Hog flaking and mites?

[Eggplant]

Yesterday I noticed my hog's skin was flaking when I was handling her. I checked her over and found three tiny black specks under the belly scales of my hognose. I thought they might be mites so I went and bought Provent-a-Mite and Reptile Spray (from natural chem). I completely bleached her tank+ the hides and ornaments and treated with provent-a-mite. While I was waiting for the spray to dry I started soaking my hognose. This is when she started flaking even more. A lot of clear scales just started flaking off like a blizzard. I never saw her eyes turn blue or anything.. though it might've happened while I had someone taking care of her this winter (cause I left the country for a while).

How can I tell if the scales on her head have been shed or not?
Should I just leave her alone or try to soak her more and get the rest of the scales off?

Also, when some of her belly scales came off the black specks I saw came off too. I inspected them and they are about one fourth or smaller of the size of mites I see on google images.. They just looked like some grit or something caught under there. Nothing around the eyes, head, chin or pooper chute. She did poop and musk all over me when I was checking :(.

Is it just a bad shed or should I be more worried? :confused::confused:

[sharthun]

This is just a guess, but the mite treatments can dry/dehydrate a snake and the skin. Make sure that you rinsed off the reptile spray or let the snake soak for 20 or 30 minutes after treatment. You may need to repeat the soaking to re-hydrate.

Yesterday I noticed my hog's skin was flaking when I was handling her. I checked her over and found three tiny black specks under the belly scales of my hognose. I thought they might be mites so I went and bought Provent-a-Mite and Reptile Spray (from natural chem). I completely bleached her tank+ the hides and ornaments and treated with provent-a-mite. While I was waiting for the spray to dry I started soaking my hognose. This is when she started flaking even more. A lot of clear scales just started flaking off like a blizzard. I never saw her eyes turn blue or anything.. though it might've happened while I had someone taking care of her this winter (cause I left the country for a while).

How can I tell if the scales on her head have been shed or not?
Should I just leave her alone or try to soak her more and get the rest of the scales off?

Also, when some of her belly scales came off the black specks I saw came off too. I inspected them and they are about one fourth or smaller of the size of mites I see on google images.. They just looked like some grit or something caught under there. Nothing around the eyes, head, chin or pooper chute. She did poop and musk all over me when I was checking :(.

Is it just a bad shed or should I be more worried? :confused::confused:

[pdomensis]

There may be more issues than mites. Post pics and details of your setup and the affected areas if you can.

[Eggplant]

Here are some photos. One is the setup I had her in before: I keep a heat mat covering about 1/3-1/2 on the side with the brown hide. I have a temperate probe monitoring the temp on top of the zoomed reptile mat I keep under the aspen bedding. The heat mat is connected to a zoomed thermostat with a dial and temperature probe. I keep the temperature on the warm side ~89F. I change the 1'' aspen bedding bi monthly and wash reptile mat under it. I stuff the hides with shredded paper towels. The water I change every few days (I never really see her use it though).

After cleaned out the tank (when I thought she had mites) I only kept paper towels, a fake plant for her to rub on, the hot hide and the old water bowl (now serving as a cold hide) in there. Took out the cold hide cause it got lots of little holes and if there were mites it would've been a nice place to lay eggs.

She's still really active but seems a lot thirstier than before (I did keep no water in there because of the provent-a-mite for a day). I haven't tried feeding her because I don't want her to regurgitate when I soak her or on the trip to the vet tomorrow.

So worried :(

[sharthun]

I would keep a fresh supply of water to make sure she gets hydrated. Beautiful snake btw!

[Aaron_S]

This is just a guess, but the mite treatments can dry/dehydrate a snake and the skin. Make sure that you rinsed off the reptile spray or let the snake soak for 20 or 30 minutes after treatment. You may need to repeat the soaking to re-hydrate.

DO NOT DO THIS!

1. You just treated for mites and eggs. Why would you rinse it all off?

2. Do NOT soak the snake once you've placed a chemical on the body to "rehydrate" it. If the snake is actually dehydrated from a treatment you've got husbandry issues beyond mites AND the snake may drink the water that is now mixed with the mite killing chemical. Would you drink that?

When using treatments that are applied to the animal like Nix. Leave the water bowl out for a 24 hour period. The last thing you need is for a snake to ingest the mite killing chemical.

[sharthun]

DO NOT DO THIS!

1. You just treated for mites and eggs. Why would you rinse it all off?

2. Do NOT soak the snake once you've placed a chemical on the body to "rehydrate" it. If the snake is actually dehydrated from a treatment you've got husbandry issues beyond mites AND the snake may drink the water that is now mixed with the mite killing chemical. Would you drink that?

When using treatments that are applied to the animal like Nix. Leave the water bowl out for a 24 hour period. The last thing you need is for a snake to ingest the mite killing chemical.

I was referring to a short rinse/soak outside of the enclosure right after treatment to remove excess chemicals,and not soaking or let them soak in their drinking supply. I agree leave their drinking supply out of the enclosure for 24 hours after treatment. The treatment can dry out the skin is the point I was trying to make. I guess I should have been more clear.

