Please help!!!

I came home and found my new spider has gotten stuck in the ONE piece of (electrical) tape that was being used to hold the thermometer in place at the bottom of his cage under the bedding!

I cut him free...he was pulling at it and it was stuck twords the end of his tail and high on his neck. My dad got it off for me and he's missing a few scales, but that was what he had already done...

I'm FREAKING OUT. I don't see any tears in his skin except maybe one small red spot. The rest looks mainly just streached out (like it would at feeding). I'm posting pics to get your advice. I can't find any vet close by that takes reptiles after hours and don't know what to do.

I already rinced it off with water (helped loosen the tape) and have put a triple antibiotic on the spots where the tape was. I don't know what else I can do right now for him...please let me know if you have any advice.


http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...8/DSCF1091.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...8/DSCF1087.jpg

the back isn't as bad as the front, but that's where lost a couple scales...
http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...8/DSCF1082.jpg

PS all tape is out of his tank and he's on paper towls. The med I put on him does not have a pain relief chemical.

sorry the pics aren't great but I can't stop shaking and have a crappy camera. He's shiny b/c of the ointment...He has a small ball type piece of skin behind the red spot on his neck.

Should I wait until morning and see how he's doing? I'm trying to settle down and not freak HIM out too much. He's in his hide...

I feel like such a TERRIBLE owner...

The snake should be fine, but you are never supposed to use tape in the enclosures.

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Originally Posted by tiny_tiger60978

sorry the pics aren't great but I can't stop shaking and have a crappy camera. He's shiny b/c of the ointment...He has a small ball type piece of skin behind the red spot on his neck.

Should I wait until morning and see how he's doing? I'm trying to settle down and not freak HIM out too much. He's in his hide...

I feel like such a TERRIBLE owner...

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He should be fine, but never never use tape on the inside of an enclosure

sadly I know that now...too late.

Think he should see a vet or be ok on his own? I don't mind taking him, but if it's a waste of money...

I think that should be added to the care sheet...I never read anything about tape...no blaming, just for future users new like me...

He should not need to go to the vet, he should be fine if there are no open wounds. The missing scales and the red spot should heal fine on their own.

I too agree that should be added to the care sheet, it is way to common of a mistake. Do not worry, your snake should heal just fine, and it is a lesson learned.

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Originally Posted by tiny_tiger60978

sadly I know that now...too late.

Think he should see a vet or be ok on his own? I don't mind taking him, but if it's a waste of money...

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he should be fine, just keep an eye on it

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Originally Posted by bsash

He should not need to go to the vet, he should be fine if there are no open wounds. The missing scales and the red spot should heal fine on their own.

I too agree that should be added to the care sheet, it is way to common of a mistake. Do not worry, your snake should heal just fine, and it is a lesson learned.

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I hate learning lessons the hard way...and just feel bad if he suffered/stressed at all. I'll try to post pics in the morning when hopefully his skin isnt streched out...

Thanks for all the advice everyone

I agree. He should be fine. Doesn't look like much damage was done and if there's no blood that's a good sign.

As for the paper towels, i'd stick with them. I used to use small BP approved wood chip bedding but it got to be a pain in the real so I switched to paper towels.

SO MUCH BETTER!

Your snake will be alright. Just keep an eye on him. Most of the 'damage' should almost disappear during his next shed or two.

Ya it happens so dont feel bad, i learned about keeping ambient temps the hard way by my normal getting a really nasty RI that almost killed her. sorry about ur snake, it should be fine, just keep en eye on it. and if ur snake starts to shed more frequently dont worry, its just the healing process and its a good sign

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Originally Posted by mpkeelee

Ya it happens so dont feel bad, i learned about keeping ambient temps the hard way by my normal getting a really nasty RI that almost killed her. sorry about ur snake, it should be fine, just keep en eye on it. and if ur snake starts to shed more frequently dont worry, its just the healing process and its a good sign

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Thanks for the encouragement and understandin guys...it DOES make me feel at least a little better

Here are some pics from this morning...you can kinda see the red spot better. I think a top layer of skin and scales got pulled back and that's what the "ball" is...

