Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Not sure what to make of this. It just showed up over the course of a couple of sheds. Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks

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Arlon Delorge
Classic Constrictors

Looks almost like the red pigments are 'falling off'....hmmm

Are there any sores or blisters developing at the site of the pigment change??

Could be something detrimental to the animal's health, BUT, could also just be some harmless 'time delay' pigment change.

In my own collection I have a 2000 Anery Motley female who has developed a half dozen or so RED scales, and three white scales over the years. The off-coloured/paradox/whatever scales showed up a few years back and they increase slightly in size with each shed. (IE: the red scales were originally just a speck of red pigment, and with each shed the red spots have enlarged to turn the entire scale red.)

I also have a 2002 Ghost het Motley male (photo attached) who has developed a line of brown scales towards his head. Not like the traditional 'stripes' that older corns sometimes develop, but just a 'stripe' on one side of his dorsal. Odd...

Keep us posted if that Bloodred(?) of yours keeps up with the pigment 'shedding'. Thanks.

BB

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"Have you hugged your drummer today?" --- Me

No, no sores or anything like that. He still seems in perfect health (eating ect...)
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Arlon Delorge
Classic Constrictors

Could be a superficial fungal/bacterial infection.

Watch to see if the snake tries to rub or scratch itself and also take periodic pictures to see if the border spreads in between sheds.

Also, check your humidity levels. Skin infections love moisture.

Consider topical antibacterial application. I used neosporin original on an infected wound on one of my snakes and it healed within the week.

Before applying a topical antifungal such as an athletes foot medication, consult a vet to determine the risk of toxicity and the proper dilution.

Good luck.

>>Could be a superficial fungal/bacterial infection.
>>
>>Watch to see if the snake tries to rub or scratch itself and also take periodic pictures to see if the border spreads in between sheds.
>>
>>Also, check your humidity levels. Skin infections love moisture.
>>

Agreed. But I've also had experiences where the snake having scraped an area while in pre-shed (i.e. trying to squeeze through an area a little too small to be moving through)..and had that area show lack of proper color (i.e looked rubbed off) when the snake actually shed. It took several months for the color to come back though sometimes a single scale here or there may never recolor.
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PHWyvern

That's exactly what I was thinking - it looks like a scrape. You may want to apply some neosporin to it, to prevent infection, but chances are with few sheds (and no more scrapes) the "uncolored" area with lessen, but perhaps never completely disappear.

Tim

Third Eye

If that is a bloodred as it appears to be, I've have been wondering about the loose of pigment in that morph. I have one that started losing pigment on it's snout and really hasn't been doing all that well lately. I believe, and other may argue the point that this is an autoimmune disease such as vitiligo in humans. this has been mentioned in a thread a little while ago concerning calico corns.

I've never head of bloodreds being more or less prone to pigmentation loss. I've been breeding them for quite a while now, and I've never seen it in my own animals.

In my experience, white patches on the nose are rubs from animals trying to escape, especially on mature males looking for mates this time of year.
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Darin Chappell
Hillbilly Herps
PO Box 254
Rogersville, MO 65742