# Ball Pythons > BP Husbandry > Advanced BP Husbandry >  HELP! I'm a bad mom :( BURN/SCALE ROT??

## Captain Penelope

HELP!

I haven't been handling my boy recently, especially since he's been ready to shed, but i took him out a few days ago to realize that he had pushed all of the substrate from his hide so the bare glass was too hot from the heating pad under the glass!

I noticed some odd scales-swollen, and figured they were just irritated from the heat, and turned off the pad and put and extra lamp on instead. 

I read up on what exactly these odd irritated scales were, and came across info on scale rot and burns, which really has me worried...

I checked on him a few days later (today) to see that the swollen (fluid filled) blistered scales have decreased, but he still has irritated scales that look bloody underneath and even a spot that looks to be the start of scale rot!  :Sad:  

Please look at my photos and tell me what you think! what immediate action should I take? I don't even know of any local vets I could take him to, or if i should attempt to clean him myself? I'm a bad mom and I feel horrible for not noticing or handling him sooner  :Sad:

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## TMoore

If your worried, take him to see a herp vet.

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_broadude_ (12-25-2008)

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## dr del

Hi,

It definately looks like something you want to have looked at.

Hopefully some of these links can help you find a qualified herp vet near you.

Link 1.

Link 2.

If you give the other members an idea of where you are they might also be able to suggest someone - and also asking any local zoo's or exotic pet shops can give good contacts.

Sometimes even non-herp vets might know of someone local they can recomend.

In the meantime I would use paper towels or newspaper as a substrate to help keep it clean and look around for info on thermostats to control the UTH so it can be used safely in the future.

When you set it up always measure the temps on the bare glass as that is the maximum the snake can be exposed to and set that to around 93-95f and then adjust the depth of the substrate till the inside of the hot hide is in the 90-94f range.

Good luck with the lil guy and keep us posted about how he gets on at the vets etc.


dr del

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Captain Penelope (12-25-2008)

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## LostNFound

I know there is one in Leesburg not sure the number ... I can call my vet monday and find out but I would want to see if  Icould get that taken care of sooner. 
You might find a vet that treats closer to you but you might find yourself in my position ... while my vet sees and treats snakes he is far from an expert and won't treat certian things ... the two "experts" closest to me are Leesbug VA and West minster MD 

Good luck!!

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## dr del

Hi,

Noticed the city name in your info so managed to find these vets registered in fairfax that are on either ARAV (first two) or herpvet connection;

Dr Hillary Segl
11725 Lee Hwy, Ste. A-15C
Fairfax, VA 22030
United States
Fax :  (703) 272-7806  
Office Phone:  (703) 272-7810  


Dr Scott J. Stahl
12505 Easter Ln
Fairfax, VA 22030
United States
Fax :  (703) 281-3730  
Office Phone:  (703) 281-3750 

Kelley McDonald, DVM
Eastern Exotic Veterinary Center
4001 Legato Road
Fairfax, VA 22033
Tel: (703) 654-3100
Fax: (703) 654-3109
Website.

Hope this helps.


dr del

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Captain Penelope (12-25-2008)

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## blackcrystal22

Another thing that is important, after you take him to the vet, make sure you get some type of thermostat to regulate the temperatures on the UTH, to prevent it from getting that hot ever again.

Get some good probe thermometers to measure the proper heat levels on both sides of the cages, under substrate.

Good luck finding a vet as soon as possible!

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## adamsmasher

I take my guys to stahls exotics in vienna

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## Captain Penelope

THANK YOU ALL for your help, and for going out of your way to give me some kind of information about vets and whatnot.

Good news! my lil guy has healed a great deal-
He had a pretty good shed, and I moved him into a different tank with newspaper to prevent infection, and his scales are still a little red and sore, but his belly gets cleaned and polysporin applied everyday, I am still a little worried about his healing time, its been time for him to feed, but I don't know if he's ready for that yet? plus I don't really want a dirty mouse around him right now :/

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## TooManyToys

He will let you know if it's time to eat.  I would try feeding him.

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## stevenkeogh

Snakes have no maternal instinct past hatching. You are not it's Mom.
If you were, you should have let it slither away long ago.
Check out some caresheets and get yourself set up properly.
Your snake will more than likely have another shed soon after the past one if the scales are as damaged as you say they are.
Keep using polysporin, paper towel substrate and keep enclosure clean.
Offer it food and if it refuses then wait a week or until after it's next shed.
-Steven

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## mechnut450

also make sure he stuff your putting on ( polysporin) not got any pain killer related  in it  they say it  tosic to snakes.   I use the papertowels instead of newspaper ( casue he ink can lead to a possible infection as well. ) 
 I say   you need ot set a probe on that glass to rpeven it fro mgetting above a set temp .. I seen the rescue   ball pythong i picked up tuesday  has move all the aspen from the  uth  also but i have it set so it can't get above 95 degrees.   it clicks off and cause anther swtich to click on ( which is a alight to warn me the heats off)

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## blackcrystal22

> Snakes have no maternal instinct past hatching. You are not it's Mom.
> If you were, you should have let it slither away long ago.
> Check out some caresheets and get yourself set up properly.
> Your snake will more than likely have another shed soon after the past one if the scales are as damaged as you say they are.
> Keep using polysporin, paper towel substrate and keep enclosure clean.
> Offer it food and if it refuses then wait a week or until after it's next shed.
> -Steven


I'm preetty sure it's a figure of speech.  :Wink:

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BigBlue56 (05-19-2010)

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## starmom

> I'm preetty sure it's a figure of speech.


