HELP! I'm a bad mom :( BURN/SCALE ROT??

HELP!

I haven't been handling my boy recently, especially since he's been ready to shed, but i took him out a few days ago to realize that he had pushed all of the substrate from his hide so the bare glass was too hot from the heating pad under the glass!

I noticed some odd scales-swollen, and figured they were just irritated from the heat, and turned off the pad and put and extra lamp on instead.

I read up on what exactly these odd irritated scales were, and came across info on scale rot and burns, which really has me worried...

I checked on him a few days later (today) to see that the swollen (fluid filled) blistered scales have decreased, but he still has irritated scales that look bloody underneath and even a spot that looks to be the start of scale rot! :(

Please look at my photos and tell me what you think! what immediate action should I take? I don't even know of any local vets I could take him to, or if i should attempt to clean him myself? I'm a bad mom and I feel horrible for not noticing or handling him sooner :(

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...n/IMG_3705.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...n/IMG_3698.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...n/IMG_3693.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...n/IMG_3699.jpg

If your worried, take him to see a herp vet.

Hi,

It definately looks like something you want to have looked at.

Hopefully some of these links can help you find a qualified herp vet near you.

Link 1.

Link 2.

If you give the other members an idea of where you are they might also be able to suggest someone - and also asking any local zoo's or exotic pet shops can give good contacts.

Sometimes even non-herp vets might know of someone local they can recomend.

In the meantime I would use paper towels or newspaper as a substrate to help keep it clean and look around for info on thermostats to control the UTH so it can be used safely in the future.

When you set it up always measure the temps on the bare glass as that is the maximum the snake can be exposed to and set that to around 93-95f and then adjust the depth of the substrate till the inside of the hot hide is in the 90-94f range.

Good luck with the lil guy and keep us posted about how he gets on at the vets etc.


dr del

I know there is one in Leesburg not sure the number ... I can call my vet monday and find out but I would want to see if Icould get that taken care of sooner.
You might find a vet that treats closer to you but you might find yourself in my position ... while my vet sees and treats snakes he is far from an expert and won't treat certian things ... the two "experts" closest to me are Leesbug VA and West minster MD

Good luck!!

Hi,

Noticed the city name in your info so managed to find these vets registered in fairfax that are on either ARAV (first two) or herpvet connection;

Dr Hillary Segl
11725 Lee Hwy, Ste. A-15C
Fairfax, VA 22030
United States
Fax : (703) 272-7806
Office Phone: (703) 272-7810


Dr Scott J. Stahl
12505 Easter Ln
Fairfax, VA 22030
United States
Fax : (703) 281-3730
Office Phone: (703) 281-3750

Kelley McDonald, DVM
Eastern Exotic Veterinary Center
4001 Legato Road
Fairfax, VA 22033
Tel: (703) 654-3100
Fax: (703) 654-3109
Website.

Hope this helps.


dr del

Another thing that is important, after you take him to the vet, make sure you get some type of thermostat to regulate the temperatures on the UTH, to prevent it from getting that hot ever again.

Get some good probe thermometers to measure the proper heat levels on both sides of the cages, under substrate.

Good luck finding a vet as soon as possible!

I take my guys to stahls exotics in vienna

THANK YOU ALL for your help, and for going out of your way to give me some kind of information about vets and whatnot.

Good news! my lil guy has healed a great deal-
He had a pretty good shed, and I moved him into a different tank with newspaper to prevent infection, and his scales are still a little red and sore, but his belly gets cleaned and polysporin applied everyday, I am still a little worried about his healing time, its been time for him to feed, but I don't know if he's ready for that yet? plus I don't really want a dirty mouse around him right now :/

He will let you know if it's time to eat. I would try feeding him.

Snakes have no maternal instinct past hatching. You are not it's Mom.
If you were, you should have let it slither away long ago.
Check out some caresheets and get yourself set up properly.
Your snake will more than likely have another shed soon after the past one if the scales are as damaged as you say they are.
Keep using polysporin, paper towel substrate and keep enclosure clean.
Offer it food and if it refuses then wait a week or until after it's next shed.
-Steven