Help! Burn or Scale Rot?

Most people on here would rather tell you about the "simple" question of: "Is it a burn or is it scale rot?" to take your pet to a qualified herp vet who could tell you for sure. It's not easy to diagnose something over the internet, and no one here would suggest that you take their opinion/advice over that of a qualified herp vet (and I say qualified here because a vet not used to dealing with reptiles isn't going to be as effective).

I found a thread with photos about scale rot and about a burn. Seeing as how your snake was being kept in an enclosure that your parents weren't willing to clean should it get dirty, scale rot is a possibility, as yours snake could have been lying in dampness/filth. It's also possible that it is a burn, as you have your snake set up with an unregulated UTH. Without photos, it's impossible for anyone to even make an educated guess.

I hope these threads help you out:

This one mentions a case of scale rot (though she does say that a burn could have been the initial irritant): http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...cale+Rot+Photo

This thread is about a snake with a burn:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=28174

Even with these references, there are varying degrees of burns/scale rot...so again, only a qualified herp vet will be able to tell you for sure. If it was a qualified herp vet that your mother took your snake to, I would be inclined to think that he provided the proper diagnosis/treatment. If you feel, after you get your snake back, that it was an incorrect diagnosis, you might consider taking your snake to a different qualified herp vet for a second opinion.

i think that you need to change the way you are talking. you may have mentioned that your friend has had a reptile for over 20 years but just because he/she has doesnt mean that something new hasnt came out, and the ball python doesnt need medical attention, can your friend give a proper diagnosis and medicine to treat your ball python? thats why you need to take it to a herp vet.

Okay, well...my Mom called today, and just as I suspected, the Animal Hospital told her that the snake hasn't seen any improvement, and that she's still "suffering," and they recommend we allow her to remain in the incubator there for $20 a day until an improvement is shown. This is what I'm talking about. It makes me absolutely sick. I told my Mom today, I hoped your learned a lesson, to which she agreed (no mean intentions, just constructive criticism).

No kidding she hasn't seen any improvements! It couldn't have been a burn, I've used the exact same substrate, heating source, yada yada, and this wouldn't all of a sudden happen (although some of you may argue, the temps/etc. may fluctuate, but are house temperatures remain the same give or take one degree). So it's obviously either a scale rot or something else, and thank the Lord my Mom is picking her up tomorrow, and is going to take her straight to the person she should've taken her to in the first place.

Just as a side note, to affirm the credibility of this "Animal Hospital"...this is coming from one of the technicians there, who was talking with my Mom when she first brought the snake in..."Ohh, she's just a baby. Do you know how large these snakes grow up to be?" My Mom said, "Oh boy, no, how long?" "15 feet," replied the technician. 15 feet!!! She said ball pythons grow to be 15 feet. Enough said.

Well anyway, I plan on calling the place later today to have a word with them, and try to get them to reimburst my Mom somewhat, even though she made the poor decision to go there in the first place.

Don't take this the wrong way but your priorities are backwards. If paying a herp vet to care for your snake bothers you more than the fact your snake needs serious care I am afraid you should have waited a while before buying youre snake. It sounds to me like that snake was living in terrible conditions ever since you left. If you are a long time herp lover as you earlier stated then you would have never let the snake live in those conditions. I am not even talking about it's injury here either. I am talking about leaving it in a persons care who hates the snake and will not clean it's enclosure. This has nothing to do with your mother and everything to do with you being a responsible snake owner. Your mother can't be blaimed for a thing here.

As far as the $20 a day fee for your herp vet to keep watch over your snake. If the snake is not improving at the vets I highly doubt your are going to be helping the snake by taking it out once again causing it more stress only to bring it to your friends house who most likely does not have anything that snake is going to need to treat it's current condition.

As a snake lover I know I would be much more at ease knowing an experienced herp vet was overseeing my snake than anybody else. Then again, I don't view my snake a $ symbol either.

Let me also add that it very well could be a burn. If you are using an unregulated heat source regardless of how long you have got by without a burn, the ingredients are all there for serious injury to your snake. If you did not know that a rheostat/thermostat is an absolute must have for the proper care of your snake then I highly doubt you are qualified to diagnose your snakes problem. That is not meant as an insult either, it is what it is.

