| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| mystra |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 10:19:21
I'm a bit worried about Sanchez' skin at the moment.
For ages his belly hasn't been the lovely smooth belly of a corn, but it looks wrinkly. He's shed a few times and it's no different
Yesterday i had him out, and he feels really dry... i know snakes are dry but his skin feels dreadful, rough in places.
His sheds have been fine, he shed around 3 weeks ago with no issues.
Heating is with a guarded reptile rad - statted at 28c.
I haven't seen him soaking himself or anything... i'm worried about him although he's actually in a better mood than usual lately LOL. He eats fine - large mouse every 10 days, he's active at night... other than the dry skin, there's nothing to show anything is wrong or causing him any stress at all.
I'm worried he's burned himself on the radiator guard... it's very hot to the touch... this is why metal guards make no sense to me! it's really hot, but doesn't burn my hand. I've never seen him climb round it but i don't watch him 24/7
Tried to get a pic of his belly but it doesn't show up well. The wrinkles run up and down, rather than across the belly.
Any ideas... it doesn't seem life threatening and he's happy enough... but unless it's something simple then i think he'll be off to the vets! |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 27/06/2012 : 00:22:50
I'd just keep an eye on it, its maybe found something abrasive to play on and scuffed it up a bit but that's why the scales are there, to take the knocks and scratches. My corn always seems to scuff himself up or generally make himself scruffy, no idea on what though, everything is snake proofed. |
| mystra |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 22:35:28
quote:
Originally posted by Lotabob
Hmmm, I dont think it is likely to be heating related. If the temps are fine within the vivarium and you can touch the guard without burning yourself then its fine. The vents look perfectly adequate too. It probably is a bit warm as its quite high up and far away from the area its heating on the ground.
I was swapping bulbs around at the weekend, the guard was barely even warm, the bulb was skin sizzlingly warm, I burnt my hand, I then dropped the bulb and it burnt a swirly pattern into the carpet. I now fully understand the need for guards, lol.
As for the original thing, when you say dry, is it just a bit scuffed up, I know Spot likes to rough up his belly scales and when he raises them slightly or the edges have become a bit curled the edge does feel a bit crisp but thats totally normal. Is their anything visual at all or is it all just in feeling it?
Basically, he feels rough and scuffy... but the thing with the belly is a visual thing, his belly looks a bit like a woodgrain pattern... his belly was smooth before he moved into the viv. Obviously because of his colours etc you can't really see unless you reflect it in the light... which is why i can't pick it up on camera. It was defo not like that before.
The guard is really hot, if i put my hand on too long it starts to hurt a bit. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 19:34:40
Hmmm, I dont think it is likely to be heating related. If the temps are fine within the vivarium and you can touch the guard without burning yourself then its fine. The vents look perfectly adequate too. It probably is a bit warm as its quite high up and far away from the area its heating on the ground.
I was swapping bulbs around at the weekend, the guard was barely even warm, the bulb was skin sizzlingly warm, I burnt my hand, I then dropped the bulb and it burnt a swirly pattern into the carpet. I now fully understand the need for guards, lol.
As for the original thing, when you say dry, is it just a bit scuffed up, I know Spot likes to rough up his belly scales and when he raises them slightly or the edges have become a bit curled the edge does feel a bit crisp but thats totally normal. Is their anything visual at all or is it all just in feeling it? |
| chrisc |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 17:08:50
yea will need to borrow or buy a hole cutter, lucky i had one lying around as my step dad is a decorator |
| mystra |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 15:28:39
quote:
Originally posted by chrisc
it was only hot when getting the viv up to temp now its just warm to the touch.
does seem odd, what an where are the vents in the viv?
i did have a problem with a guard getting hot a while back untill i put another vent lower down in the cool end, think thats how i sorted it.
lotabob explained about the vent placement on a thread so hopefully he can give you some info about the vents if hes on here later
there's three round vents, all closer to the top at the back. No idea how I'm going to put another vent in, guess i'll be buying one of those drill things for making huuuuge holes! |
| chrisc |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 14:32:24
it was only hot when getting the viv up to temp now its just warm to the touch.
does seem odd, what an where are the vents in the viv?
i did have a problem with a guard getting hot a while back untill i put another vent lower down in the cool end, think thats how i sorted it.
lotabob explained about the vent placement on a thread so hopefully he can give you some info about the vents if hes on here later |
| mystra |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 14:24:42
quote:
Originally posted by chrisc
it doesnt matter too much where the thermostat probe is as long as you adjust the stat dial so the temp reads right on the floor with the digital thermometer.
