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A few days ago I noticed after my male dumerils shed he was missing some scales on the top of his head and nose. I assumed that he was rubbing his face on the wood to help him shed and got a bit over zealous. Today I noticed after one of my females shed that she had some stuck skin on her heade. I barely rubbed her head, which caused the skin and many of her scales to slough off. I did not pull at the skin at all, so I am in shock!

What could be causing this to occur in both snakes? I have a third dumerils who shed about a month ago, so I am hoping she holds off for a while until I can solve this mystery. Any clue why this is happening? They have shed before, but this the first time they had this problem and the first time they did not have complete sheds. My female came with mites a few months ago when I purchased her, but I have not seen them again since I treated her! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I have 30 snakes, and have never seen anything like this! Do you guys think the scales will regrow?

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6.14 Normal ball pythons
1.0 Pastel ball python
5 normal x pastel eggs incubating!
1.0 Plains Garter
0.1 Rosy boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan Sand Boa
1.1 Anery Kenyan Sand Boa
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat
1.2 Dumeril's Boa
-----My list is too long, so I'll stop here!
*Amy*

perhaps it is due to the widely known "inbreeding" of dumeril's boas. that would be my best guess. only so many brother/sister, father/daughter etc matings can occur before some really funky stuff occurs. still, id take it to the vet. could also be a disease unrelated to its genetic history.
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas (normals)
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons (normals)
1.0 Black Blood Python (normal)
1.0 Dumeril's Boa (normal)
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python (normal)
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python (normal)
0.1 Surinam Redtail Boa (normal)

Thanks for the reply!
For the scale loss to occur at the same time in both snakes, right after shedding, I don't think it is related to inbreeding, although like I said before I am clueless! My guess is that the snakes rubbed their heads too much on the plexiglass. Even though the scales only "fell off" after shedding, both snakes escaped during the last shed cycle by squeezing through the plexiglass sliding door. The one snake that does not have the missing scales is the only one who has not escaped! I just realized that after posting.

I now have them on a newspaper substrate for the time being and bathed both snakes. I put on antibiotic ointment just to be safe. I am hopefull that they will heal well!
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6.14 Normal ball pythons
1.0 Pastel ball python
5 normal x pastel eggs incubating!
1.0 Plains Garter
0.1 Rosy boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan Sand Boa
1.1 Anery Kenyan Sand Boa
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat
1.2 Dumeril's Boa
-----My list is too long, so I'll stop here!
*Amy*

okay, i was reading your post as if it were just one dum you were dealing with. didnt really see the part about it being 2 dums trying to escape. good luck regardless.
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas (normals)
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons (normals)
1.0 Black Blood Python (normal)
1.0 Dumeril's Boa (normal)
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python (normal)
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python (normal)
0.1 Surinam Redtail Boa (normal)

I very well could be from rubbing the head (roughly) while escaping. You also noted some stuck sheds, sometimes the scales in non molted areas die (rot)and white scaring occurs in the area, If it is a open wound (not healed) I would treat with some topical betadine solution, they should be fine
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Frank Roberts
R&R Herpetological Frank Roberts & John Rodriguez

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Roberts'Realm of Reptile Research