What's this?

[●★★★●]

Saw this guy in our private facebook group.. Seems like the owner is having problem with his snake and doesnt know what to do 😞. He said that one day his snake just wont eat and then its skin started to slough off. at first he tought that its just a regular wound but it kept comming throught the snake's whoke body.... Does anyone had a similar experience... Btw this snake was already brought to the vet and I just want to know more about this condition 👍

[●★★★●]

This guy is looking terrible. Hope he reacts positively to the treatment

[StevenL]

I have never seen this condition personally but have heard it described to me by some reputable herp owners over the years. Every time I heard about this condition there was a common theme and that was malnourishment due to neglect. I'm NOT saying this is the case on the picture you provided. It appears by your description the snake all of a sudden stopped eating and their were no indicators leading up to this snakes condition.

I found a link for you that can describe the possible ailment this snake is suffering from.
Snake Skin Peel And Vitamin C Deficiency (http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Ask-A-Vet/Snake-Skin-Peel-And-Vitamin-C-Deficiency/)

I think I may be the only person on the planet to do this but I give my snakes vitamins on an infrequent basis. I do this to hedge on the side of making sure they don't become deficient in any vitamin they need. As the article states, the sloughing of skin could quite possibly be scurvy.

[●★★★●]

Nice, thanks for the link.... Actually that's what I tought at first about the vitamin c def in relation to collagen production. This is a very rare case that you can't easily find any literature ding this topic. Anyway, my curiousity has been slighty satisfied by that post.... Thank you so much and I hope this guy gets better ��

[StevenL]

Nice, thanks for the link.... Actually that's what I tought at first about the vitamin c def in relation to collagen production. This is a very rare case that you can't easily find any literature ding this topic. Anyway, my curiousity has been slighty satisfied by that post.... Thank you so much and I hope this guy gets better ��

You are very welcome and I do too hope for a great recovery for this snake.

[bigsnakegirl785]

Whether it’s malnourished due to an illness, or the other way around, this retic is definitely emaciated and I’d attribute the skin tearing to that. I haven’t seen enough cases to see if snakes can bounce back from that severe of starvation. Generally, this only happens over a very long period of time, after organ damage has already been done, but another illness could speed things up, depending on what it is.


I’d be hesitant adding vitamins to my snakes’ regular diets. Overloading on vitamins is just as bad as a deficiency, and most snakes are getting what they need from their prey. As long as the snake is eating, it shouldn’t need any additives, though UV light might help them convert more Vitamin D.

[StevenL]

Whether it’s malnourished due to an illness, or the other way around, this retic is definitely emaciated and I’d attribute the skin tearing to that. I haven’t seen enough cases to see if snakes can bounce back from that severe of starvation. Generally, this only happens over a very long period of time, after organ damage has already been done, but another illness could speed things up, depending on what it is.


I’d be hesitant adding vitamins to my snakes’ regular diets. Overloading on vitamins is just as bad as a deficiency, and most snakes are getting what they need from their prey. As long as the snake is eating, it shouldn’t need any additives, though UV light might help them convert more Vitamin D.

I too would be hesitant to add vitamins to any snakes diet on a regular basis. That is why I stated "on an infrequent basis".

With nearly 40 years experience having done this with all of my snakes, my snakes have never had an ailment of any kind (I'm still knocking on wood trust me). The UVB part I don't worry about. In the summer, they are outside at least once a week. In the winter heck I don't even go outside. LOL

[bigsnakegirl785]

I too would be hesitant to add vitamins to any snakes diet on a regular basis. That is why I stated "on an infrequent basis".

With nearly 40 years experience having done this with all of my snakes, my snakes have never had an ailment of any kind (I'm still knocking on wood trust me). The UVB part I don't worry about. In the summer, they are outside at least once a week. In the winter heck I don't even go outside. LOL

That's good, we definitely have to be very clear when giving advice, or making remarks. I've had people take my advise (and seen it with others too), and ignoring important details, and then later needing to go back over points later. Even if I included that disclaimer in the original tidbit, but didn't highlight those bits enough.

UV/UVB is a nice addition, but definitely not necessary. It has been proven to increase at least corn snake's abilities to metabolize Vitamn B3, so it has benefits as well. Once or twice a week outside for 10-30 minutes probably is good enough, though.

[StevenL]

No offense BSN girl but stating that I may be the only person on the planet and infrequent basis isn't clear enough? I described no "important" details on how often or amount of vitamis I give. Matter of fact I gave no recommendations or advice how one should care for their snake. I stated how I care for mine. If I would have been asked, I would have been quite vague and recommended consulting a reputable veternarian.

The UVB exposure that my snakes receive I do not set a timer to. I can tell you my snakes have been outside with me much longer than 30 minutes at anyone time (once again no important details and giving no advice).

If more is ever read into my posts than what I state, I'm not responsible or are you responsible if it is your post. I guess that is why their are instructions on electric skillets describing the hazards of cooking breakfast in a bath tub....those people exist but Darwin will sort those out.

Is your quote, "Once or twice a week outside for 10-30 minutes probably is good enough, though" the defiition of "we definitely have to be very clear when giving advice". It is for me but is it good enough for those that cook breakfast in the bath tub?

[bigsnakegirl785]

No offense BSN girl but stating that I may be the only person on the planet and infrequent basis isn't clear enough? I described no "important" details on how often or amount of vitamis I give. Matter of fact I gave no recommendations or advice how one should care for their snake. I stated how I care for mine. If I would have been asked, I would have been quite vague and recommended consulting a reputable veternarian.

The UVB exposure that my snakes receive I do not set a timer to. I can tell you my snakes have been outside with me much longer than 30 minutes at anyone time (once again no important details and giving no advice).

If more is ever read into my posts than what I state, I'm not responsible or are you responsible if it is your post. I guess that is why their are instructions on electric skillets describing the hazards of cooking breakfast in a bath tub....those people exist but Darwin will sort those out.

Is your quote, "Once or twice a week outside for 10-30 minutes probably is good enough, though" the defiition of "we definitely have to be very clear when giving advice". It is for me but is it good enough for those that cook breakfast in the bath tub?

I'm not sure I fully understand many of the statements you made here. Not sure if words are missing, or I lack the references to understand.

As far as not being responsible, that may be true, but I at least would rather try to be clear in my statements rather than my statements lead to a snake dying or becoming ill, and then being blamed for "bad advice." It's not that much more difficult to say initially to consult your vet before doing X thing than it is to say something in the hopes someone else will ask for clarification before doing the thing. More times than not, they'll do it without any indication to others, and then post a thread asking "what went wrong?"