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stugol
Snake Mite
13 Posts |
 Posted - 09/04/2012 : 14:03:04
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Hi. I have several snakes, and one of my corns is showing a large number of damaged scales. The edges look burnt and shrivelled, but he can't have burnt himself.
He cohabits with two other corns. I have separated them for the time being, in case he is contagious. The others show no sign of this problem. They have the occasional ragged scale, but everything looks normal.
The images below can be clicked for larger versions. Can anyone tell me what the problem is, please?
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tordyjo
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2036 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 14:05:45
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| you say it can't be burns, how do you heat your viv and how do you control the temperatures, do you have a thermostat, if you have a bulb do you have a guard for it. Can you tell us a bit more about your set up |
 Lilly Crystal Harry
1.2.0 corns, 1.1.0 cats tropical guppies who continually breed
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stugol
Snake Mite
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 14:44:17
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| This particular viv is heated by a ceramic bulb with a guard, and the temperature is regulated by a dimmer switch. The outside of the guard is not hot enough to burn, and there is a distance of at least three inches between the bulb and the bottom of the guard. It is suspended approximately seven inches from the ground, and the snakes tend to leave it alone. |
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kdlang
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3556 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 14:48:20
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| Is it possible he could have damaged his scales during the usual breeding season madness? It looks like he has gone blue so I would wait until he has shed and see what they are like then. I would keep him on kitchen roll or newspaper until then just to be on the safe side |
4.1.0 corns - Izzy (Carolina) Alice (Amel) Peanut (Butter Motley) Swayze (Ghost) Carmellia (Butter Motley)
0.1.0 cat - Kizzy
1.0.0 Dog - Dobbie
Location - Chesterfield, Derbyshire
www.support-dogs.org.uk |
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 15:04:52
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| Scale rot? What substrate do you use? Is everything nice and dry? |
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stugol
Snake Mite
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 15:44:54
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Well, the other two snakes aren't showing any sign of this problem, so breeding doesn't really make sense as an explanation. The others, as I said, have the occasional split scale, but not the burnt and chewed appearance shown here.
Scale rot is a possibility. However, there is no sign of blisters, and the problem seems entirely limited to the damage you see in the pictures. Recently the snakes have taken to tipping their water over, so the substrate gets damp until I notice the problem and replace it. It is possible that this has caused an infection, I suppose. Short of paying a fortune on vet bills, what should I do? |
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Emmy1
Yearling
707 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 15:46:42
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| This looks very similar to the first stages of scale rot, but I'm not sure seeing as you use a ceramic. If this was my snake, I'd contact a vet for a phone consultation as soon as possible and explain what I see, how I heat the tank etc. |
0.1.0 Anery Corn Snake
1.0.0 Normal Western Hognosed Snake
1.0.0 Albino California Kingsnake
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (Wildtype, Hypo)
0.0.3 Shubunkin Goldfish |
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stugol
Snake Mite
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 15:54:23
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Should I apply "triple antibiotic ointment"?
EDIT: Triple antibiotic ointment is not available in the UK without a prescription. Therefore, short of paying a king's ransom in vet bills, does anyone have any ideas? |
Edited by - stugol on 09/04/2012 21:38:12 |
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Spreebok
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1135 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 18:48:11
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| Hmm. I'd see what he comes out like when he sheds, and then post us pictures of any remaining damage then. Should only be a few days, so keep him on kitchen roll and nice and dry, so that if it is scale rot, keeping it dry will discourage it from getting worse. |
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stugol
Snake Mite
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 21:44:36
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Yes, as you said he's due to shed soon. You think it's safe to wait until then? This isn't going to kill him if I wait a while?
At the moment he's still on aspen, but it's bone dry and there's very little water in there; and he's by himself. The temperatures are a little low in his quarantine enclosure, but that can't be helped. If you reckon kitchen roll would be better than bone dry aspen, then I'll change it....? |
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gmac
The Scottish Admin
United Kingdom
5319 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 22:19:53
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| kitchen roll all the way for this, is less aggrivating than aspen. |
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stugol
Snake Mite
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 23:14:11
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| Right, I'll change it. And I should prevent him soaking himself in his water, right? We want really dry conditions? |
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emodragonfly
Snake Mite
12 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2012 : 06:07:53
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| Hi there. I'm no expert on snakes, but it looks a little like what I just had going on with my snow corn, just a little further along- with the help of people on here and some searching online I found out that it was the begining of scale rot. Betadine solution, a VERY light color to the water ( warm-ish, barely noticable to our skin) and a 30 min soak until they clear up. Also, set up the viv in a "hospital" setting, kitchen role floors, barely any water if your not there to give your snake water to drink by hand frequently, and some hides- all after disinfecting the tank. keep it bone dry- only water is for the soaks, which you will need to take a towel and hand dry him afterwards, and some water to drink. |
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stugol
Snake Mite
13 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2012 : 16:23:30
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I took him to the vet today - an 80-mile round trip - and he said it doesn't look like an infection. He said the scales have probably just become damaged by general wear and tear. Seems a little odd, but that's what he says.
