Rehab - baby Eastern Rat Snake

[Nick_MD]

I saved a baby Eastern Rat Snake from a cat this morning. I got to it quickly so I initially thought it wasn't injured. Upon closer inspection, I noticed what I hope is a superficial scratch along it's side. Additionally, it seemed to be having trouble aligning it's jaw, but with no visible facial wound. Instead of letting it go as planned, I decided to try and rehab it for a few days to let it heal.

I have it in a 32qt quarantine enclosure I had setup for a corn snake. Heat pad on one side set to 88. Water dish. Hides on each side. No substrate since I wanted to keep the wound clean - just paper towels lining the bottom.

Anything else I should consider? Open to any thoughts, even ones telling me I should just let it go and hope for the best.

[Bogertophis]

I hate to say this, but even a "superficial" scratch from a cat will LIKELY get infected. Cats carry a "zillion" germs on their claws & teeth. IF you really want to save it, it probably needs to be seen by a vet & put on antibiotic therapy, after which it's your pet, not releasable*. (*Due to the possible transmission of germs found only in domestic pets- & as can be picked up by this snake even at the vets- then getting spread to the wild, with the potential for dire consequences to wildlife.)

Corn snakes- small area of warmth available, not over low 80's PLEASE. They do well at our room temperatures (70's) & won't use the heat very often. Poor little guy...

Thank you for caring & trying to help this poor snake- the best thing you can do (for future reference) is push for laws that make roaming domestic cats illegal & punishable with consequences. It's a tough sell, as there are so many lazy cat owners that just like to "open the door" rather than clean up/maintain a litter box- & there's a ridiculous amount of denial about all the animals- birds, reptiles, & mammals- that loose cats* are killing, every stinking day. (*aka "non-native predators" just like the pythons in Florida which are hunted & killed!)

[Nick_MD]

I turned down the temp a few degrees. I should have been clear that setting it at 88 only brings up the actual surface temp to low 80s. I'm actually very optimistic he's going to be okay though. Scratch isn't bleeding. Going to leave him alone in his hide until tomorrow.

[Bogertophis]

Please use either diluted Betadine (povidone-iodine) dabbed on the scratch, or if you already have Vetericyn ointment for reptiles on hand, that's good too. OR a small dab of other topical antiseptic ointment made for humans (Neosporin, etc) as long as it's not a "pain relief" formula (those are toxic to snakes). And repeat the application at least a couple times a day if you're not taking him to a vet. I'd let him rest indoors for a good week (just from what you've said) to heal up.

[bcr229]

Silvadene (silver sulfadiazone) is also recommended for wounds on reptiles. Normally you need a prescription to get it but https://www.mountainside-medical.com/ will sell it without one. Keeping a tube on hand "just in case" is a good idea.

[Nick_MD]

He's moving around okay and looks less stressed. Chilling on the side of the water bowl. Scratch not looking bad.

He has his jaw closed, but there's a spot where the upper part isn't flush. He posed for a pic where you can see it. I'm assuming I shouldn't use any of those ointments on the mouth?

https://imgur.com/IdWdvCl

[Bogertophis]

He's moving around okay and looks less stressed. Chilling on the side of the water bowl. Scratch not looking bad.

He has his jaw closed, but there's a spot where the upper part isn't flush. He posed for a pic where you can see it. I'm assuming I shouldn't use any of those ointments on the mouth?

https://imgur.com/IdWdvCl

If this only just happened*, I think he already had an infected jaw (I don't think that swelling would happen that fast, it appears to be "mouth rot")- & you can used diluted (like weak tea color) Betadine (on a Q tip) to dab onto that overlapped area on his jaw. But no, I wouldn't put any of the ointments on that- only on the scratch.

*You've seen no bleeding from his jaw, right? At least from this photo, it doesn't appear to be anything embedded- like from during the struggle w/ the cat.

[bcr229]

Silvadene should not be ingested. Vetericyn can be though it's not recommended. I would leave the mouth alone.

[bns]

If it were me. I wouldn't put anything on him.

Rat snake are tough. I rehabilitated one that had a tear in the side of his neck that went all the way through.

Keep him in the enclosure as you have it setup somewhere with low light levels and leave him alone for a few days. Then check him out. If he looked to be doing well after a week I would offer a pinky mouse.

[Nick_MD]

I left him alone for a couple of days. He's looking good. No blood and no unrelated issues like mites and such. He pooped which I'm taking as a good sign that he had been eating fine even with the mouth issue. My plan is to keep him in the clean enclosure for a few more days to give his mouth some time, then release him Friday.