Urgent!!!!

Im fostering a baby ball python and it is in very bad situation. It has been more than one month since he has not shed and eaten. The owner put the bp in a bad substract and that caused a open big wound on his belly. The wound is from his neck to the tail. The bp did not have any heat source to maintain him warm. Neither had no hide box.


I put the bp in a rubbermaid tube, increased the humidity, a hide box and put a heat pad to maintain him warm. Please give me some advice on how to take care of him and if the bp can recover.

http://tinypic.com/i2iwys.jpg
http://tinypic.com/i2ixol.jpg
http://tinypic.com/i2iy5g.jpg
http://tinypic.com/i2j0aw.jpg

Thx in advance and God bless

omg! poor snake!!! where on earth did your rescue him from? i would soak him in warm water for the sheding problem and to clean him a little bit... and maybe use a washcloth to rub him gently with while he soaks. i dont know about the other care but thank you for rescuing him!

-Courtney

Wow, poor thing I don't know what to tell you .

I would get to a reptile vet as soon as possible. That horrible wound needs treatment. I know you're in Puerto Rico so I'm not sure how accessible reptile vets are but another option may be to find a reptile rescue or sanctuary that would be willing to share their expertise and medicine. Short of a real reptile vet, heck, go to the nearest vet for help.

I don't even know the best way to start, but I definately would worry about the stomach wound before I worried about the shedding and feeding. I would also maybe try Adam's balled up newspaper trick (ball up a lot of newspaper and drop it in the plastic tub to provide more shelter. The paper takes up the free space in the tub and makes the snake feel more secure). It may help relieve some of his stress from his abuse from before.

Good luck finding him medical treatment and let us know how it goes, it looks like you have a tough road ahead.

oh my, poor little thing. you need to get him to a vet asap. very seriously ASAP.

It looks like belly rot. I picked this up from another website:


Scale Rot (Neocrotic Dermatitis) appears as enlarged, discolored (rust or reddish-brown), fluid filled scales.

Possible ulceration and breakdown of the skin and underlying tissue. Generally appears on the ventral scales (belly), and can be in one long continuous area or in separate spots. This is a bacterial infection that can be caused by damp substrate, inadequate temperatures, and dirty enclosures. Bad cases will also have blisters, and will require draining by your vet. Serious cases are life-threatening.

Immediately clean the enclosure thoroughly. Raise ambient temperature to 88-90 degrees.

You must keep your snake warm and dry during the recovery process. If your snake tends to soak in the water bowl, it may be necessary to remove the larger bowl and replace it with a very small dish that would

not allow soaking but still provide drinking water.

Clean the entire affected area by swabbing with a 50/50 hydrogen peroxide/water solution.

Must be thorough to treat the entire area because the damaged tissue could be in multiple places.

Apply Polysporin or Neosporin to the affected areas twice a day and work it in and under the scales.

Consult your veterinarian as soon as possible, antibiotic injections may be required.

I would recommend Polysporin, as it doesn't have the agent to deaden wounds. Also, this is ony in the circumstance that you do not have a vet around. Even this treatment may not save the poor little thing with that much damage... try to get him to a vet if at all possible. Good luck!

yes definitely go to a vet

Aside from belly rot, another thing it could be is popped blisters. My old ball python got blister disease (I still don't know why) and the blisters all popped and looked like your snake does.. just no blood or anything. I treated with bedatine and peroxide twice a day then I put antibiotic cream on it and injected baytril.. but go to a vet!

I will love to go to a vet but I cant here theres no good vets around, the ouner have take him to the vet but the vet dint know what was the problem with the skin. I all rady but him in a dry put a warm pad and but him some Polysporin and let him rest. I guy on king snake toll me that the skin will heal very fast, and if I keep doing that and keepping him with all does things he will recover, well hope he does recover thx for all your help any more will be nice thx and God bless.

(Forgive me for all the mad spelling)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by basuca

I guy on king snake toll me that the skin will heal very fast,

---

From the experience with my ball python, I will say this is not true.

With such a huge open wound, antibiotics in some form are necessary.. I used the topical ointment as well as the injections..

I just wanted to add that DO NOT use hydrogen peroxide, it will actually damage cells, and prevent healing.