He also claims that scale rot only generally occurs on aquatic creatures such as terrapins. He examined the snake's mouth and vent, and noted that the damaged scales are dry and are not producing any form of discharge. He reckons it's nothing to worry about, although he says the damage may be permanent and not improved much by shedding. |
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emodragonfly
Snake Mite
12 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2012 : 19:02:42
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| sounds like a quack! Your pics look like what I found online to be scale rot, which has MANY stages. |
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Spreebok
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1135 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2012 : 20:10:34
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| Was he a reptile specialist? Or just a vet trying to cash in by accepting reptiles too? Because that is NOT general wear and tear. You may get a few lifted scales, a missing scale top, bent tip or whathaveyou in general wear and tear. |
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eeji
The Morph Master
United Kingdom
4335 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2012 : 21:57:20
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| I really would find myself another vet if I was you, that looks very much like the early stages of scale rot (which can affect ANY reptile, not just aquatics). Also because scale rot is bacterial and you have been cohabiting with two others your potential vet bill could just have tripled. |
Forum - Guide to Cornsnake Morphs - Punnett Square Calculator - Breeder Directory
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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2012 : 22:15:21
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| I kind of have to echo what has been said, I have no idea what scale rot looks like as I have never had to deal with it, but that's definitely not wear and tear, not to that extent. |
   
A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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lotabob
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4334 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2012 : 23:01:46
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quote:
Originally posted by stugol
heated by a ceramic bulb with a guard, and the temperature is regulated by a dimmer switch
Switch or thermostat?
It does appear to be scale rot but just thought I'd check anyway. |
Anery Corn snake SPOT. Royal Python, DUKE. Hogg Island Boa, SANKE. Albino House Snake, HAL.
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Edited by - lotabob on 11/04/2012 23:04:11 |
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stugol
Snake Mite
13 Posts |
Posted - 12/04/2012 : 23:47:45
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He's a reptile specialist, and his practice seems to be quite popular. He struck me as someone who had seen snakes before. He knew how to open its mouth, and had a tool for examining its vent.
EDIT: His practice isn't entirely for reptiles - it does cats and dogs as well - but I assume they employ different vets for different types of animal. He seemed to be qualified.
It did seem a little odd, dismissing the problem as wear and tear, but I don't see what else I can do. I'll just have to wait and see if the problem gets worse, or the symptoms manifest on the other two snakes. (They show the occasional brown mark or ragged scale, but nothing serious)
If it gets worse, I'll seek out a different vet and get a second opinion. But until then, the Internet is telling me one thing and a qualified vet is telling me something different. I reckon I'm out of options for the time being.
As to the dimmer switch, I fail to see the confusion. A dimmer switch is an adjustable knob that is used to dim lights by reducing the amount of power running through them. I have wired each heat mat or ceramic bulb up to a dimmer switch, and can thus limit the amount of current they can draw. The temperatures aren't regulated by thermostats, but neither can the snakes be burned. |
Edited by - stugol on 12/04/2012 23:55:20 |
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Georgina
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2382 Posts |
Posted - 12/04/2012 : 23:58:50
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i think the general concesus is scale rot, thats far too much damage to be wear and tear, especially if you havnt noticed it before. i would see if you could speak to another vet, maybe see if they would be willing to look at the pictures via email.
in regards to the dimmer.
the confusion is there are different types of thermostats, is it a power reducing switch not altered by having a temperature probe. or is it a dimmer thermostat which maintains and regulates a certain temperature. |
1.0 western hognose (hero)
1.0 phantom reverse pin dal brindle crested gecko (goyle)
0.2 red dal red harly (sprite) 99% full pin Harley crested gecko (TuLong)
0.0.3 miomantis paykullii
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0.3 fancy mice (snap, crackle and pop)
1.0 yorkshire terrier (jasper)
2.1 cats (echo, shadow and pokey) |
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Scales are damaged and brown - is my snake ill?
