Strange scales on new Carpet

[reptimama]

I picked this little guy up yesterday from a guy in Fl. The guy said he is a 6 month old. When I picked him up I didn't notice anything off then, on the drive back home, and this morning I noticed these strange white scales on his head. I texted and asked the guy about them and he said that he'd done an internet search and it is due to him soaking in the water bowl too much (which he didn't know how to stop) or a bad shed. His last shed was 2-3 weeks ago and he ate last week. His current humidity is currently close to 60%. I can't be sure of his temp because there is a crappy, stick to the side of the tank, thermometer in the set up. It was sold as a "complete set up"so I didn't budget for a thermometer. What are the opinions of those here? Is there anything I can do, should I take him to the vet? He's currently in quarantine away from all other reptiles.

http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo287/riverblade/photo_zpsa6d05cc9.jpg (http://s384.photobucket.com/user/riverblade/media/photo_zpsa6d05cc9.jpg.html)

[Mikoh4792]

The picture is a bit blurry, but if it's from soaking, it must be a deposit of minerals from very hard water. Either that or dried shed that didn't come off.

There's nothing wrong with %60 humidity but would just like to add it doesn't need to be that high. I keep my carpets around 40-50 most of the time and just raise it during shed.

Maybe someone else who's seen their carpets soak can chime in, but none of my carpet pythons ever soak. Maybe the previous owner was keeping him too hot or too dry if he was soaking all the time.


EDIT: if the carpet python is 6 months old, that means he hatched out during the winter. For the carpet breeders, I've never heard of carpets hatching near december. Are they seasonal breeders?

[reptimama]

He wasn't a breeder. I'm not sure where he got the little guy but I know the post was up for about 2 months... His temps feel too hot to ME but I'm not a snake and I can't tell you by feel what the temp is in his tank :( The crappy little thermometer isn't even registering a temp. and I have no extras. I'm going to see if I can grab a better one tomorrow on my way home from work. He has an UTH and a bulb. I have a list of things I need to get for him, one of which is a thermostat. I'll work on adjusting the humidity to try to get it down some. I'm letting him chill since he just moved and when I can I'll try to get a non-blurry picture. I'll try changing his water to see if that helps.

[Mikoh4792]

You're off to a good start, and by the looks of it he's in a much better place with you than he was with his previous owner. You can keep the humidity at %60, I was just saying it doesn't need to be that high.

[poison123]

Could be an old injury that healed up this way.

[formica]

can you get a better picture? ie not with a phone camera?

although tbh I suspect that a vet needs to confirm that it is not for eg a bactirial or fungal infection, which can spread and become lethal if not treated properly

[reptimama]

I'll try to get a better pic later this week. I'll have to get a new battery for my camera. I hope it is nothing serious :-/

[formica]

I'll try to get a better pic later this week. I'll have to get a new battery for my camera. I hope it is nothing serious :-/

if it is an infection, then it could become serious very quickly, you need to see a herp vet

[reptimama]

I got an appointment with the vet. They didn't seem too concerned as they didn't give me an appointment right away so I'm hoping that is a good sign. I got him a thermometer/hydrometer and I was right about his temps being too high. They were close to 100 and they should have been around 80-90. I also cleaned out his tank really well, changed his water, got him some new hides. He ate well yesterday :) I was able to get a better look at his head and it seems to be clearing some so I'm hoping for good news from the vet and then out of quarantine!

[reptimama]

All is well :) I need to treat him daily with some peroxide to help the scales come off but it isn't an infection!

[formica]

All is well :) I need to treat him daily with some peroxide to help the scales come off but it isn't an infection!

good to hear, so is it stuck shed then?

[shaunyboy]

could you take a picture outside without a flash,this will give you a better picture in natural light

what exactly did your vet say it was ?

re peroxide
what do you mean remove the scales completely,taking the scales off leaving bare skin ?

ive seen a lot of snakes lose the colour pigmentation in some scales,its nothing to worry about


cheers shaun

[reptimama]

I can probably get a better picture tomorrow. The vet said it isn't contagious and to Dr. it every day with peroxide and a cotton ball. Keep him in quarantine for a little longer, get a stool sample when I can and that all in all it looks like I've got a good healthy little carpet. She also said it was good that I brought his temps down and that I could bump up his humidity to help the scales come off. He's looking MUCH better than the first picture. He ate well again today :)

[Mikoh4792]

I'm confused. Is it stuck shed or an infection?

