Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am new to keeping snakes, and for my first i have a gorgeous 5 foot northern pine snake which i bought from a friend of mine as he's gone travelling. He's in excellent condition, but i've started to notice patches of dry, cracked, and flakey scales on his back. She shed a month ago, can anyone tell me what this might be and why it would happen.

Thanx alot

Could it possibly be an allergy? Maybe to the substate you're using. Also, do you have a pic of it? I remember someone posted a similar thing happening to one of their colubrids and it took a turn for the worst real quick. Not to scare you, its hard to say for sure without seeing it. I hate to say it, but I would take it to a vet and have it checked out, especially if it just shed a month ago and if it appears to be the actual scales and not left over remnents of shed. It sounds like it could even be a possible skin infection.
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carl3
www.members.aol.com/northeastsnakes

Thanx alot for replying

I borrowed my mates camera and took some photos, its not a good camera, so the images are a bit blurry, ive outlined the areas. I hope u can make it out.

I use wood chips as a substrate, but she has been used to wood chips for sometime now since my friend first bought her. Could this be a shedding problem, and will it be permanent. What would be the course of treatment.

I'm definatly gonna take her to a vet though!

Out of interest what happend to the snake you mentioned in ure post?

Thanx Alot

Psy

It may possibly just be remnants of a shed that didn't come off completely in places. I have found tiny bits of unshed skin on my biggest pinesnake before, and just peeled them off slowly.

OR, it could be battle scars from a rat or mouse that was fed to the snake alive.

Hope this helps! Please keep us posted!
Billy
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Genesis 1:1