I also wonder why your friend with all the experience didnt key you in on this?

I agree with BostonMack completely.

At first I thought the OP just had bad information on caring for snakes, but now that he's gotten the absolute best advice from several stellar keepers, it seems that he is just flat out in denial to the fact that this is entirely his fault.

I don't understand why someone would have a pet they are incapable of caring for both physically and financially. I'd call that irresponsible.

"Just as a side note, to affirm the credibility of this "Animal Hospital"...this is coming from one of the technicians there, who was talking with my Mom when she first brought the snake in..."Ohh, she's just a baby. Do you know how large these snakes grow up to be?" My Mom said, "Oh boy, no, how long?" "15 feet," replied the technician. 15 feet!!! She said ball pythons grow to be 15 feet. Enough said."


You mentioned earlier in this thread that Ball Pythons live for 50 years. Should this affirm your credibility as a BP owner?

You need to put your pride aside here and listen to what people are saying. This forum can healp you through pretty much anything but it cannot diagnose your problem. You are in the company of some of the most respected names in BP breeding as well as some super knowlegable collectors/enthusiasts all of which are willing to help at the drop of a hat. You are talking as if you already have all the answers, you obviously don't. I don't know what you have against vets, the money? I don't know but I hope you think about it before bringing your snake somewhere that may not be able to provide it's proper care.

I feel sorry for the poor snake....

I now that you mean Sarah, i have talked to people that didn't even know that ball pythons shed. he thought that was what there poop looked some times. it is a sad thing when you have a wonderful animal, and a not so wonderful owner.

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Originally Posted by BostonMacK

"Just as a side note, to affirm the credibility of this "Animal Hospital"...this is coming from one of the technicians there, who was talking with my Mom when she first brought the snake in..."Ohh, she's just a baby. Do you know how large these snakes grow up to be?" My Mom said, "Oh boy, no, how long?" "15 feet," replied the technician. 15 feet!!! She said ball pythons grow to be 15 feet. Enough said."


You mentioned earlier in this thread that Ball Pythons live for 50 years. Should this affirm your credibility as a BP owner?

You need to put your pride aside here and listen to what people are saying. This forum can healp you through pretty much anything but it cannot diagnose your problem. You are in the company of some of the most respected names in BP breeding as well as some super knowlegable collectors/enthusiasts all of which are willing to help at the drop of a hat. You are talking as if you already have all the answers, you obviously don't. I don't know what you have against vets, the money? I don't know but I hope you think about it before bringing your snake somewhere that may not be able to provide it's proper care.

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Let's see Boston...the longest lived ball python on recording lived to be around 47-49 years old (different sources report slightly different numbers)...have you ever heard (or read) of a ball python exceeding 6 feet in length? I'll let you answer that. Since a ball python has lived pretty CLOSE to 50 years, when one goes to buy a ball python, they should know that it COULD live to be 50 years. Are you saying someone should buy a ball python thinking they are only going to live to be 30? If so, what if it gets to be 30, and they're saying, you're not dead yet? Now you can reaffirm my credibility.

I'm not talking like I have ALL the answers, but I do have a LOT of answers, and I know when something isn't going to be the answer, like my Mom taking my snake to the "Vet." I don't have anything against vets, but when I know something shouldn't have been done, when it was done, disregarding the $185, I have a problem. Taking our bird to get his wings clipped (like we used to) to the vet, excellent. Taking our dog for the required shots, excellent. Taking a ball python in, without my knowledge, about something that could've been fixed by someone who knows more than this vet, for free, without giving the python antibiotics it obviously didn't need, not good.

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Originally Posted by beachvibesbyeff

Taking a ball python in, without my knowledge, about something that could've been fixed by someone who knows more than this vet, for free, without giving the python antibiotics it obviously didn't need, not good.

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Your snake is in DISTRESS, it was ABSOLUTELY the right decision to take it to a veterinarian for medical attention. It blows my mind that you believe otherwise. What medical background do YOU have that you can say it doesn't need antibiotics?

Shame on you for making your mother feel badly because she cared enough to get it immediate medical attention!