Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a wc holbrooki, and ever since I got it, it's been a sketchy eater.
Lately it has eaten less regularly than usual, but I've seen nothing odd, until just the last couple of days.
The snake entered its shed cycle and the shed had a hole in it, just on the top of the head.
This was not there pre-shed, but now there is a shallow crater on the snake's head.
However, unlike previously, it accepted a thawed pinky this morning.
The snake has not been left in a wet container, nor has it been with a rodent that could injure it.
The wound looks a bit like a burn.
Could this be parasite-caused? If so, what kind?

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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

see?

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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

Hey, if you bring me a sample I will float it for you and scope it out Tom Stevens
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TomsSnakes.com

Tom, you mean a skin sample?
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

Nope poop sample
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TomsSnakes.com

Do you heat your enclosure with a heat lamp? That would be the only way I think he could have gotten a burn on his head. Either that or he could have hit his head on a sharp object while trying to shed. Check is shed to see if any tissue was left on it. Derek

I use heat tape underneath and no, the shed had a tiny hole in it.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

He didn't have a hole before shed? Derek

Nope
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

I think if he had a parasite that big, you would have been able to see it. I'm thinking maybe he hit his head awhile ago and it didn't get noticed until this shedding, or he hit it on something sharp in his enclosure. How long have you had him? Is the spot dry and scabby or moist? Derek

He's in a smallish plastic tub, with newspaper as substrate and toilet paper rolls as hides.
A small plastic cream cheese tub is his water bowl.
There's absolutely nothing to bump against.

Maybe there was a wet spot above him that he sat under for a few days? Hell, I can't think of anything else, but -- It doesn't look like scale rot.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

I would just keep him fed well and watered. Wait to see what it looks like after his next shed if it doesn't have mites or anything. Derek

I was going to do just that.
Maybe smear a bit of antibacterial ointment on it as well
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

ok from what you've told us-is this a possibilty?...maybe a scab was there before-say,almost healed,so it was not noticed by you-as the result of an injury obtained before it was captured or in your posession,and it came of with the shed?and the wound will continue to heal with the next shed(s)?...also,is the wound moist/wet/etc.,or dry?any other signs of external paraites,e.g. mites....or any other unhealthy looking areas(check cloaca,eyes,mouth,nostrils,even chin scales,esp. in-between...also,i assume you're keeping it well hydrated,it looks possibly a little dehydreated in the pics lookig at the dorsal scales.
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

what's it stools been like?pretty solid/dark(good),or light,loose,runny(bad)-just considering it could be a result of internal parasites....also,have youtried any topical anti-biotics?and of course i would remind you this is when maybe an extra hide box comes in handy-certainly can't hurt-so it can feel secure regardless of how hot/cool it wants to be.
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

stools have been very dark, but runny - because he only eats pinkies
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

There was no scab previously that I noticed. I checked him just a couple days before the shed cycle began.
The "wound" is dry.
It's possible he is dehydrated, but there is always clean water in the box with him. If dehydrated, its because he doesn't drink.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

shaky-i hesitate to say soak him.....i realize he's very young-still he definitely looks underweight(trust me,i'm not into overfeeding,lol),and at least a little dehydrated....but for that,mine really do like the mostly-enclosed container filled with moist sphagnum-more or less an egg laying box-left in all the time,that way they can hydrate as they choose.i usually leave it at least close to the under tank heat source...and iether give him a shallower water dish,since you can't countersink it into the substrate(newspaper,right?)...even an ocassional mist,every other day or so,may be helpful.and if he's eatign pinks,i would keep offering him one every other day,maybe even every day,as those should be passed pretty quickly...and hopefully his stools will firm up...
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

I'll certainly take that advice.
Maybe he is a bit dried out, as he was caught a stone's throw from the beach.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

I would think it'd be caused by something coming out versus going in just because of how the scales are missing. Did you check the cage for anything suspicious? Some types of parasitic worms migrate through the body, but there are other possibilities such as parasitic insect larvae. It's not uncommon for parasites to end up in the wrong host or wrong part of the host.

Doing a fecal test limits your results to only intestinal parasites so I'm not sure how much that would help in this case although it's generally good precaution for a WC animal.
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www.BugChick.com

chickabowwow

It almost looks fungal. I would take it to a vet to get a skin swab and culture it to see if anything grows. Then you will know what you are dealing with. Its unlikely that it is internal parasites or a wound. If youre not going to go to a vet, then personally I would try using a little bit of lotrimin cream for a few weeks. Its a pretty mild antifungal.