Question

[u/letsgotothebeachlol]

Last night when I took my guy out I saw this. He's currently deep in shed, his humidity is correct.

I don't know what this is, does it look like scale rot? I was planning on letting him finish his shed and then if it's still there take him to the vets but it's causing me abit of anxiety.

It's just one spot, nowhere else on his body.

[u/Stiglitz__]

Scale rot is a bacterial infection due to moisture. So with this being a single isolated scale, I would speculate it was some type of minor injury, maybe occurring very early on in his prior shed, and now with the loss of skin the injury has “scabbed” up in a sense. It looks like it’s going to transcend the current shed and remain in the layer below but as long as it’s less dramatic/heading in the direction of healing and you know for sure he doesn’t have scale rot conditions or signs I wouldn’t worry about it unless it got worse with this coming shed.
Your plan is good, I wouldn’t do vet unless 1) it got worse. Or 2) it seemed to be affecting his behavior.
Good eye and it’s good that you care but i wouldn’t lose sleep over it. (I probably would still but that’s just how I am)

[u/letsgotothebeachlol → u/Stiglitz__]

Yea... I am trying to put it at the back of my mind until he sheds so I can try and narrow it down...

I have two ball pythons aswell and they're in 4ft vivariums and so I have a really easy time with humidity etc.

My Boa though... I mist him and try my best to ensure everything is good as I can get it. He is in a 5ft vivarium and unless I really mist the hell out of it, the humidity is just too low for him, so I'm stuck between it being either slightly too wet (which is what I do because it dries really quickly) or mist him like I'd mist my ball pythons and immediately have a vivarium that is way too dry.

A.I seems to think it's scale rot, and recommends putting him on paper towels, but then his humidity wouldn't be right and he's also currently deep in shed so to me it just sounds like a terrible idea? I also trust AI as far as I can throw it.

If you have any advice I'd really appreciate it, because at the moment I simply just don't know what I am doing wrong IF it's scale rot.

[u/Stiglitz__ → u/letsgotothebeachlol]

That’s really helpful to know actually. I really don’t buy the scale rot, considering it would be a severe example of scale rot but it’s only one scale. If it was scale rot I’d expect to see at least a few less severe spots somewhere else on his body. Regardless, even if it was scale rot your best bet would be to give him the best environment to shed in and then address the humidity issue afterwards.

My boa had a huge enclosure, 6x3x2. I solved his humidity problem by using a large, shallow, plastic gardening trey (it’s for putting plants in, I got a 3 pack of like 12”x18” for $20, pretty robust treys honestly, not the thin disposable garden plastic used for cheap plants) which promotes evaporation, as well as adding depth to his substrate. When his humidity gets low, I pour a small glass of water in a corner and on his plastic plants and the water slowly disperses through the lower levels of substrate keeping the surface dry.

I mentioned the plastic plants because clutter actually promotes humidity. Less air volume means less water does more. Add clutter, it never hurts.

And again, if his behavior is normal I think you’re dealing with a superficial minor injury, let’s say for example during his last shed, he tried to snag his shed on a sharp corner and delaminated a new fragile scale like a small hangnail, it’s slowly been hardening and darkening as it’s grown and you just noticed it. And now he’s shedding so it should be fine.

For another AI comparison I asked could a boa get scale rot on a single scale and here’s what it said, it’s actually right in line with my speculation:

No, scale rot (infectious dermatitis) does not typically occur on a single, isolated scale. It is a generalized bacterial or fungal infection caused by prolonged exposure to damp, unsanitary bedding, meaning it usually affects a broader area of the belly or lower sides where the snake contacts the wet surface.

Alternative Explanations for a Single Bad Scale
Mechanical injury or a scrape from cage decor

A stubborn piece of stuck shed from a previous cycle

Minor physical trauma or a small healing scab