Help! Substrate stuck under prefrontal scales!

Jessieomc · 10-20-14, 06:39 PM

Hey guys! New to the forum but need some advice!

Just got a 4 yr old Cali king. Has never had any health issues that I know of and was super healthy looking when I got it about 2 weeks ago. It came in an exoterra terrarium that was 18x18x24" and it needed more room since the snake is appx 4 ft long. Got it a new 36x18x18 exoterra terrarium on Friday and got him all moved.
Of course the snake did a lot of "exploring" and seems to have injured it's nose in all it's poking around. The 2 prefrontal scales are dis colored and look like they are raised and may possibly have substrate (coco fiber) stuck under them. In addition, he's been hiding a lot which seems out of character for him. Since I've had him he has been very active and not shy at all until the move to the new cage. He is due for a meal in about 5 days, so I don't know if he has lost his appetite or not. All of his temps and lighting are good.

Should I worry about the scales or let him be for a while? Should I go ahead and try to feed him in a few days or wait? Is he just stressed from the move to the new cage? Let me know if you need more info.

Any advice would be great!!!!! Thanks!

**EL Ziggy** · 10-20-14, 09:40 PM

Have you tried wiping his nose with a damp towel? Could he be going into shed? Some pics of the snake and setup might help.

Jessieomc · 10-21-14, 06:44 AM

Here is a pic of his terrarium (36x18x24). I have 2 exoterra tropical bulbs for light and an incandescent indoor plant bulb (50W) for heat during the day, and 2 exoterra 50W night bulbs for night. Temps range from about 73 on the cool side to 85 on the warm side on the ground. The basking spot gets up over 90F. He has 2 hides- one on the cool, one on the warm side and a large water bowl. the plant is live- its a ponytail palm. I also have a substrate heater that I have thought about adding for extra heat during the winter and after feeding. Should I add it too?

Background on the snake:
He belonged to a 10 year old kid who had him in an 18x18x24 exoterra terrarium. They kept lights on him 24 hrs a day, but used the red and blue night bulbs all the time. he also had a small substrate heater that stayed on all the time. No hides in the cage when I got him. temps were no monitored so I have no idea what they were before. Despite the cramped conditions (he is about 4 ft long) and bad lighting, the snake looks very healthy and has been very active for the 3 weeks I have had him. I just moved him to this larger setup 3 days ago and he stays in his hide all of the time- a drastic change in behavior. He last ate about a week ago (no problems, defacated normally), and is due for another meal in 4 days.

As far as shedding, I just got the snake so I dont know when his last shed was. His eyes arent starting to cloud just yet, but his scales are a bit dull looking.

I dont have a pic of the scale problem right this minute, but I'll try to post one this evening.

I really want to make life great for this guy, but am I 'improving' his living conditions too much? I dont want to stress him out!

Any help/advice would be great!

**EL Ziggy** · 10-21-14, 01:14 PM

Jess- I would ditch the heat lamps and go with a UTH or RHP as a primary heat source. Those lamps tend to suck a lot of humidity out of the air. I only use a red heat bulb to bump up my ambient temps during winter and occasionally for night viewing. Do you have a thermostat to control your temps? It is crucial that all heat sources be controlled by a t-stat. He's probably still acclimating to his new environment so I wouldn't worry too much about him hiding. He could also be in the beginning of the shed process. My snakes will usually hide more and be less active during this time. I'd just keep an eye on him for a week or so and see if he sheds. Post more pics of the snake when you can and maybe we can figure out what's going on with those scales you mentioned. Also, how much and how often do you feed him? He looks a bit small to be 4 in that picture.

Jessieomc · 10-21-14, 01:28 PM

No, theres not a thermostat in there. I monitor temps each day with an IR thermometer gun so I can check all areas of the cage.

Up until now, he gets 2 large mice every 2 weeks. That's the regimen the previous owner had him on. Ive only fed him once in the 3 weeks ive had him, and he ate fine. I did notice that the mice dont make a visible lump in his belly afterward, so I was thinking of moving him up to a small rat. He is appx. 4 ft in length and maybe 2" in diameter to as big around as a toilet paper roll.

Jessieomc · 10-21-14, 01:31 PM

roamy.jpg

wasnt sure if the last pic posted...