Rough scales coming off like a human scab

[xAnthemia]

Firstly, apologies for the lack of pictures at the moment. I will be able to get some images tomorrow with my phone. For now, let me do my best to describe the situation.


My ball Python, Noodle (Noodle K. Doodle), did not feed since birth to the point where assist feeding was necessary. However, they have started strike feeding with no enclosure changes (they've always had three hides, a water bowl and a heat-safe caged lamp). As a result of this, however, Noodle has always been a bit underweight, especially in the early days. They're catching up now, but they still had saggy skin around the head and neck. And here is where the problem lies.


I do daily quick checks on Noodle to ensure they're doing alright, and they usually last about one to two minutes. The saggy skin around the head and neck has always been saggy. However, during today's check, something changed. The scales on the saggy skin have become hard. I don't mean hard as in "a bit rough" scale levels of hard; I mean hard as in scab-like and jagged. The skin barely moved as Noodle moved and is incredibly rough to the touch.


Confused by this, I decided to give Noodle a little bath, hoping it would fix anything; it did not, possibly. However, while bathing Noodle and gently feeling the rough area, the scales began to peel off. I don't mean individual scales; I mean one collective chunk of scales that cover once saggy skin. It peels off much like a human scab does if you were to pick at it or peel it off yourself. So I didn't touch it after that and very carefully dried Noodle.


Noodle themselves is not showing any signs of pain and is acting as they've always acted. They still display curiosity, noodle about, and happily chill in my palm. Furthermore, I don't think any skin has been penetrated or wounded; there was no bleeding, and under the peeled scales it's a whiteish grey. The transition from scale to the skin is also very minor; it's not a cliff in steepness; it's the opposite. Finally, the peeled scales are still attached to Noodle.


Again, I know it isn't helpful that I don't have an image at the moment, so here's my temporary illustration:


https://ibb.co/dtGGfnc


The ambient temperature is 27C cool side 29C hot side. Humidity can vary from 56%-70%; it starts the day at 70%, then very slowly declines until the next misting; sphagnum moss is used.

[Erie_herps]

It's really hard to tell without pictures, so once those are uploaded it should make it a lot easier to tell. I'm not super knowledgeable with ball pythons but from the description it almost sounds like stuck shed. Is it similar to stuck shed that it is a covering of the scale or is it the scale itself? If it's the scales themself coming off I wouldguess that it's from a burn because that's the only time I've ever heard of scales peeling off. Do you know the temperature of the hottest part of the enclosure, with a heat gun measuring the surface instead of measuring the ambient temperature?

[xAnthemia]

Going on adventure to grab my phone and get pictures now!

[Armiyana]

From the description, it sounds like chronic malnourishment causing skin issues. Especially with the 'white' color underneath and the way that it started around the neck, which can be a high friction location. When malnourished the topical layer of skin can become so paper thin that it will just peel under our touch exposing the new pink or white color skin underneath.

I would definitely recommend getting Noodle K.D to the vet asap.

[xAnthemia]

It's really hard to tell without pictures, so once those are uploaded it should make it a lot easier to tell. I'm not super knowledgeable with ball pythons but from the description it almost sounds like stuck shed. Is it similar to stuck shed that it is a covering of the scale or is it the scale itself? If it's the scales themself coming off I wouldguess that it's from a burn because that's the only time I've ever heard of scales peeling off. Do you know the temperature of the hottest part of the enclosure, with a heat gun measuring the surface instead of measuring the ambient temperature?

Images of Issue:



Hottest Surface Temp: 33C, which is on the wall outside the heat lamp shown below. Noodle hardly ever goes there, and every for the few times he has climbed the wall there for prolonged periods of time, nothing like this has ever come of it. Technically the hottest temperature in the tank is 150C, but that's at the core of the heat lamp; I can place my whole palm onto the cage surrounding itself and feel no discomfort whatsoever, and noodle's head/neck is far to wide to enter the cage. The heat lamp is 50W and emits infrared which very quickly loses its temperature, which is why the wall is only 33C despite being pretty near. The heat lamp is marketed for reptiles, including snakes. Still, I would be willing to change heat sources immediately if there is any possibility of Noodle somehow still getting a burn.


(The bedding is coconut husk plus sphagnum moss btw).

[xAnthemia]

It's really hard to tell without pictures, so once those are uploaded it should make it a lot easier to tell. I'm not super knowledgeable with ball pythons but from the description it almost sounds like stuck shed. Is it similar to stuck shed that it is a covering of the scale or is it the scale itself? If it's the scales themself coming off I wouldguess that it's from a burn because that's the only time I've ever heard of scales peeling off. Do you know the temperature of the hottest part of the enclosure, with a heat gun measuring the surface instead of measuring the ambient temperature?

Images of Issue:



Thank you and all others for responding so quickly, might I add <3

[Erie_herps]

That looks pretty bad, I agree with Armiyana that the snake needs to go to the vet. Do you have a nearby reptile vet that you can go to? If not you can find one here: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/default.asp?m=radius.

[xAnthemia]

I live in Wigan, England. There's a Vets4Pets near here but I don't know if they do snakes. Mentions doing snakes on their website (not in the weird way) but I don't know if that's every location. Will have to ring them tomorrow since they're closed at the moment. Also will check if Anrich Hosptial takes snakes too!

[Bogertophis]

I saw your post earlier but could not respond until now- FYI, I agree with the other posts above as to probable cause, the severity & the need to see a vet a.s.a.p. I wish you & your snake all the best- let us know how it goes?

I've seen the "thin skin" issue in a snake I've rescued in the past due to chronic malnourishment. When a snake is in this condition, they may always have easily torn skin from then on, even after their nutrition has improved; they become "special needs" pets even after their skin heals over. When a snake is starving, the skin is not as important to survival as their main bodily organs, so what nourishment there is never reaches the skin- sadly the damage can be permanent.

[xAnthemia]

I'll make sure to keep you all posted! I can't go to the vet today, since they're all shut (nearly 10PM atm) and can't go tomorrow since I'm at work (work don't allow absences not booked by at least two days, unless urgent (urgent as in human-dying urgent, not pet urgent)). Will be going Saturday and keeping a very close eye on Noodle tomorrow after work.

I would give Noodle back to the reptile shop I bought him from to be looked after better, but they have been known to keep multiple ball pythons in the same enclosure and have shedding issues; nothing against the shop personally, they're great will some animals, but not ball pythons.

If they become special needs, so be it; I'm still willing to devote my life to Noodle until the day they die. I failed to get Noodle to feed in their early days, and it's up to me to live with that (Besides, there's no way I'm mailing cute little Noodle to some random who could God knows what!).