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In the 1990s, I tragically lost a Desert King when it suddenly developed weird scale problems. Starting on a ridge on its back, scales appeared to have been spliced or punctured, and dehydrated. The scope of affected scales spread. I applied anti-fungal and anti-biotic ointments, nothing helped.

Days later, movement became affected, almost like a neurological condition. I desperately sought help from Herpers; nobody had seen what I described. I felt it best to destroy the snake when it began having problems crawling.

Today I noticed similar markings on a few, isolated scales on my Sonoran Black (snake names should not reflect political boundaries, it's more accurate to name based on native region).

I don't know that I'll ever see the prior problems with my new snake; that type of occasional scale damage may be quite normal. But just in case, has anyone every seen this? (It's not due to rot nor humidity. Termperature and other vivarium conditions are ideal.)

The previous incident you mentioned sounds exactly like Mountain King Disease or Zonata Disease. I had a Baja get that and it did the same thing. The odd scale that gets dry etc... is nothing to worry about I see it from time to time in my Kings. Its worth keeping an eye on though.

Keith

>>In the 1990s, I tragically lost a Desert King when it suddenly developed weird scale problems. Starting on a ridge on its back, scales appeared to have been spliced or punctured, and dehydrated. The scope of affected scales spread. I applied anti-fungal and anti-biotic ointments, nothing helped.
>>
>>Days later, movement became affected, almost like a neurological condition. I desperately sought help from Herpers; nobody had seen what I described. I felt it best to destroy the snake when it began having problems crawling.
>>
>>Today I noticed similar markings on a few, isolated scales on my Sonoran Black (snake names should not reflect political boundaries, it's more accurate to name based on native region).
>>
>>I don't know that I'll ever see the prior problems with my new snake; that type of occasional scale damage may be quite normal. But just in case, has anyone every seen this? (It's not due to rot nor humidity. Termperature and other vivarium conditions are ideal.)
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Zonata disease SHOULD apply only to Mountain Kings. This occurred with a Desert King, a lowland species.

Besides, it is rumored that Zonata disease is very little known, and probably even less documented. Nobody I know has any real substantial information about it.

The good news is that I've had 2-3 Kingsnakes in the same vivarium since that ordeal, none of them had the same symptoms.

Not true it was known in a California King and I belive some N. American Milks. Its not common or not commonly reported but by your description thats what it sounds like. Keeping multiple animals in an enclosure is always risky not just by possible predation by a cagemate but also the spread of bacteria and viruses. Snakes dont live in packs in the wild so I never understood people who keep multiple animals together that arent communal.

Keith

>>Zonata disease SHOULD apply only to Mountain Kings. This occurred with a Desert King, a lowland species.
>>
>>Besides, it is rumored that Zonata disease is very little known, and probably even less documented. Nobody I know has any real substantial information about it.
>>
>>The good news is that I've had 2-3 Kingsnakes in the same vivarium since that ordeal, none of them had the same symptoms.

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I had noticed something similar on my Mexi Black (or Sonoran if you prefer) a few months ago. This was right after a shed, and appeared to be a browned or rotted scale (just one). Since she had just shed, I checked the shed, and found that in the same spot there was a missing spot on a complete shed. For some reason she retained one scale on a complete shed, and it turned brown. For her next shed I raised her humidity level and it disappeared. I haven't had any problems with it since. I'm not sure if this applies to what your talking about though.
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Ace