It is hard to tell from the photo, but going by your description, this appears to be what is commonly referred to as “blister disease”. This is a bacterial infection within the first few upper layers of the skin, and is typically caused by a prolonged exposure to damp substrate. High ambient humidity alone will not cause this condition. You can still maintain the ambient humidity in the 65 to 75% range, but the substrate needs to be completely dry to effectively resolve this issue. If it does not get any more serious than what you are currently seeing, the next shed by this snake should show a great improvement. If it appears to be advancing slightly, a small amount of Neosporin or Polysporin ointment can be used. If it appears to be advancing greatly, a vet visit may be in order.

Based on my personal experience of many years, I believe that it is extremely rare for an RI to be caused by a cage humidity that is too high if the cage environment is clean. Most RI’s are initiated by humidity levels that are too low, or by temps that are too low, or both. I have seen examples of RI development in tropical boids in a few cases where the temps were in the optimal range, but the ambient humidity was very low. Also, to more effectively treat an RI in boids, the cage humidity levels should be raised, as further drying of the lung tissue will advance the infection, and also limit the effectiveness of any antibiotic if one is being used.

Kelly

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