Help!!

Hello, I just rescued three BPs today. On the way home, one nearly died( suverly dehydrated, hasn't had a proper meal in a while probably, etc) he was caged with another snake that would make him spit out his meal and eat it, and probably hogged the water too. The previous owner separated them, i don't know how long ago, seems to be shortly after she gave them to me, but the other snake bit him(not sure where, if it was more than once, etc).
Anyway, to the point, I noticed that near the end his tale under the scales where pink-ish red-ish, several patches. I could post several pictures but uncertain how to at the moment, I just want this out there while I figure out how to post them, if it's scale rot I already have stuff to heal it if it's just on the outside(i've heard scale rot can go on the inside too?) He also is like scratch marks on his underbelly, i don't know what from, nor do i have a picture from the enclosures when i got them(I immediately came home, partially revived him, then changed all their cages and soaked the bowls and hides.)

Here's after a bit of soaking in water(which he looks 2-3 times better than earlier)-
http://s32.postimg.org/xlyccd9vl/20160511_170316.jpg



And these are of the pink/red spots near the end of the tale

http://s32.postimg.org/73uwij6m9/20160512_003952.jpg

http://s32.postimg.org/6kl7viptt/20160512_003941.jpg

http://s32.postimg.org/7kbir84zl/20160512_003610.jpg

http://s32.postimg.org/gyhgb0l6p/20160512_003314.jpg

Those look more like burns, I'm guessing that whoever you got him from was using an under-tank heater without a thermostat.

Whether it's a burn or scale rot the treatment is basically the same:
- soak once a day in water with enough iodine/betadine added to make it look like weak iced tea,
- apply silvadene (available online at http://www.mountainside-medical.com) to the affected area,
- keep them on paper substrate, clean and disinfect the enclosure ASAP after the snake makes a mess, and
- make sure that all of your heat sources are correctly regulated so the wounds don't get worse.

Thank you so much for responding!!
Yes, she used heating mats for under the tank. She also gave to me but i haven't looked at em too much, but doesn't look like they have a thermostat, and several inches of dirt as substrate. What if he tries to drink the water with betadine in it? Would that be okay? When my snakes got scale rot I soaked them in sea salt water everyday, then put betadine on afterwards.
And I definitely keep them on paper towels substrate, only thing in their tanks otherwise is the humidity boxes(has some dirt in it and moss). Other than my boa, I don't generally use heat mats.
What would you say would be a good regular heat source would be for him? He's still VERY dehydrated(and im trying to make sure he doesn't drink or soak in water too much) and very thin. When should I feed him next? Should I still feed him regularly? Or like my last rescue in bad condition, about once a week, sometimes less than a week? The owner said he ate the morning of yesterday, she didn't clearify if he ate three mice himself, or if she fed them each one mice.
I have him in a 20 gallon tank right now, when he's better I'll move him back into a 40 gallon though.
Also, my family and I have a good amount of medical stuff, including the silvadene cream, but we're getting low so thank you for the website :)

Also, how long should I soak him for?

That is probably the most emaciated ball python I have ever seen. They are pretty tough though. Good luck going forward.

I agree, he's the worst one out of them all, even if I include the one i rescued last year(she was in bad shape when I got her too). What's even sad is that those pictures are even after him looking 2-3 times better from when I first got him, I think as long as he has nothing major going on from the inside of his body, he'll make it. Thank you though.

ive heard that importers soak severely dehydrated BP's in gatorade to breathe life into them. the electrolytes help. it made their belly reddish and cute like this:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4VXrkZe4Wm...all+python.jpg

i would imagine they would get sticky tho. umm maybe search this method on the forum first lol.

also i would at least add 1 hide to your tanks. i'm sure the BP's are really stressed with the move and being soaked. give them something they can hide away in so they feel a bit of security.


Edit: good luck and thank u for rescuing these snakes. :)

All my snakes have at least one hide, water dish(pythons are in the center of the tank) and a humidity box. I rarely see Kenichi(the one that nearly died) move unless I touch him. Thankfully he hasn't laid as though he was dead yet, I'm about to soak him(which I was doing in the one picture, so that wasn't his actual tank) and he's doing much better now, but still in a very bad state. I'll take a picture in just a minute to show you. He also doesn't go in the hide, sometimes he'll have some part of him in the humidity box but that's kid of rare-ish.
I'll definitely look up the gatorade thing :) Thank you very much!
Thank you for wishing me luck!!

Pedelite isn't also a good thing to help. Get the clear sugar free stuff.