If it's an infection I don't see how lowering temps and raising humidity helps at all... especially if it's already at 60%.

[formica]

indeed, confused here aswell, what did the vet say was going on?

raising the humidity will certainly help stuck shed (but as Mikoh pointed out, 60% isnt low) - and given that you havent mentioned anitbiotics or antifungals, I guess its not an infection? ...but I dont get the reason for dropping the temps either way unless there is an issue with the setup

what are the temps in the enclosure and how are you measuring/controlling them? (pre and post vet visit, was it a specialist reptile vet?)

[reptimama]

It isn't an infection, most likely stuck shed. When I got him his temps were up over 100 in his set up because the guy was using a basking bulb, like for a bearded dragon, and a UTH so I've dropped them down closer to the 80's by removing the basking bulb. I've also removed some of the plexi-glass to allow for more air circulation. It didn't change them after the vet visit, I changed them after I got him. I measure them with a digital combo thermometer/hydrometer. And yes, reptile vet.

[formica]

It isn't an infection, most likely stuck shed. When I got him his temps were up over 100 in his set up because the guy was using a basking bulb, like for a bearded dragon, and a UTH so I've dropped them down closer to the 80's by removing the basking bulb. I've also removed some of the plexi-glass to allow for more air circulation. It didn't change them after the vet visit, I changed them after I got him. I measure them with a digital combo thermometer/hydrometer. And yes, reptile vet.

kool if its stuck shed, I would also suggest giving him a humid hide (hide stuffed with damp sphag moss)

was that ambient temps, or basking site surface temp?

you want to set the basking temp a bit higher than that, 90 is what I set mine at - but that is not the air temp, that is the substrate temperature directly below the heater, so put the probe directly above/below the heater on the substrate

ambient temps around 80 are fine

[Mikoh4792]

I'd advise getting a thermostat to control the heat sources.

[formica]

/\ yep...thermostat is essential

[reptimama]

He has a humid hide and thermostat is next on my list, vet visit was first, and SOMETHING to measure temps/humidity b/c originally there was nothing in there for that. I also have to get another UTH because the other one fell off :( :-P Couldn't get a picture today but I'll try again tomorrow.

[Mikoh4792]

I'd reccomend an ultratherm heat mat. You can use aluminum or duct tape to stick it on the bottom.

Ultratherm Heat Pads (http://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm-heat-pads)

[sharthun]

I'd reccomend an ultratherm heat mat. You can use aluminum or duct tape to stick it on the bottom.

Ultratherm Heat Pads (http://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm-heat-pads)

Yeah, this is one heat mat that you can run without a thermostat. Although, I always use themostats and recommend as essential equipment.

[reptimama]

This is the best picture I could get today. Either he wasn't cooperating or my camera was acting up :-P

http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo287/riverblade/photo1_zpsc3a0d03f.jpg (http://s384.photobucket.com/user/riverblade/media/photo1_zpsc3a0d03f.jpg.html)

[formica]

Yeah, this is one heat mat that you can run without a thermostat. Although, I always use themostats and recommend as essential equipment.

I bought two of those last year, wanted to know what the fuss was about, I was disappointed to read temps of 45C and 48C when not controlled by a thermostat...not the sort of basking temps I'd like to find in a snake enclosure!

[shaunyboy]

It isn't an infection, most likely stuck shed. When I got him his temps were up over 100 in his set up because the guy was using a basking bulb, like for a bearded dragon, and a UTH so I've dropped them down closer to the 80's by removing the basking bulb. I've also removed some of the plexi-glass to allow for more air circulation. It didn't change them after the vet visit, I changed them after I got him. I measure them with a digital combo thermometer/hydrometer. And yes, reptile vet.

if its really stuck on hard I would use viscotears eye gell or ky jelly,any water based lubricant will do,just put a decent coating over the stuck shed and once its moist it should peel off with your finger nail,just keep a close eye on the scales as you do it

if its not too badly stuck,then I use a warm bath and rub it off with my fingers,or peel it off as you would a piece of sticky tape off a parcel,again keep an eye on the scales as you do it

he will be fine if you submerge his head under water for 20,30,40 seconds to get the retained shed soaked

sorry but I can't make out if its retained shed in your picture,a close up pic of the affected area would be good,retained shed tends to look like dry skin on top of the scales


cheers shaun