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I recently acquired a wonderful 2 year old eastern indigo. I've noticed that this individual has started to develop scales that appear to "peel" or keel. The area of concern strictly applies to the upper dorsal scales. I've noticed little white/discolored marks appear on the top 1/4 of some of the dorsal scales. If gently rubbed, only the 1/4 portion comes off leaving what looks to be a fresh scale underneath. Some bits and pieces also come off simply from holding the snake. Also, the little bits of “skin” between each of the upper dorsal scales appear dry and seem to exhibit the same problem. At first, I thought it was from a bad shed, but this individual has had perfect one-piece sheds during the time I've owned her. She’s shed 2 or 3 times, all in one piece and the scales remain in the same condition. She does not have mites and I’ve never used any oil/polysporin on her. I believe this has something to do with my husbandry, specifically humidity.

She’s housed in a 6 foot well ventilated PVC cage. Hot side 80-81F and the cool side drops into the low 70’s. The humidity in the room fluctuates between 20-30 % as of now. I keep her on newspaper. She’s fed mice and fish on a weekly basis. She has three Rubbermaid hides (smooth openings, nothing sharp): one on the hot side, one on the cool side, and a humid hide in the middle towards the hot side. The humid hide is filled with sphagnum moss. I spray it down lightly and mix the moss up and it usually completely dries up overnight or the next day. I spray more frequently towards the end of her shed cycle. I will spray down her entire cage when I know she’s about to shed, but it’s by no means wet. I was told to keep the moss moist and not wet. She spends most of her time in her humid hide. Would this issue be a result from high humidity/too damp conditions in her humid hide? Or would it occur if the snake in question is being kept too dry/if the humidity in the hide is too low? Or does it not have anything to do with humidity at all? I’ve heard this species is susceptible to blisters from wet conditions and I’ve also heard that this species develops chronic dehydration if their kept too dry (even if they consistently drink water from their waterbowl). Maybe someone with more knowledge/experience can explain or debunk this.

Any insight would be much appreciated as I would like to have this corrected as soon as possible.

Thanks

How often is the moss replaced? Does the snake stay mostly on the cool end of the cage? Bacteria love damp areas, and especially damp dark areas. If the snake's body temp is too low then it will not be able to fight off bacterial pathogens that causes infections such as scale rot. Indigo Snakes live in habitats that quite frequently reach into the upper 90s, the two Eastern Indigos that are kept where I work have a high end at 91 degrees Fahrenheit. I would increase your warm end to at least 85. I would also research scale rot a bit more so that you can determine for yourself as you are able to first-hand inspect the snake, if the snake may need treatment for scale rot. A vet visit can also usually determine this, at least it can with the vet that I go to.

Another possibility is just a genetic defect. Getting new genes to add to Eastern Indigo captive pools is rather difficult to accomplish, especially for the pet-trade side. As a result, a few generations of inbreeding may have caused a defect that causes the tips of scales to flake.

These are just two possibilities that come to my mind, there may be another reason. In any case I would look into scale rot a little if I was you JUST IN CASE, because if left untreated scale rot can become quite costly to treat, and it should be treated if the infected animal is valued.

High temps and indigos are a bad combination. Despite the fact they occur in Florida, they do not do well with high temps in captivity. They will become over-active and rub their rostrals raw trying to escape the heat.

Scale rot is typically a problem with the ventral scales, not dorsals. Finally, be cautious about ascribing a problem to a "genetic defect". There are potential problems from inbreeding indigos (enlarged hearts, split dorsal scales), but likely not flaky dorsal scales. Sounds like you are guessing.

As I said, it is just two possibilities. Without a picture, a guess is all that can be made unless a nearly exact if not exact event has occurred for which I can compare and give a more precise answer based on experience. A picture though would at least allow a better judgement of what may be going on.

And yes, scale rot does typically, operative word typically, occur on ventral scales, yet I have seen a few cases where it has occurred on dorsal scales as well.

The two Indigos I work with at work have rather large cages to thermoregulate as they see fit. The don't spend a majority of time on the warm end indeed, but it is there should the snake recognize that its body temperature be in need of raising. One is new, at work for 2 years now, but the other has been there for over about 7 years now and has no raw area from rubbing its nose at the cage sides and/or furniture.

Also, through my 15 years of snake keeping (I know it isn't as long as other people but it is long enough for me to learn a few useful things), all answers for why something is wrong should be looked into and held in regard until proven otherwise by a conclusive answer that may consist of 1 or more parts.

Overall you are right though, it is a guess, they are merely possibilities that come to my mind. I can't see the snake first hand, I saw no link for a picture for 2nd hand observation (I may have overlooked it), I just have a worded description of the condition.

I agree with you about allowing them to choose their own temperature. In a big cage with a temperature gradient, high temps within a small area of the cage are fine, providing lower temps (low 70's) are available. Indigo keepers get into trouble (not you) when they keep the cage hot because eastern indigos are almost a sub-tropical species. I have heard horror stories where indigos rubbed their rostrals off trying to escape high temps. Frankly, I keep mine at room temp for much of the year.

Hey, I am just glad to see some action on this forum. Do you keep your indigos at a school? Nature center?

They are kept at a nature center, only one is on display to the public though (larger one).

Also that is something I love about North American colubrids, most of them, if protected from injury, can be kept at room temperature if need be. Saves money on electricity haha.

Also that is something I love about North American colubrids, most of them, if protected from injury, can be kept at room temperature if need be. Saves money on electricity haha.

^^Amen to that haha! Mine both stay as far away from the warmer end as much as possible, I sometimes wonder why I bother

But of course I will always bother cause they are worth it!

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~Markus

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."

Yeah, interesting that even in cool, fall room temps, they still digest fine. At 70 degrees it takes them three days to pass their "nuclear waste". At 75 degrees, it takes about two days. At 80 degrees, it takes about an hour!! I love the hell out of my indigos, but they have the metabolic rate of a mammal!

Haha so true man! And as soon as I decide to do a major cage cleaning that takes me an hour to do, they wait to be put back in to christen it with their lovely mud tossing, every dang time I swear!
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~Markus

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."