Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello, i just got a boa in that has some minor scale rot .. i was seeing what the best way to treat it is??

any creams/lotions that help ? and can it spread to other snakes?

THANKS!!

I've heard that giving diluted Iodine baths help. I'm not sure how to do this while keeping its head out of the fluids. Maybe soaking a washcloth and wrapping it around the affected area ? .
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I'm just the snake room janitor

Do NOT submerge your boa in even a weak iodine solution, it is absorbed through the skin, and if you stick the whole snake in it the snake could absorb too much. If you use it, take a small clean paintbrush and just dab it where it needs to be.

Sometimes iodine IS better than neosporin and this is one of those cases in my opinion because it is the belly of the sanke and neosporin will wipe off on everything, and stuff will stick to it, especially if you use aspen. Iodine dries dry with nothing to stick to. For almost everything else I think neosporin is better (don't use Neosporin 'Plus').

Good luck,
Caden
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Caden Chapman
slithering.serpents@gmail.com

My bad , after you responded, I started remembering it like you stated it. It had been a long time since I read up on that. Thanks for the correction.
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I'm just the snake room janitor

A little more detail please. Is it on random scales on the posterior or the snake, or is it on the belly? Does it look like blisters or like dried up scales?

Scale rot generally comes from poor husbandry such as unwarrented/excessive soakings and maintained levels of high humidity.
Remove substrate and replace with clean"aged" newspaper
Use regular Neosporin* twice a day for a week or so and check results.Do not try and remove anything(scales,skin etc.) from affected area.
Keep humidity levels down around 45-50%,feed as usual.Next shed should remove affected area.

Plenty more can be said but here is a place to start.

Good Luck!

M/