What's wrong with this boa?

A friend of mine keeps a boa, and when we took it out today we noticed this mark on its underside. Any thoughts on what it is or what would cause something like this? Here's a photo:

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...1/suriname.jpg

Kinda looks like the beginnings of scale/belly rot. Has the snake been soaking a lot or is it's substrate wet most of the time?

I'd get it to a vet, first off, to make sure what it is. A short term treatment for scale rot, however, is this: clean the area around and on the affected scales with a cotton swab dipped in 50/50 water/hydrogen-peroxide. When it's thoroughly cleaned, rub on Polysporin (like neosporin... found in the same isle). Make sure you rub it into the scales. You have to do this---clean and polysporin---twice a day.

Again, though, I'd get him to a vet... that's an awfully large affected area.

Hi, (I'm the "friend":).... My "friend" turned me onto the list tonight after we noticed the mark. So, Thanks for the anwser! This was a real shock to find. She's been acting herself- not over soaking, her bedding is always clean and dry.... She was an inport, but I've had her 3yrs. now and never had a problem. Till now :( I will do what was recomended above! Again, thanks!

Could this be a possible injury? It looks so much like a bruise!?!?!

What type of heating do you use for this snake?

Older burn maybe from a heat rock, or your UTH has a hot spot/missing a thermometer/rheostat???????

She's on an UTH.... That was my first thought. (burn) I'm gonna check out the UTH and see if it's gone whacky.... THANKS for the input! I'm still gonna flush it w/ the perox. mix and use the ointment. Can't hurt. I've got to locate a local rep. vet Mon... (We just moved 6 mo. ago). I've never heard of an UTH causing a burn, but it would be my luck! lol

If UTH's go haywire they canget extremely hot and burn the snake. They treatment I prescribed can be used for burns, too. But, yeah, definately get the snake to a vet to make sure.

Absoutelly! I'll be on the hunt for a local one Mon.


Thanks again for the info..... This forum seems to be very helpful!

This is from a few months ago.... "soaking"!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c7...ritters002.jpg

Lord, that's a beautiful snake. Is it a BCC or BCI? Looks like it's got some suriname in it with that tail... *sigh* Very, very pretty.

Is the UTH on the inside or the outside of the tank?

I know it sounds like a dumb question, but I gotta ask...some people actually put heat pads INSIDE the enclosure and are dumbfounded when their snake gets burned.

Regardless, your UTH needs to be controlled by a thermostat, rheostat, or dimmer at the very least. They can get extremely hot when they are run on full power.

FWIW, that looks more like a burn than scale rot.

That's too localized to be scale rot, it's most likely a burn, which will shed out eventually.

All heating devices for snakes should be controlled by thermostat in my opinion. A good one, not a $30 Alife 1000 or anything like those... they are crap, known for their ability to malfunction and not switch off the heat!

Nothing beats a few DIY dimmers!! I use them and never had a problem yet.

:) Thanks! She was sold to me as a BCC Guyana.... She is very purple at times. Right after she sheds, she's one of the most beautyful things I've EVER seen! lol.... proud mom. LTC, So she's still kinda a shy eater. But once you have her out, she's awsome! She is soaking this morning....... You asked earlier, is that a sighn of scale rot!?!?!

Hello! Yes, to the UTH being Under the tank! lol I've seen them inside as well.... What was the brand mentioned above? Thoughts on ESU brand therm.?!? At any rate..... Should I still alow her to free-soak? Or remove her tub for now?

I'm not sure what the current theory on soaking is with a belly burn but when we treated a 6 ft BCI with 3.5 foot long burn (his was from a big heat rock) we did the cleaning/triple antibiotic thing and put him on layers of soft, plain white paper towels with a small water dish. We changed the top paper towel layer daily so he was always on a clean reasonably soft surface. We didn't let him soak at all and just kept up the daily treatments. It was amazing how quickly it healed and after a good shed left no marks at all. Of course he saw our herp vet as well.

That's a lovely snake and I hope you can figure out what caused the belly damage and get it all sorted out.

that is exactly what needs to be done. put him on newspaper or paper towls and remove the big water dish and replace it with one that is just bigenaugh for the snake to drink out of. main reason is the burn if that is what it is needs to breath.
matt fisher

ESU, ZooMed, whatever brand on-off thermostats are absolute crap. One day I noticed every one of my snakes in a rack sitting towards the front of the tubs. The zoo-med tstat had malfuntioned and wasn't turning off the heat anymore, just letting it run full blast.

