red tailed boa

Question
I have an adult red tailed boa.  I hadn't handled it for a while...but I took it out today and the sclaes on her underbelly look like somethings wrong.  There is a red tinge around the edges of the scales and they seem squishier than normal.  If I knew anything, i'd almost think they were infected or something.  She shed recently.....do you have any idea what might be going on?

Answer
Hi Heather,

this sounds very much like a condition called scale rot. its a scale infection which turns the scales a browny colour and causes them to look shriveled and cracked.

it is usually caused by too humid conditions in the tank but can also be caused by using a heat mat with a snake that is best without.

to solve the problem, first off i would remove all of the substrate in the tank, give it a thorough scrub and let it air for a bit until it is completely dry, then use newspaper as the substrate. also remove a heat mat if you are using one. the most important thing whilst your snake has the infection is to keep the tank dry and as clean as possible.

you will also need to get a hold of an iodine solution designed for reptiles such as 'Tamodine'. this is an orangy brown liquid and gets rid of bacterial infections. to use it the best thing to do is place some on a bit of kitchen paper or cotton wool pad and rub it down the length of your snake's body, anywhere where the scales are infected. make sure all the infected area is completely covered. let the tamodine dry before returning your snake to the cage. the iodine solution will need to be applied daily to make sure the infection goes away.

It is also a good idea to once every few weeks, after applying the tamodine/ equivalent, bathe your snake in some luke warm water for 15-20mins before drying it thoroughly and returning it to its tank.

if you do this, after a few weeks your snake should start to look better. she will probably shed frequently and this will help to get rid of the infection. once the infection is gone you may choose to return the the original substrate, but keep an eye out for recurrence of the infection. it might be worth trying a different substrate that is drier.

if the infection gets noticeably worse, after a week or so of applying the iodine solution take your snake to a vet to get it checked up as it may need an extra boost of antibiotics to help it get rid of the infection.

i hope this helps and your snake gets batter,

thanks for your question,

Andy