Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Any thoughts on why my BRB is losing pigment? When I got him he had normal pigmentation, but that patch turned gray suddenly and has persisted through three sheds. I haven't been able to find any information on what could be causing it so I'm kind of at a loss here.

It's iridescent and doesn't appear dry or flaky or anything.

Is it raised at all? I'm not a brb expert, but it could be from rubbing.
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Chris
Chris Carille Photography
http://nyexotics.blogspot.com/

I wouldn’t be to alarmed by that. It really doesn’t look abnormal to me. Rubbing (as earlier suggest) is typically a lot more obvious. Rubbing is usually a result of a cage that is way to small or a snake not having a proper hide; the snake feels uncomfortable or exposed and wants out. Rubbing typically occurs on the nose and is basically a sore from the snake constantly pushing against the enclosure trying to get out. Your snake looks normal to me; a little browner on the top of it’s head but nothing unusual.

Remember that some snake, especial BRBs will go through color phase changes the older they get. Sometimes this is mild and maybe unnoticeable from day to day and sometimes these changes can be pretty extreme. I’ve personally witnessed a beautiful red BRB go completely brown overnight. I have seen a fair number of BRBs and what you are showing in the picture looks completely normal to me.

John Wiseman

Thanks, I don't think it sounds like rubbing then. He is in a 20gal long tank with a solid top and is very active exploring it, but I have never seen him trying to get out.

I know it was mentioned that it is in the wrong spot for rubbing, but from pushing it can cause the scales to be raised slightly on the head... which is why I had asked. It tends to happen more in boas - so BRBs would fit. My biminis came to me with the issue - the head scales (on top) look browner and are slightly raised from pushing on the cages they were in... the previous owners had never seen them pushing either.

You can see the slightly browner color and slightly raised scales here.

Of course it could just be an ontogenetic color change.
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Chris
Chris Carille Photography
http://nyexotics.blogspot.com/