Mr. Skittles

lovemyskittles · 05-26-10, 02:37 PM

I just recently purchased my first BRB and despite what I've read about them regarding their resistance to scale rot - mine has a very mild case of scale rot. Here's the kicker - took Mr. Skittles to the vet today (I did my research on vets in the area specializing in reptiles and he seemed to be a great candidate) Anyways, along with our new BRB we got another boa and so he was checking both, once he was done he said "We'll be right back" came back, w/o saying anything, grabbed my snake and gave it a shot of ivermectin!! Then he grabbed our other snake and did the same and said "I think they might have mites, make an appt. for 3 weeks for another treatment, this a slower acting form of the medicine and isn't as harmful" and walked out. His tech was still in the room and I asked "what does he want me to do about the scale rot?" "oh, he said it isn't bad" - that's it. No advice about what to do for it, no discussing if we wanted the shots for our snakes (WHICH WE DIDN'T!! we'd prefer to try other methods first since this apparently doesn't have the best reputation;also, only treated our other boa because the BRB appeared to have them - not because the other snake appeared to have them), and I thought I was going to feel better after leaving the vet but I only felt mad and very dissatisfied with my experience since he did not answer any of my questions and did not spend enough time with our snakes! - anyways, obviously not going to continue going to him but I need to know what I can do for my BRB to stop/help with the scale rot - I've read to put neosporin on the snake (without pain reliever) but anything else I should do?

Also, since BRBs need higher humidity than other snakes why did he get scale rot? His humidity has been kept between 75%-85% (he also had a humidity-hide w/moss in it) but these are humidity levels that everyone seems to say to keep them at.

I also have a question about cypress bedding - we've had the snake for about 10 days now and no sign of mites but Monday night I put cypress bedding into his enclosure and this morning when I took him out to go to the vet he had white flakes on him - (which I know is a sign of mites) - they looked and felt like grains of salt. He did not have any signs of mites before the bedding - could he have gotten mites from the bedding? Should I not use cypress bedding or should I bake it? If I shouldn't use that bedding what should I use for the BRB?

Sorry so long and so many questions. Thanks in advance for any advice!!

infernalis · 05-26-10, 06:07 PM

**Aaron_S** · 05-26-10, 09:20 PM

First off, there really isn't a need for a vet at this point for either of those cases. Waste of money. Also if you JUST got a snake I wouldn't be bringing both to the vet on the same day. You just mixed up your quarantine. You do quarantine right?

On the scale rot. Switch your substrate to paper towels for the time being. Keep the humid hide but use damp paper towels in it for now. You want to keep things sterile and so that nothing can rub against those scales. The neosporin treatment should work for you. You won't see an improvement really until the next shed. The reason your snake probably has scale rot is due to improper housing. You could be not cleaning enough as well as keeping the bedding too wet.

Mites aren't white. Nor does any flakes of white on your snake mean that there are mites present. What should happen is that you should run your hand down your snake. Look at your hand. Is it covered in little black spots? Then it's mites.

Do a search for mites or nix on this forum and you'll find your solution to that as well.

lovemyskittles · 05-27-10, 12:07 AM

Please go through and reread my first post because your response about the mites did not actually address my question about the white flakes: if it is not a sign of mites (such as their eggs, feces, or an early stage of mites) then what could it have been? is there something in cypress mulch that is white and feels like salt? (I don't have experience with cypress mulch and didn't know if it had white flakes in it).

I know the common reasons for scale rot but didn't know if there was something that happens with BRBs or just a reason for scale rot that isn't typical. Also, we didn't take our snakes in the same container they were never together, I handled my snake and my boyfriend handled his (the vet did not touch one snake and then the other w/o washing if that's where you think contamination may have occurred). We did not buy snakes on an impulse and know how to take care of them but since there are people on this site who have more experience than me I thought I'd see if anyone had some insight to atypical reasons for scale rot, white flakes in cypress mulch, or any tips for treatment of scale rot since it isn't bad enough for a vet to treat. I appreciate your response and I don't plan on putting my snake back on cypress bedding (or any "bedding": wood, dirt, etc; just paper towels and what not) for a while. Also, I think that he shed right before we bought him (because he had two pieces of what appeared to be old skin on him) so when should he shed next? I really hate the way the two scales w/rot look.

