Black Rat Snake Survives Snake Fungal Disease: Patient 23-959

Patient 23-959, the Black Rat Snake, was brought in to our center at the beginning of June 2023 after he was found in Windsor with scabbing around its mouth. Upon admission he was diagnosed with Snake Fungal Disease (SFD).

Patient 23-959 on admission.

Snake Fungal Disease

SFD is caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola and was first introduced into the United States in the mid 1980s, but wasn't found in wild snake populations until 2006. Unfortunately, this disease has continued to spread across the states and cases have been steadily increasing in recent years. In most wild snakes, SFD causes crusting of skin and scales around the eyes, snout, and chin, abnormal bumps on the skin, discoloration of scales, abnormal shedding and behavior, and facial disfiguration. The disease often leads to starvation and death since the snakes are unable to capture and eat their food.

SFD is also contagious and can be spread from snake-to-snake when they come in direct contact or when one snake comes in contact with a contaminated surface. This can lead to large outbreaks of the disease as Black Rat Snakes and other species congregate together in dens to brumate over the Winter.

An Experimental Treatment

Since SFD is such a new disease to Pennsylvania’s snake populations, there is not much research available into treating the disease. In our research, we found a promising option: an inhaled antifungal medicine.

Every day, patient 23-959 spent 30 minutes in his "sauna” where a nebulizer turned the liquid treatment into a gas. He received these daily treatments for over a month, but was slowly showing progress.

Once the infection had subsided, his daily treatments ended. However, SFD can also cause skin problems, so we had to ensure that patient 23-959 could shed successfully before he could return to the wild.

Free at Last

After nearly three months in our care, patient 23-959 was able to return home. The scarring from the disease had faded and he successfully shed in our care. This relatively new disease can be difficult to treat, so we’re grateful that utilizing an inhaled antifungal medicine was able to return patient 23-959 to health!

Black Rat Snakes are important carnivores that act as a natural pest control. Their diet consists of mice, rats, squirrels, birds, and bird eggs. Keeping wild rat snake populations healthy helps to prevent conflict between humans and rodents.

Check out our Facebook page to see his return home!

Patient 23-959 after treatment.