Help Ball Python tore scales

Hello,

Wish my first post was of a better topic. Long story short. I recently got back into keeping Ball Pythons, I had to take a hiatus in keeping them due to traveling a lot at work. I have 2 in a divided 40g breeding with a heat mat, controlled with a Herpstat. I have a CSerpents rack being delivered tomorrow.

My newest snake a Mojave Het Ghost female managed to tear about an inch of scales. As I did not see what happened, just heard her fall, I am assuming she climbed onto her thermometer and it came unstuck. I checked on her and she was in her hide with the thermometer stuck to her. She had ripped about an inch of scales off. I got the thermometer off with vegetable oil (Thanks Google, seems like its not an uncommon thing to happen). I rinsed her off with water and put Neosporin on the cut/tear. I am attaching pictures of what it looks like. I am not sure what to do. I am going to call some Veterinarians tomorrow morning, hopefully I can find one that deals with reptiles. I just moved to Az so I do not know any Vets here yet. Will a vet be able to do anything for her? Will she be able to shed properly? I feel so bad for her. 1 more day and she would of been in the new rack and this wouldn't have happened. Thank you for any advice.



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I forgot to mention. I replaced her substrate with paper towel to prevent anything from getting in the cut or irritating it.

Good idea using paper towels. Wow, you weren't kidding, that's one heckuva cut. I think she needs stitched, or maybe super-glued (?) to heal well.
I'm not sure what determines when/where glue can be used, but I know that it is sometimes used medically...but I'm NOT in any way suggesting
you do it yourself. I'd have used Neosporin ointment on it too, for now. (only the regular kind, never the "pain relief" version on snakes). I wouldn't
be surprised if the vet puts her on antibiotic too. Shedding will be a challenge for a while...DO get her in to a vet a.s.a.p., one experienced w/ reptiles.

Did you have tape holding the probe on? Tape has not place in a reptile enclosure. Using the cooking oil to remove the adhesive of the tape was a good thing to do to keep from hurting her worse. Just have to make sure you cleaned her well after.

Putting her on paper towel was a good thing. Getting her to the vet would be a good idea as well. They can give you cream to put on it and see if they can put the skin back. She will still have a nice scar assuming infection doesn't kill her. I had a rescue RTB that had open wounds from live feedings when I got her and I would have to look and see the name of the cream they gave me to put on it. It kept the wounds clean and helped her heal.

I'm so sorry to read this, that looks like a pretty decent injury. I'd say a vet trip is in order.

Good call on the paper towel as substrate while the wound heals.

Unfortunately, those stick-on analog thermometers and hygrometers aren't just wildly inaccurate, they're also dangerous.

I wish you and your snake the best with her recovery. Please keep us posted.

Oh man, that looks painful.

1. Vet. Right away.

2. No sticky-backed item of any kind ever in the tank.

3. Let us know how it goes!

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Originally Posted by Skyrivers

Did you have tape holding the probe on? Tape has not place in a reptile enclosure. Using the cooking oil to remove the adhesive of the tape was a good thing to do to keep from hurting her worse. Just have to make sure you cleaned her well after.

Putting her on paper towel was a good thing. Getting her to the vet would be a good idea as well. They can give you cream to put on it and see if they can put the skin back. She will still have a nice scar assuming infection doesn't kill her. I had a rescue RTB that had open wounds from live feedings when I got her and I would have to look and see the name of the cream they gave me to put on it. It kept the wounds clean and helped her heal.

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It was a stick on thermometer. I gave her a good clean after the getting the thermometer off and used Neosporin.

Im going to call the vet as soon as they open this morning.

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

I'm so sorry to read this, that looks like a pretty decent injury. I'd say a vet trip is in order.

Good call on the paper towel as substrate while the wound heals.

Unfortunately, those stick-on analog thermometers and hygrometers aren't just wildly inaccurate, they're also dangerous.

I wish you and your snake the best with her recovery. Please keep us posted.

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Originally Posted by hilabeans

Oh man, that looks painful.

1. Vet. Right away.

2. No sticky-backed item of any kind ever in the tank.

3. Let us know how it goes!

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Vet opens at 730, I will be there waiting for them. I immediately removed the thermometer from my other enclosure. I knew it was not going to be very accurate, I never imagined this though!

I will keep you updated.

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Originally Posted by mattj86

Vet opens at 730, I will be there waiting for them. I immediately removed the thermometer from my other enclosure. I knew it was not going to be very accurate, I never imagined this though!

I will keep you updated.

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Yeah, unfortunately, they're still so common. They should be taken out of stores completely, along with heat rocks.

Thanks for keeping us updated! Best of luck.

How's she doing? What did the vet say & do?

Update would be nice, hope shes feeling at least a little better.

