Potential Scale Rot?

[Bunsen]

Hi All,

My 2.5 year old ball has had this mark on his head for a few weeks now but it seems to be getting bigger (no obvious marks anywhere else). I waited for his last shed but it is still there so I am worried it may be scale rot (I have just bought Tamodine and Vetericyn). I have replaced all the substrate and stopped spraying his enclosure for now just in case.

https://imgur.com/a/4nD4Snq

Some info:

Weight: 1.28 kg
Humidity: 50-60% (coconut fibre bedding)
Hot hide (UHT): 28-30 degrees. (measured with temperature gun)
Cold hide: ~23 degrees.
Vivarium: Vivexotic Viva+ wood boards+glass window: 86.2cm x 49cm x 50cm

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Toad37]

That's not scale rot. He's been rubbing his head on something.

[Bogertophis]

Yup, agree with ^ ^ ^ . Fairly common issue, especially with BPs, for some reason.

[BeansTheDerp]

I know that BPs will rub their heads on rocks or ruff surfaces to tear through a bit of the shed so they can start the shedding process? he could be rubbing his head on the rock to hard, or rubbing his head on something to sharp or ruff.

[Bogertophis]

I know that BPs will rub their heads on rocks or ruff surfaces to tear through a bit of the shed so they can start the shedding process? he could be rubbing his head on the rock to hard, or rubbing his head on something to sharp or ruff.

No, it's not likely anything to do with shedding. Snakes start by rubbing around their mouth, to peel back the skin & crawl forward out of the old. The lower jaw peels underneath & the upper jaw peels back over the top of their head, as they go forward & leave the old skin rolled up behind them. Whether or not it "cooperates" & all comes off in one piece depends on various things (sometimes it just catches & tears on other things in their home) but they do not start a shed by rubbing the top of their head- if they did, the old skin over their face & eyes would likely be stuck while the body part came off, & they would hate that, I'm sure. Sometimes you'll see a snake yawn before shedding too- that's to loosen the skin around their mouth...that's the real starting point.

[Bunsen]

Thanks for all the replies!! There shouldn't be anything sharp in there so I will have to do a thorough check. He is a bit of a silly adventurer...