[Eggplant]

Well anyhow, I took her to the vet and the vet said he doesn't see mites on her and for the shedding problem to just soak her frequently to help get the last bits of skin off. Aside from that he didn't find anything wrong with her. Apparently I just worry too much haha

[dave himself]

Glad to see everything is ok with her :)

[Aaron_S]

I was referring to a short rinse/soak outside of the enclosure right after treatment to remove excess chemicals,and not soaking or let them soak in their drinking supply. I agree leave their drinking supply out of the enclosure for 24 hours after treatment. The treatment can dry out the skin is the point I was trying to make. I guess I should have been more clear.

1. You don't want to remove any of the chemicals. It defeats the purpose of a treatment. If you have actual excess chemicals you're using too much in the first place.

2. It's a silly notion to think a snake that in your words may be dehydrated ISN'T going to drink from the first water source it encounters. Snakes do not differentiate between drinking water and soaking water. Your method would put any snake in jeopardy of ingesting poison. As I said, it's not a good idea.

[Eggplant]

Hello! Update: took my snake to the vets and they said to use a overhead lamp instead of a bottom heating pad cause the pad is causing her belly scales to get damaged. Haven't seen any more black spots since the day I cleaned her off. She shed ok in 3 pieces (eye caps and tail all came off). After shedding her belly scales look much better. She's about to shed again (just went all milky a few days ago).

[ManSlaughter33]

Hello! Update: took my snake to the vets and they said to use a overhead lamp instead of a bottom heating pad cause the pad is causing her belly scales to get damaged. Haven't seen any more black spots since the day I cleaned her off. She shed ok in 3 pieces (eye caps and tail all came off). After shedding her belly scales look much better. She's about to shed again (just went all milky a few days ago).

someone correct me if im wrong,
but dont snake need heat pads, since they heat throug hthe belly helps digestion better than over head heat..

maybe get a thermosat for your heat pad..

[SSSSnakes]

I do believe in the wild that the earth is heated from the sun above and not from the ground. Only in captivity do we do it backwards. Snakes digest their food just fine if heated from the top.

[yeloowtang]

I do believe in the wild that the earth is heated from the sun above and not from the ground. Only in captivity do we do it backwards. Snakes digest their food just fine if heated from the top.


This is true, and you can find many debates regarding this...
BUT what is often forgoten is that you can never compare the outside natural way of things versus captivity..
in captivity in order to get the ground to heat up enough so the snake gets what it needs, you could cook it or dry out the air too much.. comparing the sun blasting the earth with radiation outside , where an animal can find shelter to protect itself !! with the limited space of a terrarium is not the way to look at it..
using a heat source from above will work (don't get me wrong) but the main reason why heat pads are used to get the bottom of the cage to the propper temps, is because you can control and get the ultimate conditions needed for digestion.. if the snake decides it need a cooler spot, then it knows and moves to the cold spot and vice versa.

as i said, from the top will work, but some snakes need more than that, they will much appreciate having the ground nice and warm inside the hide where they feel safe.
all snakes are diferent and one must try as much as possible to offer the best possible conditions..
my arboreals need top heat where as my other snakes need bottom heat and additional heat sources to get the ambiant air right !!

there is no arguing that the sun heats up the earth from above and animals profit from that, then they can go under ground or hide from the heat in cooler conditions.. and when the temps are way to cold, they will go deeper under ground for thermal heat and survival..

both wayus of doing it will work, one just needs at assure the animals gets the best possible enviroment in captivity..

[SSSSnakes]

I have a heated snake room and offer no other heat sources, such as UTH or basking spots. I keep all different kinds of snakes and do not have any problems with digestion. When keeping snakes in captivity I believe that we try to keep snakes at a perfect condition, when it is not necessary. Snakes are not that delicate, if they were, they would not survive in the wild.

[Eggplant]

I had a thermostat for my heat pad and the mat that goes over it as well. Not sure why it didn't work out but since her belly scales are looking much better after I removed the heat pad I'm just going to go with it. She seem's to be doing fine with the lamp. My only concern is that I bought a "black" bulb that's supposed to be ok for nighttime lighting but it's actually purple and quite bright. :(

[Rattlehead]

I found a 40 watt black bulb that had a long shape and emmited a less bright light. As days became warmer down here, I controlled the power with a rheostat, making it even less bright. I had a 50 watt for a couple of months and my snakes didn't seem bothered

[SSSSnakes]

You can also use a heat emmitter, which gives off no light. It screws into a light socket and is similar to the heating element off sand electric stove. They last for years.

[Eggplant]

You can also use a heat emmitter, which gives off no light. It screws into a light socket and is similar to the heating element off sand electric stove. They last for years.

Where can I get this heat emitter? I didnt see it in the reptile shop I go to. I've heard of ceramic ones but apparently they get crazy hot and melt things.

[reptiledude987]

Where can I get this heat emitter? I didnt see it in the reptile shop I go to. I've heard of ceramic ones but apparently they get crazy hot and melt things.
they do get quite hot so they require a t stat. but work very well.

[SSSSnakes]

Where can I get this heat emitter? I didnt see it in the reptile shop I go to. I've heard of ceramic ones but apparently they get crazy hot and melt things.

Petco or Petsmart. Get the same wattage as the size heating light you are using. There heat out put is the same as the same size heating light.

[Eggplant]

Petco or Petsmart. Get the same wattage as the size heating light you are using. There heat out put is the same as the same size heating light.

Thanks! :)