Nafun · 05-27-10, 12:08 AM

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I can't find my reading glasses.

shaunyboy · 05-27-10, 09:19 AM

imo the white flakes could be mite poo.depends on the size of the flakes.have you got any pictures as this would give us all a better idea of whats happening.i wish you all the best in getting the little guys sorted out.imo your right to sack that vet,he sounds like a right piece of work.
cheers shaun

Will0W783 · 05-27-10, 10:02 AM

Snakes cannot get mites from their bedding. Wood mites do occasionally turn up in mulch, but they will not infest a snake, and if you buy your bedding from a clean source( i.e. pet store although it's much more expensive) you shouldn't have much trouble with wood mites. White flakes are not, as far as I know, a sign of snake mites. Black flecks, the snake spending more time soaking in its water dish, weakened immunity, weight loss, all these are signs, but not white flakes.

shaunyboy · 05-27-10, 10:04 AM

marvelfreak on here has a brb also feebo on here has a huge 8ft 8year old brb so i'm sure once they read your post they will be able to help with the specifics of keeping brb's.you were right to come on here and ask folks about their personal experiences with their brb's.this is a great forum we always help each other out.it also helps to hear of each others personal experiences and how the individual dealt with said problem.a lot of the time breeders actually know more about certain problems than your average vet.
cheers shaun

shaunyboy · 05-27-10, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will0W783

Snakes cannot get mites from their bedding. Wood mites do occasionally turn up in mulch, but they will not infest a snake, and if you buy your bedding from a clean source( i.e. pet store although it's much more expensive) you shouldn't have much trouble with wood mites. White flakes are not, as far as I know, a sign of snake mites. Black flecks, the snake spending more time soaking in its water dish, weakened immunity, weight loss, all these are signs, but not white flakes.

willow go to page 18 of whats wrong with my snake rossi & rossi.it will back up what im saying about silvery or white flakes may be mite feces.

cheers shaun

lovemyskittles · 05-27-10, 06:11 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone. I do not have any pictures of the white flakes because I threw out all of the bedding (just in case there were mites present) and just put him back on paper towels for the time being - but they looked just like salt and were about half the size of a grain of salt. The mulch I bought did come from a pet store and was specifically for using w/reptiles. We fed them on Wednesday after the vet visit so once some more time has passed I can take pictures of the scale rot but as I said, no pictures of the "flakes" and there isn't any on him anymore. Thanks everyone!!

marvelfreak · 05-28-10, 12:41 AM

Sound to me like it's something in the mulch that shouldn't have been. I am at a lose on what it could be.

lovemyskittles · 05-28-10, 07:51 PM

Yeah. Rather than deal with trying to guess what it is and if it's harmful I'll just stay away from the mulch for now (which is lame since I bought it from a pet store) and keep him on lame-looking AstroTurf or paper towels

**Aaron_S** · 05-28-10, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovemyskittles

...keep him on lame-looking AstroTurf or paper towels

You're better off just sticking to the paper towels and NOT the rough and scratchy turf stuff. If you snake has scale rot it'll only irritate the wounds more. Like I said earlier, paper towel and paper towel only.

lovemyskittles · 05-28-10, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

You're better off just sticking to the paper towels and NOT the rough and scratchy turf stuff. If you snake has scale rot it'll only irritate the wounds more. Like I said earlier, paper towel and paper towel only.

By "AstroTurf" I meant the reptile carpet stuff that you buy at pet stores. I don't think that the reptile carpet is harmful and I know it definitely isn't as "scratchy" as AstroTurf and I've read many sites that recommend using the repti carpet.

emseeKAY · 05-28-10, 10:23 PM

if its temporary or for an extended period or whatever why not save money and just use paper towel?