Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got my baby green at the Daytona show. So far he is a very enjoyable animal that only bit twice. (when they probed him) I would probably have bitten them too!!

Any way I am trying to give him some space & time to acclimate and get settled in good but I notices a few small patches of raised scales on the animal. I felt them and it seems like there is a small bump of some kind under the scales? Anyone have any ideas? We are going to the vet tomorrow just in case but if there are any husbadry issues I need to address I will do them today. He does have a "soaking" tub but doesn't spend much time there. He basks & hangs over the tub more often than not. The enclosure may be to damp. I used cypress as a substrate with an undertank heater and a flood light for additional light & heat during the am and off during pm. I am sort of at a loss.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Gene

My green has a few up towards his neck area, like little areas with about 4 scales raised up, I am waiting till he sheds and see what happens. I have squeezed them and poke at the bumps, and they dont seem to bother him, so I am not to worried. I am guessing they are just messed up scales that will heal with the next shed.

I just got back from the vet and he said it is a slight bacterial infection. He said it shouldn't even warrent medication. He told me to keep his enclosure clean & check him after he sheds. He thinks that will take care of it.

Thanks

` To help inhibit bacteria, I keep their water at pH 5.5 to 6.0, or just a bit lower. My tap water is quite hard and alkaline, about pH 7.5. I use distilled vinegar ( regular clear vinegar, cheap at Costco, or a restaurant supply, in gallons ) to lower the pH. The vinegar will defeat the carbonate buffer in the water for about 24 hours. You should use a pH test kit to figure out how much vinegar to use, don't guess. As I change the water at least once a day, this is sufficient.
` I am keeping Yellow Anacondas, and they spend much of their time in the water. Both Yellow and Green Anacondas tolerate acid water easily, bacteria do not.
` When cleaning their soaking containers, I first spray with straight Hydrogen peroxide, then with straight vinegar. Then brush, then rinse with very hot water. It has worked great, for years, and really safe for the snakes, and for me.
` For heavy duty sterilizing, I use Nolvosan, or Virosan, or bleach. Trouble with this stuff for everyday is that it can kill germs, snakes, and me, if not careful.
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If you think education is expensive, consider the cost of ignorance.

I would never have thought of adjusting the pH. I do have a test kit at home because of the aquarium I have. I will do that.

Thanks very much!

Mine has had these "raised scales" on several occasions. She had them when I first got her, and a couple of times after I moved (I'm a student and move allot). I figure they are either stress related, or physical crimping of scales sustained durring transport. Either way they always clear up after a shed. Sometimes they scale underneath is dark in color but that clears on the following shed then. In any case not something to really worry about, although untill now I was the only person I knew of who had had this problem.

I am glad I am not the only one too.

My vet said it was a very minor bacterial infection which can of course be caused by stress. He felt it was nothing to worry about and said it should shed right off. Now that he has had his second meal I am sure shedding is not too far off.

He was kept in less than ideal conditions at least at the Daytona show so that in conjunction with the stress is probably the reason for the scale disruption.

Glad to know it is not a big deal.

Later, Gene