Ok let's start over: Looking for good, clean, gentle advice on burn healing process

[RaeDee]

Matilda's UTH has been disconnected and I am now using a red bulb heat lamp on a REAL thermostat, which I raised slowly to 89. I didn't want to flood her tank with heat after it had been in the upper 70's alone while I waited for the vet visit and purchasing of the bulb/fixture. She seems to enjoy it as she's stayed in her warm hide since I turned it on (I think she's still recuperating from being manhandled at the vet yesterday). I've been instructed to give her a betadine bath every day, plus a light smear of silver sulfadiazine, and she's receiving injections of Fortaz every 72 hours. Now...I absolutely promise to follow all advice to the letter, as I have a few questions about some of the aspects of the burn healing process:

1)I've read conflicting articles on whether to rinse the snake after the betadine bath, but to me, rinsing her seems like it would defeat the purpose of the betadine in the first place...What are your thoughts?
2) How can I keep her tank humidity up to 50% without misting or getting her paper towel substrate wet/damp?
3) Any other advice is not only welcome but encouraged. I really want to do right by my snake and correct the mistake I made. I really do have her best interest at heart and I really reeeeally want to see her make a full and quick recovery. (Well, as quickly and *safely* as possible). I've learned my lesson about not following advice on here and I really am seeking to kind of 'mend-fences' by showing I really can listen and observe advice. I'm asking humbly for your guidance to help me on this path to getting my gorgeous snake back to good health. Please and thank you!

[kyle13404]

If its a tank, cover most of the lid and put a big water dish in the tank. Put the water dish near the hot side of the tank. Should raise the humidity.

[JLC]

1. I don't know anything about betadine soaks to offer any real advice...I can only say what would go through my mind in the same situation. I would question a vet very closely if told to do that. WHY? What, exactly, does that do for the snake? And if a betadine treatment is really necessary/helpful, what is the bare minimum exposure to get it done? Soaking (even in a "medicated" solution) is still wet, which is the opposite of what you want to do for a burn on a snake. In the meantime, soak as prescribed by the vet, but not for a moment longer than necessary. Then I'd very carefully pat her dry with a soft, clean towel (basically let her slither over it in a natural direction...never rub it against the direction of her scales). I wouldn't rinse it off...just pat it dry.

2. What kind of enclosure is it? Assuming it's a glass tank with a screen top....try putting a wet towel over the entire screen, except for an opening for the heat lamp. This will need regular maintenance to keep it wet and swap it out regularly with a clean towel to keep it from getting stinky and mildewy. You can also try a humidifier from the drug store...set it up to run next to her enclosure, maybe even rigging up a way to direct the moisture flow directly into the enclosure, if you're handy that way. But if not, just upping the ambient humidity can help.

Sometimes we stumble at the beginning of a race, but that doesn't mean we can't pick ourselves up and have a great run. You might have stumbled with the heat mat, but I think, based on what I've read, that you'll be a great "snake mom" in the long run, and that's what counts. Don't give up and don't let negative nellies discourage you!

[JLC]

If its a tank, cover most of the lid and put a big water dish in the tank. Put the water dish near the hot side of the tank. Should raise the humidity.

Hate to be contrary, but I would avoid this usual humidity trick while treating a burn. The water dish needs to be small enough that the snake can't get in and soak. A large dish may entice the snake to lay in it, which would be very detrimental to the healing process.

[kyle13404]

Sorry, my bad.

[che]

Solid advice from JLC.

From my understanding, betadine is used to control and prevent infection, thus helping with healing. Used for a broad spectrum of injuries (with people) as its side effects are very few.

While i don't have personal experience with burns on snakes, i have read a few times that a betadine bath can be used.
As mentioned by JLC , lightly patting dry but not rinsing of the betadine.

You also want to reduce ingestion of the betadine solution to an absolute minimum.

Well done for acknowledging your mistakes! I hope your snake has a speedy recovery.

[bcr229]

Put a clean (brand new) synthetic sponge into a shallow bowl and add just enough water to soak the sponge. Put the bowl into the tank on the hot side. The nooks & crannies on the sponge will provide lots of surface area for evaporation, but there won't be so much water in it that the snake can soak, and if the snake tips it over it won't turn the bottom of the enclosure into a sopping wet mess.

If your snake weren't recovering from a burn you could add a humid hide with spaghnum moss or eco earth.

[MarkS]

Here is a post by a friend of mine who recently treated a badly burned ball python. This animal was surrendered to the Minnesota Herp Society for adoption and it was in real bad shape. The smell was awful, I personally didn't think it would make it and I would have advised putting it down if April hadn't decided to try to save it. I think she did a wonderful job, there are some good tips in here on treating the burn.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ting-projects)

[RaeDee]

Apparently from what the vet said, betadine does exactly for the snake what it does for humans- kills germs and disinfects. The typical course for a less severe burn than Matilda's would be to wipe the betadine directly onto the burnt area but since hers is open and blistered so badly, the betadine would sting something awful. That's why he opted to having me do the bath and the sulfadene after she's dry. Sulfadene doesn't sting nearly as bad. I know this for a fact. (My gf's motorcycle fell on her and burnt the inside of her leg to the point of 2nd and 3rd degrees and the resulting burn got infected as well. She too was given silver sulfadiazine. It was really bad.) Burns of any kind are so awful and so painful.

[John1982]

2) How can I keep her tank humidity up to 50% without misting or getting her paper towel substrate wet/damp?

I notice you're in Florida too. If there's a window in your reptile room, crack it.