changing color?

[fenix3069]

hello all im new to this site and snakes in general. im believe im having a problem with my newly acquired ball python. a month and a few weeks back a rat sunk its teeth into my little buddy while he was feeding. i bought some "repti wound healing aid" to use on it and have kept a close watch on the wound site. it seemed to heal just fine and the snake shed a few times. however on the last shed which was yesterday he had a band of dryed skin still stuck to him around his body in the area of the wound. i soaked him in the tub and peeled the skin of easily. but all of his scales underneath were much lighter then the rest. almost albino looking. i dont know why its colored this way and frankly im a bit scared. what should i do?

[Kyle1989]

I wouldn't worry it's just a scar as long as it closes fully it should be fine

[5GsReptiles]

Correct you probably will notice that the site area of where he was bit will from time to time have bad sheds...Snakes are like humans in this regard the snake will heal but you will notice some scales will never be 100%... If a human gets a deep enough cut it heals with scar tissue and not skin cells which means your more sensitive in that area to light and cold.... You notice it more on your snakes because you expect a perfect one peice shed

[fenix3069]

its not just the wound im worried about. theres a band of miscolored scales around its body about two inches wide. causing the spots that were brown to be whitish yellow almost albino looking. the wound its self looks healed. just a bit of scaring.

[iCandiBallPythons]

can you post pics?

[fenix3069]

ill post some pics when i get home later. i cant seem to find any information and this type of problem anywhere online.

[fenix3069]

sorry for the quality of the pics but you can still clearly see the area i was talking about.












http://img560.imageshack.us/i/img0240io.jpg
http://img408.imageshack.us/i/img0239kz.jpg
http://img257.imageshack.us/i/img0238of.jpg

[JLC]

That's interesting, but I don't find it alarming at all. It's uncommon, but not at all unheard of for ball pythons to shed out different colors over a period of time and then usually return to their normal coloration in time. It's also happens sometimes that after a shed, you'll see patches of grayish (or uncolored) scales...this is also normal and will usually go away with the next shed. I can't tell from your pics if this is a case of color change...or an unusually widespread case of "dry scales" (how I think of the patches of miscolored scales)....but in either case, it's not harmful to the snake and there's not much you can do about it but wait and see what happens.

There's a lot we don't know about their physiology and these color changes fall well within that mysterious zone. (At least, so far as I know! LOL)

[fenix3069]

ok im relieved. thanks for the help

[tipposan]

I am new to this site as well.

I have a ball python that is about 1.5 years (according to the store) but I have only had him since Feb.

He too had an injury which now seems to have healed - there still is a bit of a scar but I think it should be gone in a shed or two - but he has also changed colour.

When we got him he was a beautiful yellowy brown and dark brown now it seems like he has lost his yellowy tinge.

Seems to be healty otherwise, eats well and very active.

I would like to have his colour back - any thoughts?
When I figure out how to post pics, I will.