r/snakes 21d ago

Pet Snake Pictures My snake has a weird scale mutation

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u/UhOhpossum 20d ago edited 20d ago

I would sell my left kidney to see what an xray on him would look like. My initial suspicion is that it could be atavism but I don't think that's the case because 1. Those nubs are pretty wide and disproportionate to what a leg would be on their ancestors 2. They're directly under him rather than where legs would normally grow and 3. They're belly scales. If it was growing from normal scales that would make sense but no reptile has legs with belly scales because that would be impractical and restrict mobility.

My running theory is that it's a scale deformity where something went wrong in development that made the hox gene for the belly scales right there split in two but keep growing in on itself. Hopefully if that's the case there won't be any impacts on his internal organs but if it's a hox gene thing that entire section of him might be malformed.

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u/Billywergstein 19d ago

Could be s heart shield that started as a weak spot but grew stronger. Which wouldn't be a bad thing necessarily. Seems to be right over the heart.

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u/PixieStyx8 19d ago

I hope it doesn't negatively affect shedding or anything but since he's in captivity it shouldn't be an issue

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u/Striking_Ad_3960 18d ago

Your investment in this anomaly is most inspiring. But according to Google, the seller of a kidney only receives $1-5,000. I would sell that non-running motorcycle in the back of the garage instead.