Sorry for the pics ending bad, but the best I can do. He's also still in a twenty gallon and im trying to make or find a smaller hide or humidity box so he has more room to roam.
http://s32.postimg.org/ioe59c60x/20160512_214031.jpg

http://s32.postimg.org/psvyidda9/20160512_214050.jpg

Sigh. Nix the Pedialite and Gatorate. You don't want sugar in those wounds. Just water for rehydrating is fine, and keep the humidity as high as you can. Cover the tops of the enclosures with foil or plastic wrap to keep more humidity inside.

If they take frozen/thaw mice then offer the feeder wet, which will also help rehydrate the snakes.

I would remove that cave hide - it's too big for your snake anyway - and replace the water bowl with something bigger, like a Pyrex 9x9 baking dish, which will help increase the humidity and allow the snake to soak if it wants to.

I typically soak my snakes in sea salt water about every other week, more or less. I'll probably soak him in sea salt water every other day, and the other days just regular water. Not sure if I should do the betadine water in case he drinks some.
Will do when I feed him f/t(previous owner says him and the female will eat f/t, but not the youngest one- which is in good health that i've seen so far). Any ideas on when to feed him next though?
I will take the hide out, since he's not even using it anyway, and put a bigger water dish in there. Not sure if I have a Pyrex 9x9 though, but i'm sure I have something I could use.
Thank you so much by the way guys!!

Where did you come up with soaking in salt water? What is it supposed to help with?

Just for all those who were wondering the pedialite was for drinking not soaking. I know I didn't really specify. Sorry about that.

The sea salt was something my mother told me to do(whose had BP experience for somewhere around 10-20 years now? I think over 20 years? not sure)

What would the pedialite do now? How would I give it to him?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nitewolfie

The sea salt was something my mother told me to do(whose had BP experience for somewhere around 10-20 years now? I think over 20 years? not sure)

What would the pedialite do now? How would I give it to him?

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Its a way to get him rehydrated if hes still dehydrated. To give it to him you'd poor it in his water dish instead of water for 24 hours then replace it with water.. You don't keen much the salt in it can reek havoc on their already fragile kidneys.

Update: This is so depressing news and thank you all for your input in this, but Kenichi has passed(the worst one of the three I rescued) we're pretty sure of.

I'm sorry. It hurts to lose one after doing all you could for it. Hopefully the others will pull through.

i'm so sorry to hear that.

:hug:

u did a good thing rescuing them and u tried. sometimes they're just too far gone. i hope it goes better for the other 2.

Can't believe no one has suggested this yet, but TAKE THEM TO THE VET!! A vet visit might have saved the one that just passed. If your other ones are bad off these remedies being suggested work great, but we aren't doctors and can't tell if there's something going on internally. Also, prescription meds may end up working better or being more appropriate. Please take them asap!

And THANK YOU for trying your best and rescuing them. Hopefully you won't lose any more and the remaining ones can make full recoveries. Good luck!

It's fine guys, thank you. Well it's not fine and does hurt, but it'll be okay. He's not suffering anymore and after at least a little while more making sure the other two are fine(all that i've noticed is Muzuchi looks a little dehydrated) I can tempt to save another BP.
Which I just got back from the store and got Fluker's Repta+boost to see if this will help, and some other things as well! Raiden doesn't seem as though anythings wrong with him, and he ate his first f/t mouse this morning! Also the first time I was successful in feeding f/t so im happy about that at least.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by O'Mathghamhna

Can't believe no one has suggested this yet, but TAKE THEM TO THE VET!! A vet visit might have saved the one that just passed. If your other ones are bad off these remedies being suggested work great, but we aren't doctors and can't tell if there's something going on internally. Also, prescription meds may end up working better or being more appropriate. Please take them asap!

And THANK YOU for trying your best and rescuing them. Hopefully you won't lose any more and the remaining ones can make full recoveries. Good luck!

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I didn't know until after my pet store visit just now that there were any vets that would check them out in my area.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nitewolfie

I didn't know until after my pet store visit just now that there were any vets that would check them out in my area.

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OK, well go ahead and get them checked out asap, especially with dehydration. If one is dehydrted and you attempt to give it anything but rehydration solution or water it will probably die as well. Dehydrated animals MUST be hydrated before receiving food or nutrients or they won't be able to properly absorb anything. The vet may attempt to tube or give subcutaneous IV fluids for quicker absorption.

Update: Mizuchi doesn't seem dehydrated- if anything shes just underweight( I don't have a scale just yet so I can't tell you her exact weight, I can just say she weighs less than Ryuu whose about a foot less in length than Mizuchi). Has a few scars though and seems very docile(at least with humans).