Bleeding under Scales/After Shed?

[alkuna]

Hello!

I rescued my ball python from an abuse situation about six months ago. When the bp came to me, she had mouth rot, belly rot, injury from escaping her cage-- it's a miracle she's still alive.

Ever since she's come to me she's always had extreme difficulty shedding and if she does not get all the skin off even after a week of trying I usually soak her in water and peel off the skin (very gently and carefully!) because she seems to be unable to do it any other way. Should I not be assisting like this at all?

Also, after this particular shed, I had to assist her a little bit and after I peeled off some of the "skin" on her belly I noticed that there seems to be bleeding under the scales. (I am happy to provide pictures.) Is this something to worry about? Should I rush her to the vet?

Please help. The last thing I want to do is cause more injury to this BP.

[dr del]

Hi,

I think the pictures would be a good idea.

Is this in the same area that had the scale rot? Is it possible that removing the skin is taking off scabs from the still healing wounds?

Could it be the scale rot coming back?

What are you using as a substrate at the moment and how did you treat the scale rot?


dr del

[alkuna]

Okay, I'll get pictures immediately.

It is not in the same area as the scale rot; it is much lower. The wounds have healed, so I do not think I am pulling off any scabs. I don't think it's the scale rot coming back-- I monitor the humidity in her tank very carefully (kept at 40%-60%) and disinfect the tank either every two weeks or whenever I see feces with a 5% bleach solution. I am using paper towels as substrate, replaced every single time I clean. I treated the scale rot with a topical antibiotic but I do not know the name of the antibiotic.

[alkuna]

[dr del]

Hi,

It may just be me but that looks like a burn more than scale rot.

I think you need to take her to a vet to find out for sure though.

How are you heating the enclosure in terms of both heating devices and controllers like dimmer switches or thermostats?

Can you check the temps at the warmest part to make sure they haven't gotten too high?

Using a 5% bleach solution and rinsing it out afterwards shouldn't have any negative effects either.


dr del

[alkuna]

I have heat tape under the tank, not directly on the tank. There are three thermometers about 1 1/2in above the floor of the tank. They currently list : 71F, 75F, 82F. As far as I can tell they always stay around that temperature range. Next to his tank is a tank containing a kenyan sand boa who has a tank heated by a 40watt heat lamp that slightly raises the air temperature for both the tanks, I think-- that's the end that's 82. Should I stop using heat tape and switch over to an overhead lamp for this BP?

[dr del]

Hi,

The problem with that is you are measuring air temps not ground temps so you don't actually know what temp the snake is sitting on.

I would get the acurite digital weatherstation with probe from walmart for about $12and put the probe directly on the surface of the tank under the substrate where the UTH is to see what the temps really are.

Most (but not all ) UTH's get hot enough to burn the animal if they are not regulated by a thermostat or dimmer.

If you have trouble finding a thermostat (most people find it cheaper to order them online ) you can get a lamp dimmer for about $10 - but you will need to keep adjusting that as the room temps change and it eventually gets to be a real pain in the butt.

But in an emergency it is a good stopgap measure.

I would keep using belly heat but you will need to get some way of controling it to give you the idea temps of 82f cool end and 92f warm end (as measured inside their hides )

But definately get the digital thermometer - those little round ones pet shops sell are complete junk and even when put in the right place I could never trust them.

The humidity gages are just as bad - but the acurite weather station reads humidity at the base unit as well.


dr del

[alkuna]

All right, thank you very much. Do you have any recommendations for what I can do for her until I can get her to a vet?

[dr del]

Hi,


Well my uneducated suggestions would be;

Fix the heat so it isn't constantly aggravating it would be the main one I think. (if that is the cause - measuring it will be the only way to be sure )

Changing the papertowels quite frequently to keep the area as clean as possible.

Apply neosporin ( without painkillers ) to try and help prevent infection.

BUT

The first thing to do is call the vet and get their recomendations and follow them over mine any day.


dr del

[alkuna]

Okay-- I've unplugged the UTH after pressing my hand onto it and deciding that yes, it is too hot, and now I'm temporarily using a human heater with an adjustable temperature setting until I can find a better solution.

Do you know if iodine would be acceptable to apply to snakes, or if I should only use neosporin?