Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello! I recently acquired a California King female that is a retired breeder. I noticed after I got her home that she has small lumps all over her body under the skin (at least 4 or 5). This is my first king (have a corn, dumeril, and ball, none breeders) so I wasn't sure if this is something that happens frequently with them or maybe because she was a breeder some scars left behind. Just wondering if this is something I should take her to the vet for or if anyone has any ideas of what it might be. I would like to post pics to give a better idea of what I'm referring to but I can never get the pics to post right. Thanks for any help!

A picture will help a lot. It may only be fatty deposits, from being overfed for a long time. The easiest way to post a picture is to open a photobucket account, which is free. Then upload pictures there, then copy the IMG code for each picture, and post in the body of any post here. The site translates it to a picture. You can click the preview button first to be sure it works before you post. This way yo don't need to reduce the size of the picture file, it get's done automatic.
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Disclaimer: I do keep several snakes in pairs, and some in groups. However I realize that things can go wrong, and I have to keep a close eye on those groups, to be sure they are not being adversely affected by these living conditions. Also if one happens to eat it's cagemate, it is 100% my fault, and I know the risks in advance!

What's wrong with using CAUTION?!?!?!
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
~ Jorge Sierra www.SierraSnakes.com

Thanks for your help! I'll have to post pictures later and try to figure out what is going on with my little girl.

Hard to say for sure, but it does sound like it could easily be fat deposits as Jorge mentioned from being over-fed in the past.

Photobucket is already set-up for having an automatic "drop-down" menu under each photo in your albums when your mouse cursor goes over them. And if it isn't, you can easily make it that way. Then simply click on the bottom bar that displays the [IMG]code for the pic you want and come over here and right click "paste" in the normal forum text field. You can load as many photos as you want this way in one post, and if you want to add text captions underneath any, simply hit your "enter" key to leave a space for typing it out. Like Jorge said, click the "Preview Message" to make sure it is all correct like you want it so there isn't a bunch of screwed up posts before you get the hang of it.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Here's the best picture I could get of the largest lump. There are 3 others that are less than half this size.

Again thanks for any advice/help!

~Acacia

All the fatty deposits I've seen are along the sides. That appears to be something else. Maybe someone else will have some better input on what it is?
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Disclaimer: I do keep several snakes in pairs, and some in groups. However I realize that things can go wrong, and I have to keep a close eye on those groups, to be sure they are not being adversely affected by these living conditions. Also if one happens to eat it's cagemate, it is 100% my fault, and I know the risks in advance!

What's wrong with using CAUTION?!?!?!
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
~ Jorge Sierra www.SierraSnakes.com

if the bumps feel hard like a bb under the skin it/they could be tapeworms that have migrated from the gut, easily id'd and treated. if they are tapeworms a vet will excise them.
tapeworms can be transmitted thru feeding live mice that have tapeworms YET another reason for feeding frozen thawed because if the mice had worms they died during the freezing process and cannot be transmitted to the snake.
good luck

,,,,,,,,,thomas davis
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Morphs... just like baseball cards BUT ALIVE, how cool is that???

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