down and seeing if there's anything there. I did look close at him around his eyes and vents and didn't see anything.
Just a note, I noticed his scale like this shortly after I found a urate in his hide, could it just be that he got some dirt under there?
I'm just paranoid about this mite thing because I have a crestie in the same room and don't want it to spread!

I have a young (2010) bp that consistently sheds once a month, so two months without shedding I wouldn't consider premature. Mine is also a very good eater, so he's growing a little faster than my others. I'd definitely look for more signs of mites before freaking out, and wait and see how it looks after his next shed.

[Brstin2flames]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm still going to do a cleaning today an switch to paper towels but ill let him go and see what happens. He has been eating really good, so it's quite possible hes not shedding prematurely, your right LGray23. Thank you again!

[shelliebear]

Paper towels will make it easier to see if he has mites, and help keep him clean.