Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I adopted an adult corn snake at a herp society meeting this weekend. When I get home, I made up a home for it. When I got it out, I noticed it was quite skinny and had a big blister (nickel sized) on it's back.(I would assume that is what it is) We are not allowed to take a closer look or hold them before we adopt (there were many animals the herp society had been given) so I never noticed before adoption nor was told it had one. I have had a number of corn, king, and milk snakes for many years and have never seen a blister before. Can anyone tell me what causes this and will it go away on its own. I also posted this on the herp health forum too hoping someone can tell me how serious an issue this is for my newest snake.
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Kevin Collison
Those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience-C.S. Lewis

Hate to sound dumb, but do you have a picture of the animal? Could it be a burn? Could it be a rub burn? Skinny... Have you considered quarenteen before bring it into your personal collection.. I am always weary of skinny animals myself...

Regards.. Tim of T and J

It could be anything from a mouse bite to a skin burn, retained shed even... it could be multiple things... and skinny is not good either. Definitely keep it away from your other critters!!! the best way we could tell what is wrong with your snake is from pictures.
~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Tons of Corns, A Trio of Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, Ball Pythons, A Pair of Albino Nelsons Milksnakes, A Rescue RTB, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, 2 Snapping Turtles, an Eastern Box Turtle, a Bearded Dragon, an Adult Rescue Iguana

Thanks for the insight. I have got the snake in another room. I should have learned my lesson. A couple years ago I bought a couple of "breeder pairs" When I got them they were all in rough shape and skinny. One died shortly thereafter and several of my other snakes got sick. One of them died, but everyone else got better. I certainly don't need to get the rest of my collection sick due to an adoption.

Here are some pics of the corn. As you can see it's just a bump. No open sores/ bite marks. When I got it home I thought it was a cyst or something, but it can move when touched, much like the fluid can be moved under our skin when we get a blister.

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Kevin Collison
Those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience-C.S. Lewis

it's hard to tell from the pics because the pics are only of the lump. It could be a kink in the snake or maybe a tumor? once again hard to tell without seeing the hole snake. But it does look like it is about to shed by the colors (unless my computer colors are off)
~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Tons of Corns, A Trio of Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, Ball Pythons, A Pair of Albino Nelsons Milksnakes, A Rescue RTB, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, 2 Snapping Turtles, an Eastern Box Turtle, a Bearded Dragon, an Adult Rescue Iguana

We are not allowed to take a closer look or hold them before we adopt

I personally would never adopt with those conditions.
I buy snakes online unseen - but those are neonates, and either have lots of pictures or come from very reputable sources.

I would take the snake to a qualified vet. It could be nothing to worry about, but it could be a serious issue.
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Arrrggg!
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