Ball python bit by Medium Rat, any advice?

Tonight while feeding, one of my breeders was bitten by a medium rat. I always feed F/T but I have one female who is terrible about eating frozen. So we decided to try live and while holding the rat above the tub he managed to excape from the tongs I was holding him with. Then proceeded to the back of the tub while my ball python was focused on trying to eat me. Then the rat started freaking out and bit her at least 3 times. Finally she turned around and got the little turd and finished him off.

Never had this problem? I haven't looked her over yet as she's still in feeding mode, but anything that needs to be done right away?

Let her finish her meal then just use neosporin on any open wounds after you wash your hands and clean her up. Make sure she has a clean tank for the healing process so it doesn't get infected.

If you use Neosporin do not use it more than once, Neosporin is oil based and will cause much bigger problems in the long run (as in scales falling off) I would recommend that you use hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the bite.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

If you use Neosporin do not use it more than once, Neosporin is oil based and will cause much bigger problems in the long run (as in scales falling off) I would recommend that you use hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the bite.

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I thought hydro perox shouldn't be used more than once or twice as well, right. I used hydro perox when my girl got hurt and used neosprin every day and never had a problem. Never heard of that before but I've heard not to use hydro perox more then 1-2 times max.

Yes, that is my bad, I forgot to mention that, but as long as the bite isn't too bad either way with Neosporin or Hydrogen peroxide, it shouldn't take more than one or two applications. All that needs to be done is to disinfect the bite.

Phew, thought I was losing it for a sec.

And just make sure you don't have substrate that will get inside and dirty the wound(s). Keep it clean.

Awesome, thats what I was thinking. I keep em on un-printed newspaper so we should be good. Never fed live rats before so this was def a learning experience.

Thanks guys!

To avoid nippy rats, try downsizing. Small rats and weanlings are practically helpless. So instead of feeding larger and less often, you can feed smaller and more frequent. It definitely saves the trouble of dealing with a freaked out rat and the possibilities of injury.

Edit: also try just putting the rat into the enclosure itself. Dangling it will only frighten it more, which increases the chances of it biting. Just monitor the feeding and be prepared to assist your snake if anything happens.

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Do not use hydrogen peroxide on the wound. This effects the tissues ability to heal. What you want to use is betadyne. You can find it at your pharmacy.

Peroxide is best used on deep tissue punctures it kills anaerobic bacteria very very well but aerobic ones not so well surface cuts do best with other methods. I'd just keep it clean and maybe use a dab of poly once if at all. Polysporin regular NO PAIN KILLERS added!