Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was at the petstore yesterday (SuperPetz) and was taking a look at there poor selection of animals to see if there was a need for me to call the SPCA on them...again...when I noticed something a little odd about a hatchling ball python. I asked if I could hold the little guy, and they pulled him out and handed him to me. From head to half way down his back, he had these raised splotches beneath his scales. At first I had thought they were scars, but they were MUSHY. As if he had snake acne. The largest one was on his head, about half the size of a dime. I'm not exactly sure what this is...Any clues? I washed my hands immediatly after handling the animal and again disinfected my hands/arms when I got home. I don't want whatever it is to spread to my collection!

Re : "I washed my hands immediatly after handling the animal and again disinfected my hands/arms when I got home. I don't want whatever it is to spread to my collection!"

I hear ya! My local pet shop always has a few ball pythons in stock, I NEVER GO INTO THERE REPTILE ROOM anymore. It's always infested with mites..

Was in there yesterday to pickup some Mazuri Rodent Cubes, they had a baby albino burmese python. $379.00. Talk about highway robbery. I couldn't help but ask them what they feed the snake, the kid cleaning the cages, said 1 mouse a week.

That's going to be a very un-happy nippy snake if and when it does get sold for that price.

I know they have to make a profit to keep the store running, but man they really rob people.

but does anyone have a clue WHAT this could possibly be? I wonder maybe if I could sneak in and get a picture of it. I can always get my friends to distract them...

It could be scale rot. When it forms on the back and head, they appear as "blisters" under the scales, and would not discolor.
But in my experience most stores have too little moisture and humidity. just a thought.
(note this never occured in my animals, but I have seen it in several pythons and boas)
TomChambers

I was thinking that too! I've just never seen it in person, you know? Well, let's hope next time I go in he's cleared up. It's not very pleasent to look at.

I was thinking that too! I've just never seen it in person, you know? Well, let's hope next time I go in he's cleared up. It's not very pleasent to look at.

Well, if it is scale rot, without treatment it will get a little better after a shed, but it won’t be gone. It will flare up again.
When they get scale rot on their bellies it's usually due to substrate being too wet, but when it gets on their back and head (and not on their bellies) it is usually from poor cleaning of the habitat.
So their cleaning and disinfecting might have been off once, or it might be an ongoing problem.
TomChambers