help! scale rot? looks terrible!

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Originally Posted by greghall

its most likely a burn those zoo meds get HOT! thermostat aways!

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I measure the temperature with a digital thermometer; the temps never get high, rarely higher than low 90s, typically in 80s.
The UTH doesn't get HOT to the touch, inside or outside of the tank

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Originally Posted by ChicaPiton519

I would first call all the vets in your town, and see if they can see you for an emergency.



i've never delt with scale rot, my question really is how often have you handled her lately? that looks like its been in the works for a few weeks.

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I used to handle her every night, since I got off of work at 11pm when she was beginning to get active.
I've moved home now and have been busy, away from home, or otherwise on a different schedule. She's been in her hide often, and I haven't bothered her.
I should have been checking on her!

is that temp taken at the top of the substrate? i know my bps like to dig under theirs...

either way, get out your yellow pages and call vets.... if one is open tonight it will be easier on the snake to get treatment now - either way if they are not you need to figure out when you can get in...

the humididity should be at 55-60% Constantly. Up it to about 70% for shed times, but generally, you do no have to, as 55-60% is fine for most normal shedding ball pythons. The low humidity is why you were having a bad shed, or may have had bad sheds previously as well.

What are you using to heat the Tub? I would suggest just cleaning the normal enclosure TONIGHT.

Is the Under tank heater on a thermostat? if not, you NEED to have one, or a dimmer. They cause burns. ( not always, but in this case, im going to assume yes, that is likely the case, which means you have to either do what kelly is telling you and get the soloution, or get some Neosporin ( WITHOUT the painkiller) and Clean the area Gently and apply lightly ( i have personally used Neosporin on a burn before, and the animal healed fine, but, it was a LIGHT burn, and not nearly as severe as this).
Call a vet in the AM, call a few if you have to, but make an appointment happen. This is probably going to be a little pricy if you have never brought the animal in before, but you WILL lose the animal if you dont know how to care for such a bad case.

You need to put some space between the bottom of the tank where the UTH is and the animal. Some newspaper ( take a few sheets and fold them up over the area inside the tank) and then put substrate down. You need to keep the snake from continuing to get burned.

I found a vet hospital I can bring her to tonight.
Bringing her over RIGHT NOW

:) good! keep us updated!

I think they have been known to have hot spikes. If she is laying on it and it spikes she can get burned. This doesn't look like a quick burn. I am leaning towards scale rot from unsanitary conditions. How often do you change his bark?

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Originally Posted by IRIEdub

I found a vet hospital I can bring her to tonight.
Bringing her over RIGHT NOW

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Good luck. Im glad you are doing this tonight! :gj::gj::gj:

Ive used the small & med size the small gets 110 degrees mesured with a temp gun! the bigger one gets 130+ degrees without thermostat.

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Originally Posted by FatBoy

I think they have been known to have hot spikes. If she is laying on it and it spikes she can get burned. This doesn't look like a quick burn. I am leaning towards scale rot from unsanitary conditions. How often do you change his bark?

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Vet says that it does appear to be a bacterial infection

How should I effectively clean her tank?
How can I better maintain the temperature (which does not seem to stay high enough without additional heat via lamp) and humidity?
What substrate should I be using? For now I'll just have her on newspaper after I clean the tank.