My snake has an orange spot after shedding. Is it scale rot or injury?

Possibilities include infection, parasites, burns or trauma (from a fall or bedding). Changing out the bedding was a smart move. Take it a step further and remove all cage furniture in case Erebus is climbing then falling. Confirm proper temperature and if you have a heat rock, remove it immediately. An exam with your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles would be recommended to diagnose illness or injury.

Periscoping is normal. Most snakes do it when hungry or if curious or I in an object. "Stargazing" (staring straight up, nose pointed upwards) is of concern and may indicate serious viral infection. The lost scales may have been due to low humidity during her latest shed. You can gently clean the spot with dilute Betadine solution or chlorhexidine. A thin film of triple antibiotic ointment can be used if indicated. She should heal up fine. If it does heal or begins to spread, have her examined by your herp veterinarian.

If there is discharge, this may mean infection. Have Butters examined by an experienced herp veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment. It may indeed be advanced scale rot or a burn. You can request a consultation to share images. It may also be a bad shed if Butters has shed recently. Until he sees the vet, keep him on paper towels or other substrate that is easily cleaned and won't contaminate or stick to his abdomen. If you have a heat rock or UTH, check the rheostat to make sure it is still functioning.

Thanks for reaching out about Natas and including photos. This could be something as simple as dry skin, so application of an olive oil once every few days might help return the skin integrity to normal. Remove any substrate that could adhere the lesion. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. A fungal or bacterial dermatitis, nutritional deficiencies, and other problems are still possible. Good luck.

This has the appearance of a wound or thermal injury that is just about healed. Keep an eye on it. If it gets worse, then have her examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles.

It looks like it is healing very well. As long as there is no discharge, pus or wet spot where the scabs are, I think you do not have to worry about infection. Hopefully with the next shed the skin will have repaired itself. You may need to check his log house for rough surface (ie too rough) and sand the wood somewhat so he does not scrape himself open again.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). I would recommend to monitor it for the moment to see if it spreads or resolve at all. Should it deteriorate (bigger, more spots or swollen), a check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) may be needed to solve the problem. In the meantime you can swab the infected area with a diluted povidone-iodine solution twice daily.