Concerned owner

[Cealym]

I'm new to the site and iv joined because I have some concerns about my 4 and a half foot charcoal corn snake. My first concern is that he has not eaten in close to 6 to 7 weeks. I know snakes can go a while with out eating especially before and after shedding but he shed a while ago and still isn't eating. My 2nd concern is that he has a black spot that has just appeared on the tip of his nose. I checked over the length of his body and it only seem to be that one spot that an "extra" spot has appeared. I'm starting to get to the point were I feel I may need to take him to the vet but I wanted to ask on here first to see if there are any suggestions I could try because the nearest reptile vet in my area is a few hours drive away. Please help.

[Andy_G]

It's breeding season and normal for males to fast for a while during this season. 6 or 7 weeks for an adult male corn snake is nothing to be worried about. As far as the spot on his nose, could just be melanin creeping into the colour as it certainly does over time with adults of that morph, or it could be a scab from nose rub....which could once again caused by him being in the mood. Any pics of the nose? How old is he? Do you weigh him?

[Cealym]

Thanks so much for the advise. Iv never had a a snake of his size or age before, I had to others snakes but I had to rehome them before they got to that Point. So iv never dealt with mating season before. Iv posted a before and after of his nose. As for his age I think he's somewhere around three. The people I got him from had saved him from a bad home and nursed him back to health and had gotten him all check out by a vet before finding a new home for him and the other one that they found with him. I definitely know he's old enough to mate because they used to mate him with the other one they had before I got him.

[Cealym]

Here's what his nose currently looks like.

[macandchz]

that is very strange. i wonder if andy g could be right and it be a color change since it seems to match some of the color on his body. you have to admit, it sure gives him a cute face!

[Rattlehead]

That's a radical change. Have those colored scales a different texture from the scales around it?

[SerpentineDream]

I'm inclined to think both the not eating AND the mark on the nose are related to breeding season. Males tend not to want to eat this time of year as their thoughts are consumed with finding a mate. I also suspect he's been rubbing his nose against the glass and trying to escape so he can find a lady love, hence the mark.

[Cealym]

The black mark started off as a little red mark. Smaller then even half the size of the black one is now. Then it turned black and spread out. And how long does breeding season last. How long should I wait before being worried and taking him to the vet?

[Andy_G]

Can you take him out and get pics of the nose from different angles? Is there an open sore present or scabbing or does it just look like a black mark?

He looks to otherwise be in good condition from those pics.

[Cealym]

Here are a few close up pics

[Cealym]

And another

[Cealym]

And one more

[Cealym]

Another one

[Cealym]

Okay last one

[Andy_G]

That is a nose rub scab. Keep an eye on it for signs of infection, mainly swelling.