Rescue BP- air pockets under skin

[Heartley]

Hey all, before you check out the images yes, I'm aware she's still in pretty rough shape. This is a baby (apparently 6 months old) from an LPS (i work at a different location in the same town) who apparently doesn't know how to take care of a snake properly. I've done some researching and I think I'm just dealing with high humidity, but I wanted to get some more opinions just in case. She came to me super dehydrated with a layer or so of stuck shed along with an ouchie on her tail. She also had some pretty yucky scale rot, so that could potentially be a factor as well. She's gotten almost all of her shed off that I know of, just got some stuck along the front portion of her body.

Right now she's developing some weird air pockets under her skin. Potentially liquid filled, I really can't tell because they're so small.

Stuff I've been doing that could contribute includes a water dish in her tub that was big enough for her to soak in (because of her dehydration, I just removed this today, along with the humid hide in there), as well as topical application of betadine and neosporin on her rot spots. Hoping this isn't a burn, I have a thermostat hooked up to her heat mat but I have her on one layer of paper towel, gonna try upping it to two or three after a fresh change tonight.

Let me know what you guys think, I'm still within the 30 day limit of taking her back for a vet visit with my store location, so that's something I can definitely do if need be. Otherwise I've been focusing on getting her to a decent weight and working on her scale rot, but I'm thinking if it's a worse infection then obviously stronger antibiotics are gonna be necessary. Here's some pics of the air pockets, along with her belly (again, she has scale rot along her sides, that's been there for a while as far as I know.)

[bcr229]

I would take advantage of the vet visit since you're still within the 30-day window for it.

[sur3fir3]

Not to take this down a different road, but I cannot believe they still sold that animal. That being said I wish you good luck. For sure take it to the vet.

[Heartley]

Honestly I can't either. The only reason I took her was because she was probably going out on the floor otherwise. Apparently the other location tried to feed her a live full grown mouse (shes literally been assist feeding from me fine) so she's got a pretty jacked up tail. Luckily it's scarred over and everything but that along with the scale rot and all her other issues... snake probably should have been euthanized at the last vet visit with the condition I bought her in. Trust me, she looked a Lot worse than she does now.

[Bogertophis]

That poor snake is in really rough shape. Those are likely fluid pockets, not air, & by all means, get her to the vet for help. There have been several threads here
with BPs in similar shape...& some thoughts that giving vitamins (especially C) could help the healing. I can't say one way or the other, & if I can find the threads
I'll post links here. Last I heard they were making progress, but of course very slowly. Shame on that store for SELLING this snake! It will take lots of work to
pull this one thru, I wish you stamina & good luck, you'll need both. She needs rest, good nutrition & hydration...& if she's not eating on her own, personally I'd
tube-feed her thinned Gerber's chicken babyfood, with vitamins added. I've done that technique for various snakes that recovered, & if you want more info, just
PM me, I'll happily provide instructions...it's not that hard, nor is it stressful if done correctly & gently. All the best.

[Heartley]

She's at the vet currently, now all I can do is wait and try not to worry in the meantime.

When I first got her, she was literally too weak to hold her own body up, didn't even have the energy to ball up properly. Soaked her almost immediately because she was the dryest snake I've ever felt. She's recently actually started to coil around her food when I put it in her mouth, just can't seem to work up the energy to strike at it yet.

Apparently when I got her she had "just been returned from the vet" (with 2 layers of stuck shed and rot all over her sides, sure). Of course the problem was feeding issues because its not policy to assist feed unless you've tried everything else (even though assist feeding is so much safer than dropping a full grown mouse in with an animal that can't even swallow something half it's size). Hoping to rehome her once her rot clears up and she's eating on her own because I can't take a 5th snake right now if I plan on breeding anytime soon.

[Bogertophis]

Thank you for the update...I hate to say this, but I'm not sure you have to worry about a 5th snake...but in any case, if she's well enough to come home, you
might find another home for her here. Wouldn't be the first time.

And as far as "assist feeding", when a snake is THIS weak, that's when "tube-feeding" (diluted chicken babyfood) is SO much better, as it's readily digestible,
requires no effort to swallow, and enhances hydration. Wish we were neighbors, I'd happily do it for you. It's still a long shot though...I hope she makes it,
poor baby.

And if your vet wants to try tube-feeding, I'll PM you instructions to print out for him or her, if they're not familiar with it.

[Heartley]

If she makes it back from the vet I'll pm you and ask for tube feeding instructions, I'm sure if the last time she returned from the vet was any indication, there will have been a tradeoff and she likely will come back dehydrated as anything and still malnourished. Hopefully she doesn't have to spend too long there this time, my coworker who worked at the other location for a bit says she's been to the vet multiple times.

Thank you so much for all of your help, I'd gladly ship her over if you'd take her, I'm also looking locally for people who already have experience with beeps. Fingers crossed she's getting some help and will be back at least without those fluid pockets.

[Bogertophis]

If she makes it back from the vet I'll pm you and ask for tube feeding instructions, I'm sure if the last time she returned from the vet was any indication, there will have been a tradeoff and she likely will come back dehydrated as anything and still malnourished. Hopefully she doesn't have to spend too long there this time, my coworker who worked at the other location for a bit says she's been to the vet multiple times.

Thank you so much for all of your help, I'd gladly ship her over if you'd take her, I'm also looking locally for people who already have experience with beeps. Fingers crossed she's getting some help and will be back at least without those fluid pockets.

Going by the similar cases I've seen on here, I would not expect to see the fluid bumps disappearing any time soon, and you wouldn't want to drain them either. Not with
the obvious dehydration & malnutrition, & it would add the risk of infection that she sure doesn't need. With luck, they'll eventually re-absorb...and that would be a sign
of improvement to watch for. Appearance is the last thing I'd worry about...she needs a lot of "TLC". I'll watch for your PM...meanwhile, I'm trying to remember whose
thread had something similar going on. Fingers crossed for her

[mlededee]

I once hatched a baby ball python that never ate on its own, did not shed properly despite plenty of assistance from me and developed something like a scale rot looking issue as a result, and then developed fluid filled pockets like that. I had to tube feed her prescription a/d diet, use a prescription ointment on her scale rot areas, and treat her with antibiotics. She ended up going septic and passing away even after all of the treatments I did. Your baby reminds me of that snake in many ways. I hope she pulls through, but be aware that it may take a lot of work from you and the help of an experienced reptile veterinarian.