 :ROFL:  :ROFL:

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## OhBalls

> Snakes have no maternal instinct past hatching. You are not it's Mom.


 :Weirdface:

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## Sprinkles_Mum

what a silly comment.

lots of people refer to their pets as their children, and them as their mum, dad etc. that comment made me do a /facepalm

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## Crazy4Herps

I am Mom to my snake and dragon... my babies. Not their genetic mom (obviously), but their adoptive mom.

Captain Penelope-
So glad to hear he's getting better. I had a similar incident with a less-severe burn to my sweet girl, and I felt so guilty!!! Every day when I'd feel the crusted hard scales, I felt soooooo bad! It went away with her next shed though.

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## xxstellavega

oh jeez.. i came on to see if i could find something near as bad as my ball python is. I'm 4 months pregnant and was told not to handle my snake for risk of salmonella... i did more research and realized how rare it is how to keep clean to not infect my snake in the first place.  That's when i realized 1/3 of his underbelly is red and what looks like blisters/dried skin. At first i thought it was just because his shed was so bad these last couple times and i noticed his eyes were sunk in-dehydrated.  So i put him in a tupperware with about an inch of water for about an hour. the shed came off like nothing and his eyes are filling back in... and i noticed his underbelly yesterday. Everyone was saying bacitracin so i put some on it for now and going to a vet tomorrow. I'm panicking even more now because those pictures are not as nearly as bad as how mine is... :/  i have him on papertowels because he was burrowing through his subtrate and was glass away from heating pad.. for jeez, i don't even know how long.

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## jzoot3d

id recommend dr stahl in fairfax. hes real close to fair oaks mall. GL

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## Kaorte

> id recommend dr stahl in fairfax. hes real close to fair oaks mall. GL


If you would read through to posts you would notice this thread is from december of 2008. This issue has since been solved  :Good Job:

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## BigBlue56

> what a silly comment.
> 
> lots of people refer to their pets as their children, and them as their mum, dad etc. that comment made me do a /facepalm


I agree.  Silly and uncalled for IMO...

I am my snakes father...  whether Apollo realizes it or not is irrelevant.  Snakes might not have maternal instincts, but humans sure do.  

Good luck with the burn  :Sad:

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## Jailene

> Snakes have no maternal instinct past hatching. You are not it's Mom.


That was slightly harsh, some people consider themselves very close to their animals. I firmly believe snakes have emotions and deep connections with people as well. And in fact the snake can't clean itself, feed itself, wash itself, or monitor its heat and humidity. snakes require a fair amount of attention or mothering.

also definition of a mom or mother is not always the person who gave birth. here are some from a dictionary. 

mother- a woman having the responsibility and authority of a mother
A woman who holds a position of authority or responsibility similar to that of a mother.
mother - Maternal love and tenderness
 A woman who adopts a chid
 A woman who raises a child.

Now you could say a child is a dependent and your snake is definitely dependent on you.

so whether you want to call yourself you pets mother, mom , owner , dad,  father, keeper. it shouldn't matter and other people should not care if you do.

If you feel compelled to burst someone's bubble, I really feel very sorry for you. Some people feel joy in calling themselves mothers of something or someone. 

don't be the grinch of lil joys

sorry I was a lil hard, I do not call myself a mother to my pets but it really bothers me when others put down others or rain on their parade.  there is no need.

I hope people read this and not take it the wrong way or become angered, I just want you to open your minds and think about it. :Group Hug: 

maybe have a beer :Carouse:

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## DrEwTiMe

Also if you worried about stopping infection, my vet suggested me to use Chlorohexidine solution. Its perfectly safe for snakes and is a great way to kill germs and not worry about harming the animal. When my snake had thermals burns years back before i picked up a herpstat part of her healing process was a 10 min soak in this solution to make sure there was no change of infection.

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## shelliebear

Toomanytoys--your little signature just made me look like an idiot, I kept trying to squish the bug XD Excellent choice, I love it.

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## h00blah

really though, as kaorte stated, this thread is 2 years old people  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## shelliebear

Thanks. I is are feel like retard.
 :Sad:

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## h00blah

> Thanks. I is are feel like retard.


haha i wish i could say "we've all done it" but i can't  :Very Happy: 
LOL j/k i'm sure i've done it before... okay no more bumping this thread  :Taz:  :Salute:

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