Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It seems my 0.0.1 Captive Bred 05 Normal Ball Python Smeagol may have lost a bunch of scales on his/her/head. He shed overnight last night Sept 28-29 and doesn't seem to bother him, but i thought i'd ask here to find out what it is and what could have caused it.

As seen in the picture below there are light spots on his head.

Below is a picture of his shed, it is complete, and where the light spots are on his head there are dark spots on the shed.

So is this what i think it is? lost scales? If not what else could it be? And is there anything i should do for it? And how can i avoid this happening again in the future?

thanks
Wayne
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0.0.1 03 Normal Corn Snake - Kula
0.0.1 05 CB Normal Ball Python - Smeagol

1.0 Boston Terrier - Blaze
0.1 Long Coat Chihuahua/ Papillion Mix - Taz

Hi Wayne,

Has he or she been possibly trying to escape it's cage? If so make sure your temps are within a comfortable range by not being to hot or cold. Also if you don't have one provide a hide box and also make sure the cage is clean.

Steve Markevich
www.SerpentsDen.com

Thanks Steve,
Guess i should have added this earlier. Temps are within range, 77-81 cool and 85-90 warm (lower numbers are night time temps higher daytime temps). A secure hide on each end and a large water dish for drinking ans soaking (large gladware with hole cut in lid)

Strange thing is it used look for a way to get out, but never pushed at the screen, top for the first month and a half. But i haven't seen it at all in the last two weeks and the cage itsn't getting messed up (paper towels moved and hides slightly moved anymopre either. I clean the cage weekly unless he deficates when i clean it as soon as i notice it (once i was on my way to bed and too tired to clean the cage, next morning #### was everywhere lol,lesson learned)

so i don't "think" enviroment it the problem perhaps humidity was low (i do mist once a day when i see he is in shed and he shed in one piece both times he shed in my care though when i got him he had some retained shed on his head in the same area, gently removed during a stay in a damp pillowcase) or he wasn't truly ready to shed yet?

Thanks

Wayne

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0.0.1 03 Normal Corn Snake - Kula
0.0.1 05 CB Normal Ball Python - Smeagol

1.0 Boston Terrier - Blaze
0.1 Long Coat Chihuahua/ Papillion Mix - Taz

I think it's just from cruising for a way out in the middle of the night. You may want to put something over the screen to try and hold more humidity. Other than that don't let it worry you.

Good luck
Steve Markevich

I was worried becuase of the amount, before the shed there were no signs or scratches all was fine. Overnight after shed he is missing like 30-40 scales on the top of his head, also 3 about an inch back from the base of the neck.

Thanks again.

Wayne

A full body after shed picture from this morning.

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0.0.1 03 Normal Corn Snake - Kula
0.0.1 05 CB Normal Ball Python - Smeagol

1.0 Boston Terrier - Blaze
0.1 Long Coat Chihuahua/ Papillion Mix - Taz

Wasn't someone else recently talking about their ball becoming a derma because it kept losing more and more scales with every shed?

Maybe it is a disease.....possibly contracted from that dirty a$$ keyboard, lol, just kidding ;o)

>>Wasn't someone else recently talking about their ball becoming a derma because it kept losing more and more scales with every shed?
>>

I am no expert but i believe the "derma" is missing over 50% of it's scales and has no heat pits? Don't think that is what my snake is showing.

I did find another post from back in August where someone had the same thing happening and they think it could be caused by being too dry. I only mist when i see he is in shed, should i also mist when he is not in shed? I know too wet can cause scale rot so i don't want to mist too much. Kept in glass aquarium screen 1/2 covered in thin plastic sheet paper towel as substrate and a large water bowl (gladware with hole cut in lid). I have seen him soak a few times.

>>Maybe it is a disease.....possibly contracted from that dirty a$$ keyboard, lol, just kidding ;o)
>>

tell me about it i didn't notice it until i re-read my post and saw the picture. Doesn't look nearly that bad guess the flash brings out the good and the bad. Anyway i have cleaned it twice since seeing the picture with clorox wipes lol.

thanks
Wayne

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0.0.1 03 Normal Corn Snake - Kula
0.0.1 05 CB Normal Ball Python - Smeagol

1.0 Boston Terrier - Blaze
0.1 Long Coat Chihuahua/ Papillion Mix - Taz