Been using a Herpstat and JC controller every since. Helix will be my next buy, just to see what all the hype is about...:sweeet:

ok i pulled out the boa medical books and started doing some research. from what i have read and seen i am convienced that you boa has scale rot. they had a pic of a boa with scale rot and it looked identical. you need to get the boa to a vet ASAP!

here is a quote right out of the mannual

the dark, reddish, fluid-filled vesicles on a boas abdomen are an early sign of necrotic dermatitis (scale rot).the apperaence of these vesicles also called blister disease, in the early stage of a skin- based infection. if not properly and aggressively treated, the problem will destroy the surface scales and cause severe ulceration.

matt fisher

Well whatever it is, a trip to the vet is in order to properly diagnose and get a course of treatment going. Please let us know how it's going with this lovely snake.

Wow, you all are GREAT! Thanks for all the feed-back!


I'm locating a rep. vet Mon. to get her in ASAP.......

I will keep you all updated on the results, treatment, etc............

Trust me, you'll see me on here. lol


THANKS AGAIN!https://ball-pythons.net/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

did you see a vet today?????????????????

Any news ?

Hi!

I have an appointment with a vet tomorrow. :) I did take her to see my friend that rehabs wildlife and also to a boa breeder that I know. They both said that it looked like an injury.... There is no surface scale damage that a burn would show, also no infection-fluid, (puss etc...) under the scales. It's not even swolen-inflamed!?!? I've been treating with the HP/water and polysporin just incase. I've also removed her "tub" and have her limited to a drinking size dish. Margo is her usual self, and HAS NOT lost a bit of her love for dinner! lol
I know this was not caused bye a fall etc... when I've had her out, the only thing that we could come up with is that she possiblelly was crawling up the side of her tank and slipped/fell onto one of her rocks. There are some rather large ones in her tank..... So that's it till tomorrow. I'll let you know what the Vet says.....
:) L

OK.... We saw the vet this afternoon, she said this does not resemble any case of scale rot that she's treated before..... also that the scales are not damaged. WOO-HOO! Margo got the full "once over". The vet went on & on about her over all health being great (weight-musle tone, etc...) except for the strange "bruising"?!?...... One good thing is that the red areas are receding. This means she's getting better!


So not knowing exactlly what it is, or what caused it..... She got a very big Baytril injection, and is on the list for another next if nessasary!

Yea, I've got one PO'd Boa!

I may have missed it in the previous pages here, but what substrate is she on? Did the vet say anything about moving her to something really soft (like paper towel or something) if she's currently on aspen? Just curious...

She's a beautiful girl, btw...I hope whatever that is clears up soon! And yeah, boas just loooove going to the vet, don't they? =P

I've still got her on aspen. I was really close to putting her on paper towles, but she is very shy (moody) and really likes to cover up sometimes. Concidering I've not let her rest- (meds., visits yesterday to a breeder etc., and the vet today) I really didn't want to stress her anymore by taking away her "blankie".

Thanks for the note! Yea, the vet was a real blast LOL
btw.............I LOVE your avatar!!!! Is that your suri!?!?!?

Yup, that's my problem child! She's (hopefully) recovering from some either necrotic scarring or infections due to injections for RI...my vet recommended paper towels and then shredded paper towels to bury in. Carmen's not much of a burrower, but maybe your girl might like it.

You might call your vet and see if s/he thinks it might be a good idea...but may not be necessary (cuz like what I do know!). =)

I have some more pictures of Carmen in my gallery if you want to see. =)

FRUSTRATED!


Ok, after the vet, a baytril injection-(and hp/water & polysporin treatments.)

i THINK she looks better!?!?!? I've noticed that the red areas are fadeing.... Has anyone gotten multiple shot treatments? Should I request another? :( I can't wait for her to shed to see how much will return to "normal"....
Does anyone own a time machine I can borrow?
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c7...ritters001.jpg

i have one but it isnt cheap. it costs one sunglow boa or a pied ball python
matt fisher

LOL! Well Matt, I'll see what I can come up with! Sunglows, WAY on the top of my wish-list...*SIGH* (One day I'll have one)!

K, BLUE EYES!!!



We all know what this means! Just keepin my fingers crossed that this shed shows inprovement on her belly mark....

Again, thanks to everyone who gave such awsome advice!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c7...tters004-1.jpg

ps.... she was just misted, this is not an "unknown fluid"! lmao :)