Again, any advice is welcome...

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1093.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1095.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1098.jpg

Doesn't look like it went all the way through to muscle to me though..which I guess is good

Oh, and the spot closer to his tail (if you can define where his tail actually starts and body ends) is just a little swolen looking (?). No skin was pulled back or anything (didn't break the skin there)

Don't worry, you're doing the right thing. Keep it really clean and continue to apply the antibiotic ointment. Make sure it doesn't have pain killer in it though, that's harmful to BPs. It will probably disappear in a shed or two, might leave a little scar but he should be fine :)

I think your snake will recover just fine. Thank you for bringing that error of omission to our attention. The caresheet has now been adjusted to include that warning.

Good luck with the little guy!

For those of you who were wondering, Kumo is doing a lot better. Thought I'd put some updated pics of his wound (?) so yall could see how he has been progressing. I still put a tripple antibiotic ointment on him twice a day (morning and night), as well as let him swim for a minute in a bentadine bath solution (to help make sure he won't still get infected) every other night or so.

He's eating A LOT. He's hungry every other day, so (hoping it will help him heal faster) I feed him about every 4 days. He has neither gained, nor lost weight. He also has yet to shead. I'm kinda worried about that (I mean, sheading is a good sign, so is not sheading a bad sign???)...

All the pictures were taken in natural sunlight (to help the quality so you can better see where he got hurt) in an effort to have better lighting this time. As always, I'm open to suggestions and comments! Thanks for looking and for any more help in advance! :)

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1108.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1106.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1107.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1111.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1112.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1113.jpg



He's still a cutie though! :D

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1114.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1110.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1109.jpg

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Originally Posted by tiny_tiger60978

I think that should be added to the care sheet...I never read anything about tape...no blaming, just for future users new like me...

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It is on the care sheet
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

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Originally Posted by llovelace

It is on the care sheet
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

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It was added AFTER I started this thread...if you read up a little, you'll find the posting from the site managers with the "ISsss Watching You" pic.

I'm glad they added it though...esp if it was a "common" mistake.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JLC

I think your snake will recover just fine. Thank you for bringing that error of omission to our attention. The caresheet has now been adjusted to include that warning.

Good luck with the little guy!

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Your snake looks like it is recovering remarkably well. Nice spider by the way!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tiny_tiger60978

It was added AFTER I started this thread...if you read up a little, you'll find the posting from the site managers with the "ISsss Watching You" pic.

I'm glad they added it though...esp if it was a "common" mistake.

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Yes it is a very common mistake, and your little did get too damaged thankfully, I've seen some bad ones. So don't beat yourself up too bad over it.

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Originally Posted by llovelace

Yes it is a very common mistake, and your little did get too damaged thankfully, I've seen some bad ones. So don't beat yourself up too bad over it.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by python1024

Your snake looks like it is recovering remarkably well. Nice spider by the way!

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Thank you both!!! I still feel bad that it happened, but I think he's doing pretty good so far. I'll feel better after he sheads though...

ahhh looking good. should heal up nicely, just keep doin what ur doin. its a good sign ur guy is still eating after what happened and all the baths and ointments. hes gonna be just fine.
and dont worry about him not shedding yet. once it heals some more it should start shedding off, and with sheds it shouldnt be noticeable.

He finally shed last week! YAY!!! (Sorry I didn't post sooner, but school and family events have kept me busy...) Thought I'd post some post-shed pics so yall can see his progress. He still has a little piece of skin hanging on (barely) wherre the "bump" was, but figure I'll leave it alone and it should come off next time.

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1122.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1127.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1121.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1129.jpg


Thanks for looking!
http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1110.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSCF1126.jpg

hes lookin good, is it still open or does the wound just look that way. either way looks healthy and clean. i wouldnt mess with the piece of stuck shed on it, he might get it off on his own or next time it will come off.