Re: Help with ? scale rot on possible rescue BP

[Taxiballbreeder]

So the short story is going to be as follows, My finace' friend who is a rather novice snake keeper contacted her yesterday and said he has a sick snake which he was asking our help in "putting it down". I was then contacted by my finace'. She said this friend had a BP with a ? "skin problem" and he wanted to know how to "put it down". My first reaction was please don't do that until I see at least photo's of the snake. I find myself going thru alot of feelings, From anger and concern for this snake. I love my Ball Pythons and keep my collection at the best possible conditions that I can. I just want to say that I can't seem to understand why others that keep snakes don't care for them in the same way and treat them as a real living animal or creature. So after stepping down from my soap box, I am asking for your help in the issue. I really don't know what to do I have reicieved several rescue snakes from negligent keepers in the past and with this one idk if it's out of my league or not. So asking what to do. I will post the pictures that I got of her and ask for suggestions for what to do. I really don't want to see a snake put down if it can be saved. I do have an area that I can quarintine it if I decide to take on this project. So with this all said here are the photos. Is this scale rot.

[Taxiballbreeder]

Working on the photos, Photobucket is giving me a fit right now. Hope to have them up soon. Sorry for the delay.

[youbeyouibei]

Certainly looks like scale rot to me and closely resembles all the photos I was able to find in my care and husbandry books for ball pythons. I took in a rescue who was "free" with a similar issue except he was and still is missing sections skin/scales where his well-intentioned but piss-poorly informed previous owner allowed the humidity to get too low, resulting in horrendous sheds that ripped the skin off. That animal, if you elect to take it in, will more than likely always have scars. And if you get it for "free", it won't be, lol! My "free" snake is now in the neighborhood of $300+ with vet visits, stool sample lab workups, treatment for his missing sections of scales, etc; if you're able to make that kind of commitment, financially and otherwise to care for that animal and take on all of the responsibilities with no guarantee that it will pull through, by all means, go for it! Not trying to dissuade you, just make sure you can afford it is all and don't make an emotionally-centered decision without thinking it through as much as possible.

I hear you on the feeling bad for the poor thing and I can't imagine how it feels but if you're not able to commit to caring for it up to and including vet visits if necessary, the next best option might be to have it put down or do it yourself. It definitely has areas of scale rot or look like they are to me; the rest of it's skin is pretty nasty looking as well but I can't tell if that's the photo of if he/she is in blue or if there is something else going on with it. If you decide to go for it, just be prepared for the more than likely lightening of your wallet and/or the potential heartbreak of it not pulling through. Weigh your options is all I'd say and good luck whatever you decide!

[tlich]

So I'm new to owning snakes but scale rot seems to mostly be on their bellies from substrate being too moist, googled scale rot most pics were belly shots, it looks more like the snake may have been chewed on by a feeder, or somethin in its enclosure scraping on its back maybe the hide entrance? Just guessing someone will have more to say. Don't seem like the snake would need put down, or why he would think that, seems like it would clear up just keep it clean and try to prevent infection.

[Taxiballbreeder]

So I'm new to owning snakes but scale rot seems to mostly be on their bellies from substrate being too moist, googled scale rot most pics were belly shots, it looks more like the snake may have been chewed on by a feeder, or somethin in its enclosure scraping on its back maybe the hide entrance? Just guessing someone will have more to say. Don't seem like the snake would need put down, or why he would think that, seems like it would clear up just keep it clean and try to prevent infection.

Ya that was another thought of mine that it may be a rodent chewing on the snake because he does use live feeders but I think he only feeds smaller rats to this snake believe smaller than weenling size so really don't know if a smaller than weenling could do that much damage guess it depends on how long it was in with the snake, Idk though hard to say due to not getting info directly from him.

[youbeyouibei]

I could see what you're saying about it possibly being bites, as they aren't clustered or really spread over a very wide area and are more sporadic in location. It's hard to call in those photos, because I can't quite see if it's subdermal/subcutaneous such as what bites would cause or if the tissue in the area is raised and inflamed, giving it the red look. Can't tell if the red is from infection or from the tissue under the scales being exposed from bites. That and the overall appearance of his scales along the length of his body, not just those particular areas...doesn't look like he's getting the best care possible, at least judging from those pics. I'm almost wondering if those are open sores from bad sheds, as it looks like he's got quite a bit of dry shed or just super dry skin still on him...not sure that I'd call that scale rot, per se, but not good whatever it is. Sorry I'm not more help, I'll shut up now, lol!

[Skiploder]

So the short story is going to be as follows, My finace' friend who is a rather novice snake keeper contacted her yesterday and said he has a sick snake which he was asking our help in "putting it down". I was then contacted by my finace'. She said this friend had a BP with a ? "skin problem" and he wanted to know how to "put it down". My first reaction was please don't do that until I see at least photo's of the snake. I find myself going thru alot of feelings, From anger and concern for this snake. I love my Ball Pythons and keep my collection at the best possible conditions that I can. I just want to say that I can't seem to understand why others that keep snakes don't care for them in the same way and treat them as a real living animal or creature. So after stepping down from my soap box, I am asking for your help in the issue. I really don't know what to do I have reicieved several rescue snakes from negligent keepers in the past and with this one idk if it's out of my league or not. So asking what to do. I will post the pictures that I got of her and ask for suggestions for what to do. I really don't want to see a snake put down if it can be saved. I do have an area that I can quarintine it if I decide to take on this project. So with this all said here are the photos. Is this scale rot.

I don't it's rot, I think the snake is suffering from the effects of crappy husbandry and indifferent care.

Before this thread turns into 10 pages of a debate over what constitutes scale rot, or whether a fart is a burp held in too long, let me head things off at the pass:

It doesn't matter what those lesions are, right now the snake needs correct husbandry, security and treatment of those lesions.

I would recommend that the animal be taken to a vet for a regular check up. During the course of that check up ask the vet for some silver sulfadiazine which is the best antibiotic out there for these types of issues. Some knuckle nut will chime in here and recommend neosporin, polysporin or some other sporin and then you will be back here a week later asking why the snake's scales are sloughing off. In other words, don't use any sporin on this.

No, ask the the vet for some silver sulfa, put the snake on a paper towel or newspaper substrate, provide correct thermoregulation zones, apply the silver sulfa twice a day and let the animal shed it's problems away.