Rat bite

Today was feeding day for my snake. I have had him for about a month.I use live rats as he will not eat f/t or freshly killed for some reason although i am still trying to get him to switch over..... Anyway when my snake went in close to the rat it bit it on his lip... The bite does not look deep and did not even bleed.... Is there anything i can do to help with this ?

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Originally Posted by Bpboy890

Today was feeding day for my snake. I have had him for about a month.I use live rats as he will not eat f/t or freshly killed for some reason although i am still trying to get him to switch over..... Anyway when my snake went in close to the rat it bit it on his lip... The bite does not look deep and did not even bleed.... Is there anything i can do to help with this ?

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On his lips?? Like where his vents are? I would say Neosporin with no aspirin but idk how that will affect the heat pits.

yes right below the vents

:O:O:O:O I would freak out!!! This is why I feed her multiple mice instead of one rat. Rats seem like they definitely pose more of a threat to the snake. Alas, I don't have any useful advice. The neosporin sounds like your best bet but to be safe, I would to him/her to the vet IMO.

can it really be that serious ? i figured i could just use some type of ointment

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Originally Posted by Bpboy890

can it really be that serious ? i figured i could just use some type of ointment

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You don't know what that rat was carrying. Pet stores(even the specialty reptile stores) keep the feeders in poor conditions (at least around here, they do). It also has the chance of becoming infected, which could lead to a dead snake. Also, if not treated correctly, it might have an affect on the vents which would REALLY not be good. Maybe some pictures? We can't really assess how bad it is unless we see a good pic of the damage. There also might be some damage your'e not seeing. Did the rat clamp on for a while? Or was it a nip?

The bite was a nip and i will get some pics up asap

If the bite area didnt break the skin or bleed dont worry about it.

If the bite did break skin clean with Betadine and polysporin which si found at pharmacy's

To try getting him off live do some tough love. Dont feed live anymore offer f/t once a week till he takes it. This is how i get my live eaters on f/t and usually takes 1-4 months and they cave in.

thanks for the help

I think if it didn't even bleed, you don't have much to worry about. Since it is near the mouth, I'd skip the neosporin, which I'm pretty sure is labeled "not to be taken internally". Clean it with chlorhexidine, and just watch it closely.

Someone else mentioned cleaning it with betadine. Betadine isn't to be taken internally either, because I think it would cause iodine poisoning. However, if you can wash near the mouth without getting it in the mouth, I think that would be safe. The ointment concerns me more, because that leaves a residie that the snake could end up rubbing in to its mouth.

Chlorhexidine is definitely safe to in/near the mouth; it is used in dental offices as an oral rinse.