Steve's head

[ChareiHeals]

So, the other day i was taking pictures of Steve, and he had some dust on his head. Today I check on him and I see this.

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I don't have the slightest clue as to what it might be or what has caused it, but it looks like a scale is completely missing from his head. The nearest reptile friendly vet is a 4 hour drive away, and I just can't make that drive in negative temps with a blizzard on its way to us. If you guys have any guesses or suggestions as to what this might be and how to treat it, I will be eternally greatful.

[guidofatherof5]

When did Steve shed last? Could he be in a shed right now?

[ChareiHeals]

I haven't seen any eye cloud at all, i'd say it's been since right around christmas/new years? I'm about to tear his tank apart and make sure there aren't any bugs or anything in there. I'm seriously concerned. :(

[d_virginiana]

Does it feel scabbed up, or does he act like it hurts when you touch it?

[ChareiHeals]

I haven't tried yet. My husband's about to pull him out. I'll keep you posted.

[ChareiHeals]

He doesn't act like it hurts, and it doesn't feel like there's a scale "missing". it feels normal, it just looks discolored.

[ChareiHeals]

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Here's what it looked like after I touched it.

[guidofatherof5]

Not sure what to make of it. Not tender, swollen or any discharge makes me think it's nothing to worry about but something to watch.

[snake man]

Did you try looking for the scale in the tank?

[d_virginiana]

Try touching the area with a wet q-tip and see if the color goes back to normal. Sometimes mine will crawl through something in their cage and discolor a couple scales. Looks really odd until I wash it off.


Did you try looking for the scale in the tank?

If the actual scale had come off there would have been blood or scabbing or something I would think...

[ChareiHeals]

It definitely feels like the scale is still intact. I'll try the q tip thing and see what that does. If there's no change ill keep him under observation and do a round of calls to our local vets to see if anyone around here can at least look at him.

[Light of Dae]

Give him a bath, I wouldn't spend money on a vet at this point... I thought one of my guys had something wrong with him once... but it was just poop on his head. lol

[thamneil]

I had a king that had something like this on his head. Peeled the top layer off of one of his scales. The scale healed over after a single shed and looks normal again. It is nothing to worry about. Just keep an eye on it and it should easily heal up.

[@ndy]

I had a king that had something like this on his head. Peeled the top layer off of one of his scales. The scale healed over after a single shed and looks normal again. It is nothing to worry about. Just keep an eye on it and it should easily heal up.

Had the same experience with my Oketee Corn, was back to normal with the next shed. Nothing to worry about.

[adamanteus]

Could it be that one of the scales on his head failed to come off last time he sloughed?

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I had a baby garter do this a few months ago and as soon as he shed it was gone. I don't think it's nothing to worry about. I would just keep a close eye on the snake and that area and as long as the snake continues to act normal and that area stays the same size i would wait until he sheds.

[ChareiHeals]

I peeked in on him this morning before I went to work, and it's still there, the same color and everything. But before I got a chance to see your responses I put in a call to a local vet, and she recommended I call the reptile gardens in South Dakota before I bring Steve in to see the vet. So right now I am waiting for one of their reptile specialists/vets to call me back. Apparently they're really good about answering questions people may have over the phone. The only part that sucks about this, is they won't be open next week when I make my trip down to SD. I would have loved to go there and see all the critters. :(

I'm probably just gonna keep an eye on him and wait for his shed and see if that fixes the problem.

[adamanteus]

I wouldn't worry too much just yet. I expect it will come away with his next slough.

[thamneil]

I've been to Reptile Gardens! Terry is a really awesome guy! Great collection of animals. The enclosures were immaculate and animals looked very well maintained.

I get the sense that you're still really bothered by this. It isn't something that will disappear over night or after a soak. The snake needs to physically shed the top layer skin to reveal a flawless under layer. Don't stress it! Things should be fine! But if talking to RG makes you feel better, no reason not to!

[ConcinusMan]

Could it be that one of the scales on his head failed to come off last time he sloughed?

That's what it looks like to me.

[ChareiHeals]

When he shed before, I was in Texas. I can't remember if I looked at the shed or not when I got back. My roommate (who works at a pet store, so he should know) was watching all of my critters. I AM bothered by it. The reptile gardens never even called me back, so I keep telling myself to wait for a shed, wait for a shed. I wish I could remember if I looked at his last shed. If it really is a scale that failed to come off, what do I do? Wait for his next shed? I keep telling Steve that he needs to shed so he will stop making me worry, but he's not listening to me, silly garter.

My husband just told me that it feels like the discolored spot is "lower" then the rest of his scales.

[guidofatherof5]

With no swelling or discharge in the area and the fact the snake is acting normal I don't think you can do anything but wait for the next shed.

[ConcinusMan]

Does the scale just seem discolored and dull looking or does it look like it's sort of "caved in" and shriveled looking?

[ChareiHeals]

Does the scale just seem discolored and dull looking or does it look like it's sort of "caved in" and shriveled looking?

Discolored and dull.

[ConcinusMan]

I'm thinking that the skin from the last shed didn't come off of that scale and is now fused. I would watch that area carefully next shed and make sure it comes off.

[Greg'sGarters]

Try soaking him daily in warm water and call your vet to schedule an appointment for when it warms up a bit.

[ConcinusMan]

Rather difficult to soak a snake's head and it probably won't do any good anyway. Once the old skin fuses to the new skin, (and it will, shortly after the shedding window has passed) there's no getting it off until the next shed.

[twgrosmick]

I have seen this with multiple snakes. Looks to me just like he was rubbing it up against something one to many times. As others have said it will heal fine with the next shed so there is absolutely no need to take him/her to a vet.

[d_virginiana]

If you take him to the vet, you'll end up paying a hundred bucks to hear them tell you to wait till the next shed lol.

[ChareiHeals]

Well, Steve's eyes went cloudy today. So hopefully that wierd spot on his head will go away after he sheds! *fingers crossed*

[guidofatherof5]

Please keep us post and some post-shed photos would be great.;)

[ChareiHeals]

Ok, so steve finally shed last night. Here's the post-shed pictures, and a picture of the funky splotch on his head in his shed. He looks alot better, and is more active now that he got that blasted skin off. :)
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Edit: I didn't realize that my uniform showed up in those pictures. Pardon my camos, I just got home from work :)

[guidofatherof5]

That is a strange looking frontal head scale shed.
As far as I can see it looks normal on the head now.

[ChareiHeals]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I was staring at the shed and Steve's head for like 20 minutes trying to figure out what exactly happened. I even checked to make sure everything was good, and it seems to be. I dunno.

[ConcinusMan]

I've had this happen before (especially around the nose area) and that's why I figured it was just skin deep and would come off with the shed. Glad it did. See, you were worried about nothin'. ;)

[ChareiHeals]

Better to worry and be wrong, then to not worry and have a dead Steve. But thank you all for your support and help.

[guidofatherof5]

Better to worry and be wrong, then to not worry and have a dead Steve. But thank you all for your support and help.

I agree. A dead Steve is a bad thing.:D