That injury made me cringe a bit. Needless to say, you'll enjoy the CSerpants rack, currently using one myself for my two snakes. Great place, and it will certainly keep her well to recover. Id probably keep her on paper towels for a while, even after its stitched up, so you can monitor anything that may be...coming out...of the cut in the future, or if she re-tears it.

Hope she feels better soon, poor girl.

Sorry for the late update. I am at the vet waiting now. The vet would/could not see her till now. The vet told me she is going to have to sedate her and clean the wound well, as well as try to stitch it. She will also administer an injectable antibiotic. They will be sending me home with a cream and the injectable antibiotic. I have never given a snake an injection before, so, I am a little nervous about that. The vet is going to walk me through it before I leave. I had to drive 1.5 hrs to find a vet that would see her, so, I cant come back everyday for them to do the injection. I will update again once i get home with how everything went.

Sounds like you've had a long day...so glad you got her in to see the vet finally & it sounds like she'll soon be on the mend. :gj:

There are some good Youtube videos that show how to do injections. This one from Snake Discovery comes to mind...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt6NIpvFhCY

I would watch several so you can see how it's done. Nothing beats life experience, but at least you can watch as often as needed to build up your confidence.

So sorry you two are going thru this, hopefully she'll much better stitched up with meds.

Thank you all for the kind words. I will watch that video. The vet is also going to show me how to do it. The vet seems confident that she will be fine. Just going to have to keep an eye on it while the cut heals.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

That looks painful, but I am glad you got her treatment and hopefully she will heal nicely. Please keep us posted and keep your chin up!

Alright, finally got home!

4 stitches, antibiotics(injectable), Silver Sulfadiazine cream, Betadine wash, 6 hours, $280, 170 miles and she is good as new. Well not really, but, the Veterinarian said she should make a full recovery! She seemed to have experience with reptiles and cared. She has seen this happen a few times with the stick-on thermometers.

I have to go back in 28 days to get the stitches removed. Until then, antibiotic shot every 3 days (10 shots total), Betadine wash/soak once a day and apply the SSD cream twice a day. No food for 2 weeks.

I will snap a picture tomorrow, I don't want to bother her anymore she has been through a lot today.

Thanks again for the support!!

That was a very expensive stick-on "cheapie" thermometer...ouch! But it sounds like you found the right vet & your snake is in great hands. :gj:

Ouch, poor baby! Glad to see the vet saw her so soon!

Obviously, feeding is going to be an issue for a while.
I would definitely give time for this to heal over a bit. The 2 weeks is a very good suggestion to wait on.
And this type of wound will take a while to heal! It may even pucker up a bit where you will have to monitor for stuck shed. One snake I'd seen had a little flap where the skin healed on itself.

I don't know what the vet said, but with a snake with a nasty cut on it's neck in the past I had to feed much, much smaller prey every 4 days until it was mostly healed over. Double check with the vet for when they suggest feeding! But I would try to make it a small enough meal that it does not stretch the wound at all. It can put the healing process back quite a bit if it pops back open.
The snake I cared for was a young baby ball, but we did pinkies for 3 months until the skin healed enough to slowly size back up to small adult mice.

Thanks for the update!

I'm glad to hear she's doing ok and on the road to a FULL recovery.
In addition to waiting 2 weeks to feed, I'd also feed smaller prey for the first couple feedings to ensure that the injured area doesn't get stretched out and pop the stiches/re-open the wound.

Your vet sounds pretty knowledgeable, so I'd say it's worth the 90 minute drive, since we hear some nightmarish stories about vets on here fairly often.

Good luck moving forward, please keep us updated periodically.

This is so sad to see. Glad she is on the mend.


and this is why pet stores need to be educated. I will not sell those to customers and I fact have taken them out of their cart and said NO! We dont use these...ever!

It's very telling that even the vet said this isn't anything new to her. :(

This is why I love this forum, people are actually helpful, not overly criticizing. Someone made a mistake and no one was a jerk about it, why cant most BP communities be like this, anything on Facebook is just everyone with a god complex who thinks they are perfect. I LOVE THIS GROUP, BEST EVER !!! You are in the right place, this place has more knowledge on it then you could find anywhere, trust me I've looked.:taz::taz::taz:

Well, the first wash and cream application went well. Not looking forward to the injection in two days; I am sure it will be okay though. She seems to be doing well. She is not trying to hide it as much as yesterday and is more active.
Here is a picture of the stitches.
[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...0921_thumb.jpg[/IMG]

Snakes are pretty good about getting injections. I've had to give some too, not my favorite thing but not because of any lack of cooperation from snakes.

