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Question about growing snakes.

Posted By:

iashia

In Relation To:

Yahwehshekinah [1.0.NR.BP]

I was wondering, as a snake of any species grows, do their scales grow with them, or do they grow new scales to close up the gaps? I ask because my 8 year old ball python Shekinah has a few scales in the middle of his head that are pale in coloration and look new, like the big scale plates seperated and little scales popped up.

Has anyone experienced this or have any input?


Points:	50
Topics:	Skin
Tags:	Scales
Species:	Pythons > Pythons > Python regius
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Member Comment

5/12/2010 6:55:45 AM

Miss Andrea

Snakes don't actually have scales like fish. Their scales are actually skin (that's how they shed their skin). So their "scales" do grow with them. If you are seeing what look like new scales, it's possible that you never noticed them, there was an injury that healed and changed how the scales look or the snake had a bad shed and some of it didn't come off that area.

Author Comment

5/12/2010 6:59:24 AM

iashia

ill get a pic up so you can see

Author Comment

5/12/2010 7:06:50 AM

iashia

He did just shed, but there is no skin left on him. There is no oozing and he isnt sensitive. he hasnt had any incidents where a scar would be caused like that. It wasnt there a week or so ago.

Member Comment

5/12/2010 7:11:04 AM

Miss Andrea

It could be part of a stuck shed. I've never heard of a snake's scales changing. I was under the impression they are like fingerprints, each snake has his own pattern.

Member Comment

5/12/2010 12:10:07 PM

amarilrose

Just a guess but it could be something like this: http://www.iherp.com/Answers/ReptileProblem.aspx?Id=6862

It's not quite identical, so I can't really say one way or another. As for what Miss Andrea just said, "I was under the impression they are like fingerprints, each snake has his own pattern," scalation is typically specific to a taxonomic species; there can be some individual variation, but typically, not as much variation in scalation within a species as between species. What you are seeing may in fact be a case of individual variation though.

Good luck.

Accepted Answer

5/12/2010 12:24:09 PM

Aimee

Iashia, it's scarring. my Henry had an almost identical mark a few years ago after shedding, from rubbing a rock in his cage to get the shed started. he just scratched himself a little and that mark is where it's healing. it's almost impossible to tell now where it was, because with each successive shed the new scales underneath come in more normally. as far as the first part of your question, a snake's 'scales' don't increase in number. if you look at a baby snake and then at an adult, you'll see the difference in size, indicating that the little armor plates or however you want to think about them, are growing larger.

Member Comment

5/12/2010 1:35:54 PM

shellboa

I agree with the scarring, they can get many small non threatening wounds and as they heal it will slough off. Humididty could be a factor and it never hurts to monitor the environment but it looks more like a little scar than retained shed.

Author Comment

5/12/2010 4:11:57 PM

iashia

that could be. the humidity is very high. i bump it up to about 85% when hes shedding *mostly by misting every once in a while*. He does have a rock bowl in his enclosure that could have caused the scar. thank you everyone.

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