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 #2078759


Kibalus
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 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

Well I bought this guy at the september Terraristika in Hamm, Germany and Ive had him for about 3 weeks now. Hes eating well and has put on about 4cms in the short time he’s been with me. But in the last few days -he’s also gone through a shed- I’ve noticed that some of the scales near his head on the top part of his body are dry and prune like. He hasnt hurt himself so Im really confused as to where they came from. From what I’ve read they’re a pretty bad sign so please if you have any information would you plese share?
here is a picture of the rash, hopefuilly you can see that some of the black and red scales are shrivled and look damaged:



im taking him to the vet this weekend but i’d still like some suggestions from people who have had this problem before or know anything about it.



09/30/09  04:24pm

 #2079060


Peter54
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   Message To: Kibalus   In reference to Message Id: 2078759


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

It’s either shed that has not come off, or a burn. If it’s shed you need to get it off.

Put the snake in a plastic box with a few air holes. In the box you can put a moist cloth or better still - sphagnum moss. After a few hours in the box you should be able to remove the shed left on the snake .

If it’s a burn there is really nothing you can do other than see to that whatever the burn came from is avoided in the future.
10/01/09  08:31am

 #2079075


Kibalus
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   Message To: Peter54   In reference to Message Id: 2079060


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

Its not shed because he jsut shed recently and the damaged scales are also on the shed.
and as for burns he has no other lighting/heating appart from a normal lamp as the breeder always had them at room temperature (and the snake is about 1year old already so its used to it). so i really dont know waht it could be...
10/01/09  10:53am

 #2079163


Peter54
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   Message To: Kibalus   In reference to Message Id: 2079075


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

Are you sure it was not there when you got the snake? I mean, it could be an old burn that has been there for a long time.
10/01/09  04:11pm

 #2079457


Kibalus
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   Message To: Peter54   In reference to Message Id: 2079163


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

no im quite sure, ive been taking a lot of close up pictures of him and i can see from those that he didnt have them before. they just appeared this week...
10/02/09  02:38pm

 #2079468


Kibalus
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   Message To: Kibalus   In reference to Message Id: 2079457


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

Here’s a pic to proove what i mean:
I took this one on the 17th of sept on a nice sunny day so there is good lighting and you can see that there is nothing there:



and here is another one i took today of the strange scales that developed on his back ...



its really strange to me... I will take him to the vet this weekend to check them out as im quite worried.
10/02/09  03:03pm

 #2079477


Peter54
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   Message To: Kibalus   In reference to Message Id: 2079468


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

Okay, well I haven’t got a clue to what that is. Can you determine wether the scales are intact in those areas or if they’re gone?
10/02/09  03:15pm

 #2079488


Kibalus
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   Message To: Peter54   In reference to Message Id: 2079477


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

I know... its very strange...
and yes they are, they’re just all shrivled up and prune like and very rough to touch...
10/02/09  03:32pm

 #2082073


OctopusInc
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   Message To: Kibalus   In reference to Message Id: 2079488


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

My cali king has this same issue in two spots when I got her as a hatchling. The dry/dead scales diminshed little by little over three sheds, and by the fourth shed they were gone completely.

Reptiles regenerate, and they frequently replace their outter skin, so exterior problems will sometimes take care of themselves. If it is a shed issue, though, I would advise more moisture in the substrate.

Otherwise, a trip to the vet can never hurt!
10/09/09  02:01am

 #2082146


Kibalus
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   Message To: OctopusInc   In reference to Message Id: 2082073


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

Well thats good to know, because from what I’ve read on it over the internet -well snake rashes/dry scales in general- it can be quite deadly. But I’ve taken him to the vet and he says that it doesnt seem to be a problem or infected or anything like that, just needs time to regenerate its sking through sheds like you said.

Anyways thanks again :)
10/09/09  11:30am

 #2083837


Snakebuz
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   Message To: Kibalus   In reference to Message Id: 2078759


 Need Help with my Arizona mt King

What I see by your pictures looks like where the blueing skin was torn before the developing skin underneath was ready enough and the scales dried out, being unprotected. Usually caused by a blueing snake forcing its way into a tight and or sharp spot. As mentioned earlier, usually a few succesive sheds will allow the damage to regenerate. This doesn’t appear to be bacterialy produced, as in the case of snakes being kept in too wet a cage that develop a bacterial infection under the belly scales, which will dry out and wrinkle the scales once the infection is gone.
10/14/09  12:30pm


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