help please, Bought a Piebald from Petsmart, something is not right.

[O'Mathghamhna]

Ok, NOW I can see! I don't think those are burns, but if it's discoloration I'm wondering what it could be from?? Also this snake doesn't look as near-death as I was originally thinking... Granted I can't see the overall definition of the body. I don't think it looks terribly dehydrated, but it does look a little skinny.

[BallPythonNewbie]

Ok, NOW I can see! I don't think those are burns, but if it's discoloration I'm wondering what it could be from?? Also this snake doesn't look as near-death as I was originally thinking... Granted I can't see the overall definition of the body. I don't think it looks terribly dehydrated, but it does look a little skinny.

Thanks for the reply, the first picture I posted the snake was coiled up and that discoloration was really prominent. I did notice the dehydration at the store, (wrinkly neck) but didn't know what it was. The feeding chart indicated that she ate a mouse 2 weeks ago, so I attempted to feed her as soon as I got her home before I put her in the enclosure. I expected that she may be too stressed to eat at that point, but I wanted to offer it to her because it had been so long since she ate. I'm going to let her get used to the new enclosure for a few days and then try feeding again. I think I'll go back up and take a second look at their enclosure too and see if there is anything that could have caused a stain. I'm sure they've cleaned hers out already, but I'll check out the others. All the snake enclosures were similar.

[Caspian]

Thanks for the reply, the first picture I posted the snake was coiled up and that discoloration was really prominent. I did notice the dehydration at the store, (wrinkly neck) but didn't know what it was. The feeding chart indicated that she ate a mouse 2 weeks ago, so I attempted to feed her as soon as I got her home before I put her in the enclosure. I expected that she may be too stressed to eat at that point, but I wanted to offer it to her because it had been so long since she ate. I'm going to let her get used to the new enclosure for a few days and then try feeding again. I think I'll go back up and take a second look at their enclosure too and see if there is anything that could have caused a stain. I'm sure they've cleaned hers out already, but I'll check out the others. All the snake enclosures were similar.

Two suggestions - one, wait a full week, and don't handle her, before trying to feed. Let her have time to adjust to the new environment without stress. I recently fed one of mine the day after I got her home... but she was incredibly comfortable and laid back, and was very interested when she caught a whiff of mouse on my way to feed the others. The second suggestion is, from what you said there it sounds like you you tried to feed her outside the cage. Don't do that - feed her inside the cage. It's less stress to her, and there's really no reason not to.

[Sauzo]

Yea, the recent photos you posted look less like a burn to me, and more like a discoloration... like color from something else "stained" your snake.

You can find good quality male pieds at expos starting around $250, and females starting around $350. Like said above, it's all about your personal liking. Some pieds are in the 3k-4k range, so it's all over the place.

It also depends on if it's high, medium or low white. I still see high whites going for $500. I got my high white girl for $200 from PetSmart on a black Friday deal. They are getting cheaper though, they used to be thousands. As a side note, check out Scoria Boas. Those are hot including the price. I need to wait for them to become more common now

And I agree, now that I see better pictures, I don't think that's a burn either. Looks like a stain as well from substrate or paper or something. maybe the snake got into a cup of grape juice

Anyways since you're new, be sure to read the guide on cage set up for a 20g. It'll get you set up good.

[Albert Clark]

I would still alert Petsmart of my dissatisfaction and ask that one of their contracted vets look at the snake and make a determination on what the condition is. Ask if they have a herp vet that can make the determination. You are the customer and you have certain rights once you purchase a product. Unfortunately I think it would be a mistake to keep the animal without taking him back to Petsmart for evaluation and treatment or a refund. No way should you spend that much money for a animal that is unhealthy and comes with baggage from day1! The onus is on Petsmart! I think this may be a early scale rot / scale irritation that will require some form of treatment even if it's just placing the reptile on paper towels until the condition resolves. I hope you plan to do a 90 day quarantine of him also if you decide to keep him. Make sure he doesn't come in contact with your other animals. I also think the pied may have a mite condition as evidenced by the red dots and raised scales. I could be wrong but it's something that should be suspected, Good luck. Stay in peace and not pieces.

[PitOnTheProwl]

I am wondering if that isn't staining from the substrate??

[Kokorobosoi]

I want to second the mites.... There seem to be a lot of little red dots on the animal, including the top of the snake. My first thought was mites, the second was have you dampened a towel and run it over a section of that colouring? It almost looks like a FT feeder smeared on it, if you know what I mean. (I in no way mean rub it or bathe it, just a light check to see if its just a film on it.)

honestly, take it back and get it checked, or just take it back and get one from a better source. And I would trash the bedding and scrub everything that came in contact with it down, since Im almost positive it has or had mites.

Is it soaking in its water bowl?

[AKA Dave]

I am wondering if that isn't staining from the substrate??

Agreed.

Dave

[SmoothScales]

Did it happen to be on repti bark while at the petsmart?

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[Slim]

After seeing the latest photos, I agree that the discoloration is most likely from the wet substrate.

Sorry if I kicked up a hornets nest by thinking it could be a burn. I was just concerned for your snake's health, and that first photo looked very similar to some burns we've seen around here before.