Missing Scale

I have a 7 month all male ball python. He is roughly 320 grams, and eating f/t.

I just noticed last night that he is missing a scale along his neck on his spine, and a couple of other ones seem to be torn up. It looks like he tried to squeeze into a small space, gave up and backed up and pulled off a scale.

Also, a couple scaled on his belly catch my finger if I rub against the way they lie.

He just got out of a shed, and the humidity was high in his cage for about a week. It's back in acceptable ranges now.

my question is: do I need to take him to a vet, or will he be ok? it doesn't seem infected or red, but he's been a little more irritable than normal and doesn't like that part of his neck to be touched.
thanks for the help!

I wouldn't think it's anything to be concerned about. If he's eating f/t, he probably did just what you said he did, backed up and decided to go the other way and caught a couple of scales....and it could be a little tender.

Is there anything you can see in his enclosure that he may have gotten hung up on?

He's in a rack system, so he may have tried to squeeze out the top and failed. There's nothing sharp up there, but it's the only thing I can think of...
Other than that he has a log hutch which is rough, a water bowl and a black hide.

Sorry, one more question. Will the scale grow back? Is that something that will happen over the next few sheds or is a gone scale gone for good?

Originally Posted by filez41

do I need to take him to a vet, or will he be ok?

There's not a whole lot to be done in a situation like this except to wait for healing to occur, and evidence of healing will not be physically visible until he sheds once or twice.

Originally Posted by filez41

Will the scale grow back?

Yes, unless the defect is extremely large.

Thank you! that's a huge help.