:( Scale rot or burn?

So my recently acquired ball python appears to have come down with either a burn or scale rot. I will admit I did not have a thermostat for the first week I had the snake. But I did buy one and it has been in use ever since. He has not eaten since I had him and before I had him he had not eaten since November due to breeding apparently. I tried offering him a frozen thawed mouse but he was not interested so I will be trying pre killed next and some other tricks perhaps before I have to feed him live.

He has not pooped or anything since I've had him either and his temps and humidity are in the right range. I use an accurite thermometer to monitor this with a probe as well which is why it confuses me that he would have scale rot. He looks like he's shedding and the shed on his belly is brown. I started using neosporin(without the pain reliever) today. Here's some pictures, any opinions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I feel like such a horrible Mom :( Especially since I know better then to go without a thermostat for even that short a period of time. If I didn't have the money for the thermostat at the time I should have waited to get the snake til my next pay period when I did. Also his whole belly is not like this, it's mainly halfway up and then it stops.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t...r/DSCF2549.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t...r/DSCF2545.jpg

Ouch, that looks to me like a burn...and will need a vet check :( Good luck!

Oh that looks painfull :( Im not sure how much pain snakes feel but that doesnt look good! Vet A.S.A.P!! and good luck

Thanks guys! I'll try to find someone. You would think being in the capital region of New York, that would be fairly simple but it's proven not to be heh.

Sorry to double post but could someone tell me how long to soak him in the betadine solution and should I do it like you would when soaking them to remove shed? Thank you!

I wouldn't home treat for a burn that bad....

That animal needs to see a qualified vet. This is not an injury you can treat yourself. That is a severe case of scale rot or a really bad burn. You can see the scales flaking off. That's not normal.

You mentioned something about it being difficult to find a vet in the capitol region of NY? I believe BPs are illegal in NYC so you might want to look outside NYC for a vet.

Oh dear.....poor baby :(

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Originally Posted by cinderbird

That animal needs to see a qualified vet. This is not an injury you can treat yourself. That is a severe case of scale rot or a really bad burn. You can see the scales flaking off. That's not normal.

You mentioned something about it being difficult to find a vet in the capitol region of NY? I believe BPs are illegal in NYC so you might want to look outside NYC for a vet.

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The capital region is not NYC area, it's the Albany area. I'm just home treating until the appointment as it's better then nothing.

Until you find a vet
1. Soak the snake daily in a tub with some betadine added (tea colored), for 30 minutes pat dry.
2. Apply a thin layer of neosporin (without pain killer additive)
3. Use paper towel substrate.
4. Make sure it has water, but NOT a large dish for him to soak in.
5. Monitor wounds for increased redness, swelling, and or drainage.

I hope this helps, and please keep me informed of it's progress.

Thank you so much! I will definitely keep everyone informed :/ I hope he gets better. I found what seems to be a knowledgeable vet from Voorheesville. Hope whatever he prescribes will help :/

Nooooooo I'd never ever put neosporin on a burn that bad! It's okay for minor burns but it's definitely not meant for burns that bad and can actually make it worse...

Well seeing as the animal has no opened areas, the neosporin will be fine, if it had open burns, I would have recommended a silvadene cream.

He has absolutely no blistering. I think the brown flakey part is actually the necrotic skin shedding off from the burn. I'm not sure if his belly is that color because it's burnt or because it's fresh skin that was under the brown dead skin flaking off.

Progress report! I took him to the vet who prescribed silvadene and baytril. He says it is scale rot AND a burn. I had a feeling it was, because before i got him a heavier duty dish, I had a plastic tub for him to soak in that he had managed to overturn and he was basically swimming in water when I had got home from work which is probably why he had the scale rot. I feel so bad that he's in pain. But hopefully with antibiotics and changing the papertowel daily, it will get better.

The vet said I should ditch the heating pad until he heals and use a bulb instead but I use a tub enclosure so I'm wondering what I should do. Thoughts? For now I've turned off the heating pad entirely as it's 80 degrees in the room right now. The heating pad is getting really hot even with the thermostat at the lowest setting(It's the Repti Temp 500). Any ideas? Maybe just a malfunctioning heating pad?

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Originally Posted by leaveittoweaver

Progress report! I took him to the vet who prescribed silvadene and baytril. He says it is scale rot AND a burn. I had a feeling it was, because before i got him a heavier duty dish, I had a plastic tub for him to soak in that he had managed to overturn and he was basically swimming in water when I had got home from work which is probably why he had the scale rot. I feel so bad that he's in pain. But hopefully with antibiotics and changing the papertowel daily, it will get better.

The vet said I should ditch the heating pad until he heals and use a bulb instead but I use a tub enclosure so I'm wondering what I should do. Thoughts? For now I've turned off the heating pad entirely as it's 80 degrees in the room right now. The heating pad is getting really hot even with the thermostat at the lowest setting(It's the Repti Temp 500). Any ideas? Maybe just a malfunctioning heating pad?

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It's not a malfunctioning pad, it's a crappy thermostat. I suggest getting a better one. I use two of these. http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...9902064&sr=8-1 For such a cheap thermostat that work okay....to the point where the temps are staying where I set them at. If you want a better quality one let me know I can give you some suggestions.

Oh great! Thanks so much. I will purchase one. Any idea on heat in the mean time?

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Originally Posted by leaveittoweaver

The capital region is not NYC area, it's the Albany area. I'm just home treating until the appointment as it's better then nothing.

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Derp on me lol.

Glad you got him to a vet and diagnosed. :) Hope he gets all better for ya

I've use two ReptiTemp 500Rs for my Ball pythons for the past two years now. They aren't too bad but are deff the cheapest decent working thermostats you can buy.

Where do you have the probe from the thermostat placed? Is it anywhere touching the heat pad?

Yes the probe is touching it directly from underneath the tub, that's the way it's supposed to be right?

Thank you for the well wishes everyone!

Yea definitely invest in a Hydrofarm thermostat. It is easy to use and set up.
It is definitely a life saver. You can set the temp and it will keep the temp there varying +/- 4-5 degrees. But it's so comforting to know your snake isn't sitting on a heating pad that is 120+ degrees! Yikes!

I'm glad you took the snake to a vet. Way to go! Keep us updated.