Snake rubbing itself raw

From what I can see, there doesnt appear to be a cut or abrasion opened up. It looks like the inside of his heat pits are a bit inflamed though.

Dianne beat me to it. :)

Just to be sure, pull out the tub and feel every inch of the rack that is covering the tub. Make sure that there is nothing abrasive. If you think it may be abrasive, then it is. Then sand it down. Check the tub as well.

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Originally Posted by Thundermonty

From what I can see, there doesnt appear to be a cut or abrasion opened up. It looks like the inside of his heat pits are a bit inflamed though.

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Inflamation alone will not cause external bleeding. Sounds like the wound closed up or it may inside the lip area.

He'd rub on his glass too just not to this extent. Maybe this plastic is more abrasive. I'll check for any rough spots and monitor him. I'll report back.

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Originally Posted by Thundermonty

Apartment doesnt allow him so had to switch to something more discrete than a glass viv.

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So did you move into an apartment with a snake knowing they aren't allowed? Or did you accquire the snake after, knowing they're not allowed? Either way, not cool. If i was your landlord you'd be evicted immediately.

Part of being a responsible pet owner is housing them properly. Since you're housing them against your rental agreement you're, in my opinion, not housing them responsibly.

My two cents: either find a place to live that allows snakes or rehome the snake.

If you need something more discreet than a glass tank, could you at least get a large plastic bin as big as the tank he had before? And also, big enough to put all his hides in?

FWIW, ball pythons feel secure in hides when they can feel the walls against the sides of their body. The "tub is the hide" thing makes it dark and secluded, but doesn't provide that same tactile feeling of security. Sort of like how lots of people like sleeping under a blanket, even if the room is warm enough not to need one. So that could be one thing missing in the tub.

Even if it's "just" that there's something sharp or rough in there, mashing his face until it bleeds is a sign that something is really not working. Snakes do actually encounter rough objects and sharp-ish edges in the wild and in enclosures with natural materials such as rocks and branches, and they generally manage not to scrape up their faces - again, unless something is really wrong.

One other thing I would check though - is it possible that he got some substrate or some other foreign object stuck in this mouth last time he ate, and he's been rubbing his face trying unsuccessfully to dislodge it?

I acquired the snake not knowing they weren't allowed. I'd seen neighbors with birds and aquariums full of fish. My bad in assuming they'd allow a harmless snake (which would cause way less destruction than a bird - or even a dog).

Now my options are
1. Break my lease and move
2. Rehome him
3. Hide him

I'm going to go with hide him. If anyone thinks that makes me irresponsible then so be it. I got him a really big tub, he has ample room.

So far the rubbing has stopped. It seems like he was initially freaking out trying to escape but has since accepted this is a good place to call home. Will try food later today and see if he takes to it. He's usually a good eater.

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Originally Posted by Coluber42

If you need something more discreet than a glass tank, could you at least get a large plastic bin as big as the tank he had before? And also, big enough to put all his hides in?

One other thing I would check though - is it possible that he got some substrate or some other foreign object stuck in this mouth last time he ate, and he's been rubbing his face trying unsuccessfully to dislodge it?

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This tub has the same floor space as his last tank. And i checked for substrate, there isnt any, but thanks for the suggestion.

He ate like a pig and has stopped rubbing. I'd say we're in the clear.