Scale problem - Coastal Carpet

[evolution01]

Hi Everyone,

I have an appointment at the vet this Tuesday. has anyone encountered this before?
I bought this beautiful boy in a poor-ish way. He came to me with hundreds of mites and rather slim. He also had a small whitish patch of scale on the top of his head (forehead region) that, with the last two sheds seems to have spread down his neck. Does not wash off. He is 6 ft. Eating and shedding very well and handling well also. As I said, he is gorgeous. The pick isn't great, but you are able to see the discoloration over his head. Has anyone seen this before?

temp 28degrees celcius (which is what he I was told he was on when purchased)only on a heat mat.
Thoughts ideas are appreciated. I am building a larger 5ft x 4ft melamine enclosure with Perspex sliding doors. what are thoughts on the best housing requirement from the experienced keepers out there. I have read, but am wondering on your views. I am leaning toward lamps aswell as heat for a full ambient temp, not just surface temp.

- - - Updated - - -

ambient/ gradient heat should have said )

 

[ronhalling]

Looks like it could have been a burn at 1 stage but don't know why it is getting bigger it does not look like scale rot though, as far as the temp is concerned you need to bump it up to at least 34deg C 28 is a bit too cool ................................Ron

 

[lochie]

I had a similar problem with a young bredli. I assumed it would go away after a shed, which it did however it came back within a week of shedding. I took it to a reptile vet who tried to wash it off and did a few tests with in conclusive results.

The vet could not find a medical reason for this and said she encountered a similar case before where a snake has such lack of stimulation and was in a small enough space that it was constantly rubbing its head against the sides of the enclosure "out of boredom".

I assumed that this was total nonsense however followed the advice and went and got a bunch of items climbing logs vines etc in some vein hope that this would solve my problem.

Within a week or so the white markings (looked like residue at the time) disappeared and have not come back to this day and the only thing I changed was adding more **** to climb on really and I do notice my snake is rarely in the same spot twice when I walk past.
The vet said different snakes have different temperments and your wild snake probably isn't used to enclosure.


Having said that, you sound like you have bought a wild caught snake so it could literally be anything. (correct me if I'm wrong about the wild thing, although I don't know anyone who would buy a legal mite infested snake)

 

[evolution01]

I had a similar problem with a young bredli. I assumed it would go away after a shed, which it did however it came back within a week of shedding. I took it to a reptile vet who tried to wash it off and did a few tests with in conclusive results.

The vet could not find a medical reason for this and said she encountered a similar case before where a snake has such lack of stimulation and was in a small enough space that it was constantly rubbing its head against the sides of the enclosure "out of boredom".

I assumed that this was total nonsense however followed the advice and went and got a bunch of items climbing logs vines etc in some vein hope that this would solve my problem.

Within a week or so the white markings (looked like residue at the time) disappeared and have not come back to this day and the only thing I changed was adding more **** to climb on really and I do notice my snake is rarely in the same spot twice when I walk past.
The vet said different snakes have different temperments and your wild snake probably isn't used to enclosure.


Having said that, you sound like you have bought a wild caught snake so it could literally be anything. (correct me if I'm wrong about the wild thing, although I don't know anyone who would buy a legal mite infested snake)

Thanks Ron )!

Thanks also Lochie, that's also good information to know. It is not a wild caught snake although Im sad to say that its condition may have prompted a similar response in me not having known the owner. I bought it and the owner did say after I had agreed to buy it that she had given it a bath and found 3 mites, and re treated, however, after closer inspection he had a lot more than that and I was happy to take him and care for him properly as he was the only one in my collection at the time ) He does have a climbing structure in his enclosure, however I will endeavor to provide him with more stimulus and see if anything does come up at the vet consult also ) Thanks again guys and/or girls!

 

[lochie]

Make sure if you have the luxury to be near a reptile specialist that you make the extra effort as I have herd many stories of vets that are not very familiar with snakes as some of them can be quite incompetent.

I've always used a reptile vet although I am lucky to have one not too far away.