2 of my stat probes are on the wall like in the pic an the others are just on the floor under the bulb.
if the guard is getting too hot you could make a square wooden frame to go between the roof an the guard to move it away from the radiator a bit
ah i see. I wonder why the guard is getting so hot then. Does your guard get hot? Mine's almost hand-burning hot sometimes!
it would have to be a very big big of wood to make the guard stick out enough to not get so hot. It's crazy how hot it gets. Yet floor temperature reads 28c. Makes no sense! |
| chrisc |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 13:53:38
it doesnt matter too much where the thermostat probe is as long as you adjust the stat dial so the temp reads right on the floor with the digital thermometer.
2 of my stat probes are on the wall like in the pic an the others are just on the floor under the bulb.
if the guard is getting too hot you could make a square wooden frame to go between the roof an the guard to move it away from the radiator a bit |
| mystra |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 13:45:07
quote:
Originally posted by chrisc
its possible hes climbing on it an drying his belly out by doing so but if hes repeatedly climbing on it i would have thought it would get worse an look more burnt
im still thinking it sounds like dehydration to me i would bath him an see if it improves.
cant really tell without pics but as you said it doesnt show up.
what size it the viv?
my reptile radiatior is in a 5x2x2 an heats the floor up to 32c without the guard getting hot its just warm to the touch an i have my stat probe fitted to the back wall as theres a boa in there an didnt want a big bodied snake sitting on the probe
heres how mine is setup
just a thought but have you checked the temps with a different thermometer? could be too hot an a dodgy thermometer
I'll check it out with another thermometer... you never know i guess!
I'll give him a bath as well tonight... i'm sure i'll very very popular for that haha!!
It's a 3ft viv, 21 inches high 18 deep.
See i thought maybe the probe should be higher (ie how you have it) but worried the ground wouldn't get the warm etc... plus was advised to have it on the ground. I'm so confused!
I'm just glad he's ok in himself, he's not sulking away or anything. Silly snake should soak himself and drink more! His water bowl is plenty big enough to sit in :/ ... you can lead the snake to water but you can't make it drink LOL |
| chrisc |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 13:22:17
its possible hes climbing on it an drying his belly out by doing so but if hes repeatedly climbing on it i would have thought it would get worse an look more burnt
im still thinking it sounds like dehydration to me i would bath him an see if it improves.
cant really tell without pics but as you said it doesnt show up.
what size it the viv?
my reptile radiatior is in a 5x2x2 an heats the floor up to 32c without the guard getting hot its just warm to the touch an i have my stat probe fitted to the back wall as theres a boa in there an didnt want a big bodied snake sitting on the probe
heres how mine is setup
just a thought but have you checked the temps with a different thermometer? could be too hot an a dodgy thermometer |
| mystra |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 12:46:49
quote:
Originally posted by chrisc
has he been in the viv with the radiator for long?
could be that its too dry, i would be inclined to give him a bath an see if that makes a difference if it doesnt would be worth a vet check
he's been in there since the beginning of May. I have got a bad feeling that this has been caused by something in the new set-up some how. It's been happening since then, and i was just putting it down to shedding, but he is shedding more frequently than usual too...
I am worried that although he's not burnt in the sense of an injury with blisters and actual burns, he could be cooking himself on that guard slowly if he is climbing on it.
If it is a problem with the radiator and how its set up... i need to fix it before the same thing happens to Betty as her viv is the same (it's almost finished)
The stat probe is near the ground, which is what lots of people said was right. It's not covered up and i have it poking out of the substrate. trouble is while the temp is right on the floor where it matters, closer to the radiator - the hotter it gets, and of course the guard is roasting! Overall the viv feels really hot! Cool side reads about 24C
I'll have to see if have a hygrometer or whatever they're called knocking about still, would be interesting to know the humidity. It's hard to tell... you open the viv doors and whoooompf it's bloody warm! |
| chrisc |
Posted - 26/06/2012 : 10:28:16
has he been in the viv with the radiator for long?
could be that its too dry, i would be inclined to give him a bath an see if that makes a difference if it doesnt would be worth a vet check |