FYI, when snakes have injuries, they tend to shed a bit more frequently as a means to repair. The injured/stitched area will be a challenge as far as stuck shed,
but if you're still doing the "wash & cream" stuff it will help loosen whatever remains anyway. Don't look for a perfect shed for a long time...;)

BTW, I think that was great advice given earlier, about feeding smaller prey items (when she's due to feed) to keep from stretching the injured skin.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

This is so sad to see. Glad she is on the mend.


and this is why pet stores need to be educated. I will not sell those to customers and I fact have taken them out of their cart and said NO! We dont use these...ever!

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

It's very telling that even the vet said this isn't anything new to her. :(

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I agree completely! I do not know how common something like this is (too common I'm sure), but prior to specifically searching for it after it happened, I had not come across it before. I am a Computer Scientist/Engineer, I design developmental/proof tests for new equipment. Research is a large part of my job, this translates to my personal life where I over analyze/research everything before I act, much to the annoyance of my wife!:rofl: Even after spending a minimum of a couple months reading the forum, and books, I never came across this. I can only hope people will see this and either never buy these temp/humidity gauges, or remove them if they already have them. They are not accurate anyway, I only had to give me a rough idea of the humidity.

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Originally Posted by bmwood

This is why I love this forum, people are actually helpful, not overly criticizing. Someone made a mistake and no one was a jerk about it, why cant most BP communities be like this, anything on Facebook is just everyone with a god complex who thinks they are perfect. I LOVE THIS GROUP, BEST EVER !!! You are in the right place, this place has more knowledge on it then you could find anywhere, trust me I've looked.:taz::taz::taz:

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Completely agree!! Yes, I made a mistake; all I got here was advice and kind words though. This is rare on the internet. Although, I may deserve a kick in the @ss:rofl:.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Snakes are pretty good about getting injections. I've had to give some too, not my favorite thing but not because of any lack of cooperation from snakes.

FYI, when snakes have injuries, they tend to shed a bit more frequently as a means to repair. The injured/stitched area will be a challenge as far as stuck shed,
but if you're still doing the "wash & cream" stuff it will help loosen whatever remains anyway. Don't look for a perfect shed for a long time...;)

BTW, I think that was great advice given earlier, about feeding smaller prey items (when she's due to feed) to keep from stretching the injured skin.

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The

The Veterinarian showed me how to give the injection. She jumped a little, other than that it didn't seem too bad. I will follow the advice given about smaller prey when she is ready to eat again.
The Veterinarian said I may have to help her shed around the area, she doesn't think it will be too bad though. I am sure it will be a while before she is back to 100%.

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Originally Posted by mattj86

Well, the first wash and cream application went well. Not looking forward to the injection in two days; I am sure it will be okay though. She seems to be doing well. She is not trying to hide it as much as yesterday and is more active.
Here is a picture of the stitches.
[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...0921_thumb.jpg[/IMG]

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So glad to see your fella got stitched up.. Im thinking this injury will leave a scar, but scars can be beautiful too.. Hope he has a smooth recovery!

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Originally Posted by mattj86

Completely agree!! Yes, I made a mistake; all I got here was advice and kind words though. This is rare on the internet. Although, I may deserve a kick in the @ss:rofl:.

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No...but had you NOT taken him to the vet, you'd have deserved (& gotten) a kick in the glass...;)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

No...but had you NOT taken him to the vet, you'd have deserved (& gotten) a kick in the glass...;)

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Haha fair enough.

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Originally Posted by mattj86

...I can only hope people will see this and either never buy these temp/humidity gauges, or remove them if they already have them. They are not accurate anyway, I only had to give me a rough idea of the humidity.

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You know, if it was something where children were being injured & needing stitches in the hospital, the product would be recalled & off the market...:confusd:

There's even a site for recalls of tainted dog food & dog treats (https://wwwdogfoodadvisor.com) so maybe the herp community needs to be more vocal when
it comes to product safety.

You sure did a good job of reporting it here & we look forward to your snake making a good recovery.

Update. Everything is going well. The antibiotic shot was not too bad, she just flinched a little.
Bogertophis, you were correct about the shedding, or its a coincidence lol, I took her out to apply the cream and she is getting ready to shed. I let her soak before I applied the cream, hopefully, that will make shedding as easy as possible for her. I will probably give her a soak every other day until she sheds.

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Originally Posted by mattj86

Update. Everything is going well. The antibiotic shot was not too bad, she just flinched a little.
Bogertophis, you were correct about the shedding, or its a coincidence lol, I took her out to apply the cream and she is getting ready to shed. I let her soak before I applied the cream, hopefully, that will make shedding as easy as possible for her. I will probably give her a soak every other day until she sheds.

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Did the vet advise soaking her? I wouldn't do that unless the vet encourages you to do so, because that wound is apt to soften & allow an infection to set in.

