Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Mexican Black King just shed last night. I looked him over this morning to make sure he looked okay and noticed what looked like part of one of his scales is missing. I immediately examined the shed and found the 'missing piece'. Just a few days prior to him turning blue I had noticed what looked like a piece of skin/shed on this scale. I thought perhaps this was another indicator that he was about to shed (although I'd not seen it before I knew he was due to shed soon so thought all was okay). Some time ago he got loose in my room for a few minutes (it was my fault but that's another story) and I wonder if the scale got caught as I was trying to retrieve him and possibly injured it?

I'm looking for any thoughts as to what this might be, why it happened and what I need to do to treat it. If needed I can post a pic.

Thank you in advance!
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1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
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0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

Many years ago my boa lost a scale during a shed. I put neorosporin on it. Not sure if it help any, probly he rubed it off crawling through the cage. I t did grow back after several sheds. But had no color. Not to noticeable on a boa, but a black snake I'm sure it will show. I hope when it comes back it will be black. I'm like you I have no idea why that happened. My 9yr. old ball lost a spur a few months ago, don't think it's going to grow back.

I was thinking of putting neosporin on. It's a scale along his side. He's currently on bed-a-beast substrate. Should I put him on paper towels for now? I was just wondering if the neosporin would cause the substrate to stick to him.
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

Neosporin is sticky but not that sticky. At the worst, it is water soluable.

My experience with injuries involving scales is varied. I had a leucistic Pine that developed reddish scales as a perminent reminder of a gash she got when someone tried to kill her when she was first caught.

A cribo I have right now lost his rostral and prenasal scales while trying to wedge his nose out of a screen cover that was clamped down. His scales grew back white and then darkened with each shed till they were normal again.

So it is pretty up in the air where it will end.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Did you treat your cribo with anything?

I may be imagining, but I just checked him and it seems to already look a little better. Could be wishful thinking.

Thanks
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

My mexi black kingsnake (Inkus) had the same thing happen, except that the scale is on his back, just to one side of his spine. It grew back a grayish color, and over time has darkened up. Now I consider the scale black, except that it is a dull black, whereas the rest of him is shiny black. At the time I treated the area with a half drop of tea tree oil mixed with a drop of mineral oil twice daily. Hope this helps.
regards,
althea

I use Triple Anti-biotic or Neosporin...Both work well.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."