As we are all interested in seeing our snakes have a good, long life, perhaps some of you can help me with a problem I had some years ago.

I borrowed an 8 foot, wild caught-as-an-adult male boa for an attempted breeding. When I got him home, he squirmed through my hands and a strip of skin an inch wide and 8-12 inches long peeled back showing the muscle underneath. I pulled the skin back into place, and he healed up before I had to return him six months later. Unfortunately he died less than a year after he went back to the owner. The carcass was discarded without any attempt to determine the cause of death, as far as I know.

I had never seen that problem before and only once since then, in a reticulated python.

I have never gotten a good answer for the cause of that weak skin problem. Have any of you seen anything like it, and if so, what is the cause?

One of the possible explanations that I have thought of was a stress-caused vitamin C deficiency, which could make it relevant to this discussion.

Paul Hollander

[ Hide Replies ]

• A question about liquid vitamin - firefighter2598, Wed Mar 30 11:28:11 2005
• RE: Good Question.,.. - ajfreptiles, Wed Mar 30 13:10:40 2005
• I like to give mine Flintstones.... - bthacker, Wed Mar 30 13:44:10 2005
• Well, here you go............. - madisonrecords, Wed Mar 30 14:28:01 2005
• RE: Well, here you go............. - ajfreptiles, Wed Mar 30 15:03:20 2005
• Well, Andy........... - madisonrecords, Wed Mar 30 15:36:22 2005
• One more thing............ - madisonrecords, Wed Mar 30 15:46:29 2005
• RE: One more thing............ - vcaruso15, Wed Mar 30 17:28:05 2005
• Look at it this way guys............. - madisonrecords, Thu Mar 31 12:51:45 2005
• RE: Thank you.... - ajfreptiles, Wed Mar 30 16:10:03 2005
• Why would you do that? Rodents not enough? - callmedaddie, Wed Mar 30 16:59:41 2005
• RE: Why would you do that? Rodents not enough? - drimes, Wed Mar 30 17:51:42 2005
• RE: perception really is everything isn't it? - ajfreptiles, Wed Mar 30 17:58:52 2005
• RE: Please read.. - ajfreptiles, Wed Mar 30 18:16:28 2005
• RE: Please read.. - callmedaddie, Wed Mar 30 21:38:24 2005
• A little addition - callmedaddie, Wed Mar 30 21:56:26 2005
• RE: A little addition - bthacker, Wed Mar 30 22:21:23 2005
• A point to ponder..... - drimes, Thu Mar 31 06:48:56 2005
• RE: A point to ponder..... - Paul Hollander, Thu Mar 31 19:25:51 2005
• RE: A question about liquid vitamin - Paul Hollander, Wed Mar 30 19:18:41 2005
• first post I've ever read with a "disclaimer" - dmac, Wed Mar 30 19:54:14 2005
• THANK YOU ALL FOR THE DEBATE AND... - firefighter2598, Wed Mar 30 22:51:47 2005
• RE: THANK YOU ALL FOR THE DEBATE AND... - callmedaddie, Wed Mar 30 23:50:59 2005
• RE: THANK YOU ALL FOR THE DEBATE AND... - callmedaddie, Wed Mar 30 23:57:39 2005
• RE: THANK YOU ALL FOR THE DEBATE AND... - joeysgreen, Thu Mar 31 06:01:25 2005
• A great debate... - joeysgreen, Thu Mar 31 05:56:23 2005