Snake first aid kit

[SDA]

So something we often don't tell new snake owners is the importance of having items on hand in the event an emergency comes up or even a non emergency that requires care. I think it would be very important to share the must haves on hand when keeping reptiles.

Here is a small list of what I have in my snake emergency first aid kit. I will do my best to break down why I have them and what to do to use them. I want to preface that this list will be USA-centric as that is where I am in and I know other countries either do not carry these supplies or they go by other names. If you live outside the US or Canada, please research what options you have.


First and foremost is the list of a few exotic vets in the area.

I can't stress enough how important it is to know where to take your snake when a minor boo boo becomes a major emergency or if you just want to make sure your little one is healthy.
We have a list here where you can add your experience with exotic vets and it links to the actual listing in the US - https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...r-Own-Vet-List

Next comes preventative cleaning agents.

I use F10 products (F10scxd in my case) and paper towels. I keep a spray bottle mixed up to clean spills and waste as well as to sanitize decor to help prevent the build up of harmful pathogens.
F10 can be found here as well as links to their MSDS sheets - http://www.reptilebasics.com/f10-products/
If you do not want to use these products there are options such as natural chemistry, zoo med wipe out, or even home remedies as some have used Listerine to clean cages. I would avoid harsh chemicals like 409 or bleach unless allowing a cage to dry and be rinsed down for several days afterwards.


Next are preventative aids just in case something hitches a rise on you or your snake. I am talking ticks here and the two products to combat them.

First is provent-a-mite. This is mostly used on caging to kill exiting mites and prevent spreading infestations. You can find it here - http://pro-products.com/provent-a-mite/
Second is Natural Chemistry reptile relief spray. This can be safely used on snakes to help combat existing mite outbreaks. No link but you can find it at pet stores and amazon

Of course one overlooked item that is important in the care of snakes is a soak/isolation tub. This can be anything with a locking lid like form the brand sterilite. Nothing fancy just something the snake will fit in and that has a closing lid. To set one up just poke some holes into the lid for ventilation (drill or soldering iron is used) and keep it on hand. These are great for mite treatment or soaking after stuck shed. No link but you cna get them almost anywhere like walmart, target, staples, home depot, etc.


That covers some of the preventative care items but now onto actual first aid.

In a kit you should always have the following on hand:

Betadine - This is a brand for 10% providone-iodine solution. It is used to clean wounds and reduce the risk of infection. It is not to be used internally or on mucous membranes or eyes. It should also be diluted about 5 to 1 or even 10 to 1 with water to limit the strength and prevent tissue damage. This is something to use in the case of burns, scale rot, or other surface wounds. Any open wound with flesh exposed should be treated by a vet immediately and not with betadine! Pouring any antiseptic liquid onto an open wound can cause further tissue damage. Also, I am recommending betadine and not hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a tissue lysing agent meaning it will destroy skin tissue and should be avoided at all costs, even diluted. - here is the link to betadine's site for more information, you can purchase this at any pharmacy or walmart/target - http://www.betadine.com

Neosporin without pain relief - This is also a brand name of an oil based antibiotic ointment. The reason to avoid any pain relief is that due to a reptiles slower metabolism, pain relief can cause real harm to their circulatory system and create a critical medical emergency. Antibiotic ointments should be used sparingly. Excessive oil on a scael of a snake can cause damage to those otherwise healthy scales This however can be used as a temporary aid applied with a cotton applicator (q-tip) to the spot of a wound to help aid in healing and prevent infection. I would say never use this for more than a week at a time and if a wound side is not healing after such time, a vet visit is necessary. Again, any open wound where flesh is visible demands a vet visit and should not be treated at home. Here is the link to their site for more information. You cna get this at almost every grocery store, walmart/target or pharmacy. - https://www.neosporin.com/

Cotton Applicators - These can either be Q-tip brand or sterile cotton applicators you can get at a pharmacy or online. The benefit of these is to help remove small debris from a wound site, remove substrate from a snake's mouth, help to remove stuck shed during a soak, or for applying small amounts of ointment or first aid care to a wound site. I hope everyone is familiar with these, these are the same things you are not supposed to stick in your ear

Distilled Water - Finding actual sterile water for sale is next to impossible unless you know a medical supply company. Tap water is actually pretty free of pathogens in the US but to be extra cautious I recommend keeping a bottle of distilled water on hand. This is great for cleaning a wound, flushing substrate, cleaning messy poops, etc. You can get distilled water at any grocery store.

KY Jelly - This is the jelly product and not the liquid. This is an excellent item in case of needing to keep a wound or other internal body part from drying out while waiting a vet visit. It is pretty neutral to a snake's body and will help prevent tissue damage. This can be purchased at any pharmacy or grocery store, walmart, or target.

Puppy Training Pads - These are invaluable in the event of needing to treat a wounded snake and needing a clean area to "operate" They are not sterile but they soak up liquids and give a good are to treat your snake. You cna get these online or at any pet store or feed store.

This should work for a basic first aid kit. Some other options that are not necessary are syringes (non needle) to apply distilled water to an area, tweezers or forceps to pick out items like substrate, Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors to open a snake's mouth, ziploc bags or sterile specimen containers to collect fecal or urate samples for a vet exam, and 48 hour heat packs (not hand warmers) in the event of a brief power outage or transport to a vet. -heat packs can be found here - http://www.reptilebasics.com/heat-packs/

Hopefully this helps someone just getting started with a snake so you don't have to frantically go out to walmart at 2 in the morning to treat your snake.

As always, any open wounds, seizures, prolapses, bleeding, thick mucous discharge, burn, or other major health concerns needs to be seen by a vet, do not try and save a few bucks and just think it will get better. Also, feel free to ask on sites like here for advice if you are unsure of a minor health issue. I would hate for someone to spend money on a vet when it turns out to be stuck shed

[BallPythonWannaBe]

I would sticky this Im not sure if there is already a sticky like it but this is super helpful!

[ckuhn003]

I would sticky this Im not sure if there is already a sticky like it but this is super helpful!

Absolutely agree. I've been searching everywhere for vet recommendations. Thanks SDA! You are one of the many fine contributors on this forum that I've learned so much from!

[SDA]

I apologize for my horrendous spelling mistakes

[bcr229]

Long-term use of Neosporin can cause scale sloughing, as can any petroleum-based ointment. I prefer using Vetericyn, which is a water-based gel available at Petco or Amazon, or Silvadene which you can buy online without a prescription from Mountainside Medical.

[L.West]

Quick question about using F10. If I mix some up with water in a spray bottle - do I need to rinse my enclosure out after spraying it or just wipe it dry?? Can the snake go immediately back into the cage??

[SDA]

I would only warn against long term silver sulfadiazine usage as well due to the renal (kidney) interactions it can have. These are all meant to be short term bandages for minor wounds that would normally start healing within a week's time. Anything not healing again should be seen by a qualified vet. Remember that snakes have very slow metabolisms including heart rate, kidney functions, and respiration so anything at all that can interfere with that should be used very conservatively!

Vetricyn however is a brilliant idea I had totally forgot about (we got some from a vet years ago when our dog got cut and we needed to keep the wound clean). I would even recommend it above betadine as it is non damaging to skin cells. - here is their site http://vetericyn.com/products/vetericyn-exotic-care/

[SDA]

Quick question about using F10. If I mix some up with water in a spray bottle - do I need to rinse my enclosure out after spraying it or just wipe it dry?? Can the snake go immediately back into the cage??

If you mix it according to the recommend dosage (F10SC for example) then all you need to do is spray, let sit for a few minutes and wipe dry. No need to rinse it with water after.