(misting would be safer, with the wound covered, but I'd ask about that too) Otherwise, I'm glad to hear it's going well, & yes, healing in snakes means more
frequent shedding, lol.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

You know, if it was something where children were being injured & needing stitches in the hospital, the product would be recalled & off the market...:confusd:

There's even a site for recalls of tainted dog food & dog treats (https://wwwdogfoodadvisor.com) so maybe the herp community needs to be more vocal when
it comes to product safety.

You sure did a good job of reporting it here & we look forward to your snake making a good recovery.

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Very true. Great point.

- - - Updated - - -

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Did the vet advise soaking her? I wouldn't do that unless the vet encourages you to do so, because that wound is apt to soften & allow an infection to set in.

(misting would be safer, with the wound covered, but I'd ask about that too) Otherwise, I'm glad to hear it's going well, & yes, healing in snakes means more
frequent shedding, lol.

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^^^^ agreed ^^^^

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Originally Posted by bmwood

This is why I love this forum, people are actually helpful, not overly criticizing. Someone made a mistake and no one was a jerk about it, why cant most BP communities be like this, anything on Facebook is just everyone with a god complex who thinks they are perfect. I LOVE THIS GROUP, BEST EVER !!! You are in the right place, this place has more knowledge on it then you could find anywhere, trust me I've looked.:taz::taz::taz:

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Hehehehehehehehe.... does that mean I can be the resident troll?


Just kidding. Happy he got stitched up and OP got educated.

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Originally Posted by Skyrivers

Hehehehehehehehe.... does that mean I can be the resident troll? ....

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I think that position has already been filled...;)

Thank you for the advice. The Vet did give me a Betadine solution to wash/soak her in. I diluted that down in water. I think what you are saying makes sense though, so I am going to mist as advised. I will double check with the vet.

I have to go away tomorrow on business for a few days so she is with a pet sitter. She is in good hands, I found someone semi-local (~1.5 hrs away, close to the Vet office) who has experience in exotic animal medicine. So, she might be in better hands than mine. :rofl:I have definitely learned a lot from this experience though.

On a side note, my V18 CSerpents rack came in. It is a great quality rack. I will make a post for that in the next few days.

OK, great...washing/soaking with Betadine in the water makes a big difference. I just know that typically after surgery with stitches you have to keep the
area dry for a while, and since it wasn't clear what the vet's instructions were, I thought I'd better say something. I just didn't want your snake to have any
further problems, with infection setting in around the stitches, not after all you both went thru to fix the issue. The Betadine should take care of that. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Skyrivers

Hehehehehehehehe.... does that mean I can be the resident troll?


Just kidding. Happy he got stitched up and OP got educated.

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Yes, I definitely got educated. I still can't believe I overlooked something so obvious.

We've ALL gotten "educated" about one thing or another...the good thing about sharing experiences on a forum is not just getting answers but preventing
someone else from going thru the same thing with their pets.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

We've ALL gotten "educated" about one thing or another...the good thing about sharing experiences on a forum is not just getting answers but preventing
someone else from going thru the same thing with their pets.

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Yes, I hope my mistake will help prevent someone else from making the same mistake.

The good thing about snakes is that when they need stitches, you don't have to make them wear a cone so they can't lick their wounds....:giggle:

Update.
Just got back from my business trip yesterday. Picked up my BP from the pet sitter, everything went well. She shed the day before I picked her up. The pet sitter said that she shed in one piece with no assistance!
I fed her a small mouse fuzzy and she took it without issue.
One of the stitches came out while I was at work today. I do not think it is a major issue, the wound seems to have healed enough to hold itself together. I will call the vet, and send them a picture, to make sure.
I will post a picture tomorrow.

Sounds like she's doing well...hooray! The shed probably loosened one of the stitches, I agree that it's probably no big deal. Hope not anyway, y'all have
been thru enough. I'd do the same thing, check w/ vet in case. :gj:

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Originally Posted by mattj86

Yes, I definitely got educated. I still can't believe I overlooked something so obvious.

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Live and learn! I do it every day. Sometimes more painfully than others.

Thanks for the update! Glad to hear things are going well. But yeah, a double check with the vet sounds like a safe bet.

The vet I have been dealing with was off today, she should give me a call tomorrow.
Here is a picture of how she is progressing. There is a small flap of skin. It looks like dead skin, I think it's a scab or from the shed. I will ask the vet about this too. I don't want to pull it off and hurt her.

[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...4485_thumb.jpg[/IMG]

Looking good! I'd leave the flap alone...I think it will come off on it's own in future sheds...it does appear to be just dead skin but you'd never want to
risk pulling on it, she's still healing.

Exactly what Bogertophis said. Just leave that there for now and it will be fine. Or the vet can snip it with the sutures on the recheck.

The wound is healing so well!
Even after the vet does remove the stitches, I would personally continue on the smaller easy to swallow meals until the next shed is done with. Just to make sure that fresh new skin knits perfectly underneath.