Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My male has been lime green for over a year. He has been feeding well, and is in a top of the line caging system. Just about a week ago I noticed som dark blue green scales in patches all along his sides. He has not shed yet, so I do not know if he climbed on something or what. He is houes with a breeding trio of whites tree frogs in a 125 tall caging system. Has anyone had thier northern do this?

Can you get a pic? How old is he? Some of ours have blue/green scales in the transition area from yellow to green.
-----
Karen Clark
Gems of the Rainforest

The blue is most likely a bruise. The animal might be rubbing it self on something in the cage to cause this, I would check for mites/fungus. Since you are keeping the animal with frogs th humidity might be too high and if there is a lack of air flow the snake it self can grow mold.
I would start by checking for mites, then use a reptile skin conditioner with a aloe base, and check humidity and ventalation, make sure they are adaquate, keep in mind you should never see condensation.

best of luck
joe
www.emeraldboas.com

Your reply after this is simply titled "Some Pics"

I have a Ball Python who was a rescue. He just had a Shed, his first since surrendering to the rescue, it started out badly, but I gave hiom a soak, and rubbed him gently, to get the skin to peal off (he hated when the last bit came off the tail)
You recomended a reptile skin conditioner for Boas, would this also be ok for BP?
also
That coloring from where she rubber herself raw, what did it look like as it healed?
He has some rare scales that are marked like that on the edge of his belly scales.

Thank You for any response

ecb
-----
Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

Here is the bruising I am talking about:

Here is what it looks like when It gets out of hand and they rub them selves raw.

Will that bruise end up going away after a shed? Also as far as condensation that you mention, it is still ok to spray the walls of the enclosure to raise the humidity? It was my understanding that you could with no ill effect provided you clean the cage on a regular basis. Thanks.

They will eventually go away, but not always completely. The first pic is of an animal we got as a WC in 11/2002 with a bruise on her neck.

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/data/9401Female_neck_resize.JPG

and this is a pic taken of her just a month or so ago. I don't have a close-up of her neck, but you can still see what remains of the bruise. It gets a little smaller each time she sheds.

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/data/94011-26-05.jpg

The actual color of the bruised area was and is almost black.

-----
Karen Clark
Gems of the Rainforest

oops, used wrong codes for pics in other post so disregard.

They will eventually go away, but not always completely. The first pic is of an animal we got as a WC in 11/2002 with a bruise on her neck.

and this is a pic taken of her just a month or so ago. I don't have a close-up of her neck, but you can still see what remains of the bruise. It gets a little smaller each time she sheds.

The actual color of the bruised area was and is almost black.
-----
Karen Clark
Gems of the Rainforest

Bruising will go away for the most part.
As far as misting, I only do it when I am tryig to breed females. I use plants and humidifiers to raise the humifdity. It dosent rain as much as people think in the amazon basin. I belive the inch per year is like 59 inches. To put that in perspective it is like 60 inches in louisiana. Most of the humidity is obtained from the rich and abundent plant life that surronds them not the deluge of water that pours from above. Above all you need to make sure you have adaquate air flow or the air will certinly become stagnet and inturn mold.

Hope I have been helpful

Joe
www.emeraldboas.com