Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my young ball python had what looks to be a scale that has swollen up and turned purple. he has been very troublesome and has only eaten 2 fuzzies in 3 months. and hasnt shed. if anyone can help please let me know.
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Jeff Kearney Orlando Florida (407) 766 6066

0.1 CB Spouse
4.4.1 Bearded Dragons
1.0 Mali Uromastyx
2.5 Ball Pythons
1.1 Blue Dumpys Tree Frogs
1.0 Armadillo Lizard
1.0 Tokay Gecko
0.1 Marble Gecko
1.0 Fat-tailed Gecko
1.0 Lucy Leopard Gecko
0.1 Carrot Tail Leopard Gecko
0.1 Speckeled Hog-Nose
0.1 Garter Snake
1.1 Dogs
2.3 Cats

I would take him to a vet asap and see what they can do. All we can do is speculate on what it is, do you have a pic of the area?
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J&J REPTILES
www.jnjreptiles.com
sales@jnjreptiles.com
(207)479-6658

i tried so hard to get a pic but he is very small and its hard to take a pic of one single scale.
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Jeff Kearney Orlando Florida (407) 766 6066

0.1 CB Spouse
4.4.1 Bearded Dragons
1.0 Mali Uromastyx
2.5 Ball Pythons
1.1 Blue Dumpys Tree Frogs
1.0 Armadillo Lizard
1.0 Tokay Gecko
0.1 Marble Gecko
1.0 Fat-tailed Gecko
1.0 Lucy Leopard Gecko
0.1 Carrot Tail Leopard Gecko
0.1 Speckeled Hog-Nose
0.1 Garter Snake
1.1 Dogs
2.3 Cats

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q197/jkearney123/snake.jpg
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Jeff Kearney Orlando Florida (407) 766 6066

0.1 CB Spouse
4.4.1 Bearded Dragons
1.0 Mali Uromastyx
2.5 Ball Pythons
1.1 Blue Dumpys Tree Frogs
1.0 Armadillo Lizard
1.0 Tokay Gecko
0.1 Marble Gecko
1.0 Fat-tailed Gecko
1.0 Lucy Leopard Gecko
0.1 Carrot Tail Leopard Gecko
0.1 Speckeled Hog-Nose
0.1 Garter Snake
1.1 Dogs
2.3 Cats

back more, when you view the image zoom in and then do a print screen and save it in paint if you use a PC.
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Dave
Phila, PA

www.DNReptiles.com
Myspace/DNReptiles
Photobucket Album

its not a tick and the camera just sucks. it looks like a tick if that helps.
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Jeff Kearney Orlando Florida (407) 766 6066

0.1 CB Spouse
4.4.1 Bearded Dragons
1.0 Mali Uromastyx
2.5 Ball Pythons
1.1 Blue Dumpys Tree Frogs
1.0 Armadillo Lizard
1.0 Tokay Gecko
0.1 Marble Gecko
1.0 Fat-tailed Gecko
1.0 Lucy Leopard Gecko
0.1 Carrot Tail Leopard Gecko
0.1 Speckeled Hog-Nose
0.1 Garter Snake
1.1 Dogs
2.3 Cats

If it's not a tick I would be apt to think it's a bacterial or fungal infection (are you sure it's a scale not from under the scale?) - but without a good picture or history - I would suggest taking it in to a herp vet and having it looked at.

Good luck.
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Tosha
JET Pythons

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i would take it to a vet but i have no money...none at all. i just started college and lost my job all at the same time. school took all of my money away even my savings. i wish a vet visit wasnt $33. i am so tempted to pull it out but i am almost sure that its not a tick. but it looks like the a*s end of one.
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Jeff Kearney Orlando Florida (407) 766 6066

0.1 CB Spouse
4.4.1 Bearded Dragons
1.0 Mali Uromastyx
2.5 Ball Pythons
1.1 Blue Dumpys Tree Frogs
1.0 Armadillo Lizard
1.0 Tokay Gecko
0.1 Marble Gecko
1.0 Fat-tailed Gecko
1.0 Lucy Leopard Gecko
0.1 Carrot Tail Leopard Gecko
0.1 Speckeled Hog-Nose
0.1 Garter Snake
1.1 Dogs
2.3 Cats

how would he get it? he is all by himself in a ten gallon on paper towles. there are 3 other snakes in the room (not near his tank or anything) how do i prevent them from getting them. if theres one tick does that mean there are a lot more? those tanks are in my room. and i dont want to be sleeping with ticks..
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Jeff Kearney Orlando Florida (407) 766 6066

0.1 CB Spouse
4.4.1 Bearded Dragons
1.0 Mali Uromastyx
2.5 Ball Pythons
1.1 Blue Dumpys Tree Frogs
1.0 Armadillo Lizard
1.0 Tokay Gecko
0.1 Marble Gecko
1.0 Fat-tailed Gecko
1.0 Lucy Leopard Gecko
0.1 Carrot Tail Leopard Gecko
0.1 Speckeled Hog-Nose
0.1 Garter Snake
1.1 Dogs
2.3 Cats

the dogs or cats probanly dragged it in
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jake

my addiction:
0.2 normal ball pythons (lazlo and izzy)
0.1 amelenistic corn snake (maizy)
0.1 blizzard corn (blizz)
1.0 albino cal king (zeus)
0.0.1 wc garter (zim)
hybrid breeders association
hybrid haven

Where did you get the snake? Snake ticks and dog ticks are different. Ticks on a ball python indicate one of two things. The snake is wild caught/captive hatched (import). Or it came from someone who deals in WC/CH snakes and does not practice sanitary husbandry. The tick has been growing and probably just went unnoticed until now. I would be checking any other snakes that are house nearby, and would treat ALL my snakes with Provent-a-Mite right away! Also, since the snake definitely has/had external parasites, the chances for internal parasites are really high. You do need to at least take a fecal sample to a vet to check for internal parasites. The only snake I have that had ticks also had mites and worms!

Steve

can't see the picture - but large purple swollen scale sounds like a tick to me.
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Tosha
JET Pythons

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