If you have povidone iodine or betadine where you are located(medical supply store, pharmacy, or doctor's office), get some. With the povidone iodine, it is actually a scrub(meaning it has a soap added to it) and will need to be rinsed off. The betadine doesn't have a soap added, so it can be left on the snake.

The betadine would probably be the better option. Put a generous amount on a gauze sponge and lightly scrub the snake's belly with it. Then with a sterile, dry gauze sponge, dab the excess off. It will not cause irritation like the povidone will. You can use a triple antibiotic ointment with polymyxin B sulfate, bacitracin zinc, and neomycin. You can find this at any pharmacy. Do not get another ointment with any other additives as anything else is not recommended for snakes.

Keep the snake warm and dry as the others have said. I would keep the snake on clean newsprint or kitchen roll(paper towels-white). Lower the humidity to around 50%.

He may need antibiotics such as Baytril(enrofloxacin), doxycycline, or another strong antibiotic. These can be purchased at the vet. The snake will need to be weighed so the correct dosage can be given. I would recommend antiobitic injections rather than oral antibiotics, it will stress the snake out less. The snake may need subcutaneous fluids to help reverse the dehydration caused by the belly/scale rot.

Good luck with him and please update us on his progress. The sooner you can get him to a vet(any vet really) the better.

Dear God, that poor snake! I can't advise you on what to do to treat him but I sure can Google.....

I couldn't find any exotic/herp vets but I did find the following as a place to start asking for help or referral. Even if you can only speak to a vet on the phone experienced with snakes it may help you to save this snake.

Department of Natural Resources
Peurta de Tierra, San Juan, PR (809) 724-8774

Mayaguez Zoo, near Cabo Rojo (787) 834-8110

Don't be shy, ask for anyone who knows a vet or knows someone who knows a vet that can advise you or treat this badly abused snake. Sometimes you have to be really persistent but there's got to be help there somewhere. I would think the Zoo would be a great resource for that as they list reptiles as being kept there so they must have either a vet on staff or a vet on retainer to the zoo.

Best of luck, prayers with you and the snake.


~~Joanna~~

I just wanted to say that if you feel this poor snake cannot survive or is suffering and no help is available, that if you feel you need to euthanize it humanely I for one would not blame you.

I'm not saying that's what needs to be done right now or ever. I truly pray you can find help and heal this poor creature, but sometimes we all face hard decisions that are made for the best interests of a animal to end it's suffering.

I guess I just wanted you to know that you will find support here if you are faced with that decision at some point. I hope though that the information forum members provided here and the phone numbers I gave you, help to lead to a vet there that can save this snake.


~~Joanna~~

Not to burst anyone's bubble, and also disclaim that I am not very worldly in dealing with health issues that serious (thank the powers at be) I would have to humbly say that humane euthanization may have to be considered here. I say that because this snake looks like there is a slim chance of recovery and that the current caregiver does not have the resources to care for a snake in this condition.

Do try Jo's (frankykeno) idea of a zoo - that was the first thing I thought of when you mentioned your vet didn't know (there must be a vet somewhere that knows something though surely!) - most people who work in zoos (my daughter wants to be one) are very caring and compassionate about their critters - there must be some help somewhere. I do hope he/she makes it :(

rely thx for all of the suport that every one here has givenme!!!!

Let us know how it goes - I really hope it turns out OK for the poor thing. :(

I have very bad new the bp died to day :(

awwww poor thing, that stinks

I'm not surprised.. but very sorry for the loss.

Aww, that's really too bad. Just when it had a hope for recovery with a new and caring owner... I'm sorry to hear that, but at least it's last few days were spent with somebody who really gave a damn. :(

i'm sorry that the bp didn't make it, but because of the awful condition it was in it really may have been for the best. sometimes mother nature knows best and we just have to accept that. i'm sorry for your loss.

Sorry to hear that :( but at least you know that you did your best.

thx every body for all the suport realy thx

What an awful situation! What type of person could keep any kind of pet in that kind of condition. I am surprized how mad those pictures actully made me. I must say it was very brave, and kind for you to try to take an animal in that condition and nurse it back to health. I am sorry for the turn out, but it doesnt seem like there was much else you could have done in this situation. But my hat goes off to you for doing your best in trying to give that poor animal a better life!

Zach

Very sorry, but you did your best. At least the poor thing isn't suffering anymore.