Can anyone tell me what would cause this discolouration?

[laurensarah88]

This is my first post on here... I noticed a few days ago that my female BP has some greyish discolouration almost all the way down the length of her spine. I'm wondering if this is due to lack of humidity or a bad shed (which she is prone to) and will go away after a good shed, or if I need to be concerned? She's going into shed now and I've made sure to keep her enclosure between 60-70% humidity. Thanks!

[KMG]

Snakes are not "prone" to bad sheds. That's an issue with your husbandry. I suggest adding damp moss to the hides to create humid hides to boost the humidity.

I can not see the pic well enough to say.

[Physician&Snakes]

Snakes are not "prone" to bad sheds. That's an issue with your husbandry. I suggest adding damp moss to the hides to create humid hides to boost the humidity.

I can not see the pic well enough to say.

^this.

Also not to scare you, but my male specimen had similar spots pop up about two years ago and they ended up evolving into a full lesion on the scales...very odd as it was not scale rot and his husbandry was fine. I treated him with silvadeine cream and after a month it was gone, very little scarring...I am only able to see a small mark around the area via a magnifying glass. So just keep an eye out.

[satomi325]

The top layer of the scales are absent. She was probably rubbing herself or squeezed herself in a tight place somewhere. It should be back to normal after a shed or two.

[dr del]

What happens if you wipe it with a damp paper towel?

[laurensarah88]

I'll keep an eye out for scale rot, though I haven't seen any signs of it, just this slight discolouration. I actually have been using damp moss in the hide on her warm end, and that's helped her with humidity. I'm hoping after her shed this time this issue will fade.. Nothing happens if I wipe it or soak her, after she dries off there's no change. Otherwise she seems very healthy, good appetite etc, this had just been something I've been worrying about.

[AlexisFitzy]

The top layer of the scales are absent. She was probably rubbing herself or squeezed herself in a tight place somewhere. It should be back to normal after a shed or two.

x2 on this. My big girl Eva likes to squeeze into really tight spots when I handle her and she ends up looking like that sometimes. It goes away don't worry I relate it to when you scratch your skin a bunch an get ashy lol.


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[satomi325]

Its not scale rot. Its nothing to worry about.
Its the snake equivalent of scraping the surface of your finger nail. In time with a few sheds, it will go back to normal.

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[laurensarah88]

thanks! weight off my mind