need help - scale rot

[jenlib]

I have a 5 yr old ball who was given to us (owner surrender). About 3 months ago he developed what I thought were burns from his UTH. I never noticed that it felt particularly hot, but when I hit it with the temp gun it was 114. I took him to the vet and was told to soak him in chlorhexidine and to apply silvadene cream. We did so, and it cleared up beautifully. We also put a stack of newspaper on top of the UTH so that there were additional layers between him and the UTH. The temp now is around 95.
To my surprise, he has developed similar (though not identical) markings. We did some research and think it must be scale rot. He knocked water out of his bowl frequently and my daughter did not always change his wet newspaper right away. I did some more research and have been cleaning him with betadine, rinsing him, and applying polysporin. It does not seem like it's improving very much (if at all) and now he has starting biting my daughter and I when we handle him. I'm not sure what to do, but I really do not want to spend another $100 at the vet, so I'm hoping someone can help. Also the vet was not particularly knowledgeable, so I do not think she could offer more advice than members here. For example, when I asked her what alternatives I had to an UTH, she had no idea and told me to just Google it.
Some other info about him: Newspaper for substrate. He eats frozen small rats, though he has not been eating consistently since around Christmastime. We've been offering him a large mouse once a week and he is not eating those consistently either. I just moved him from a 20 gallon to a 40 gallon tank and changed the water bowl (so now he is no longer spilling his water). His new tank is on the floor, and I suspect that might be contributing to this new biting, though I don't have a surface that's feasible for me to move the 40 gallon tank onto. I steam-cleaned his tank, but prior to that it was not sanitized properly for a few months. He has 2 identical hides, but he spends the majority of his time on the side w/ the UTH. The other side is about 78 degrees on average.
Information/advice from someone experienced would be much appreciated. He bit my daughter 3 times yesterday and struck at her 4 other times and bit me today when I picked him up after offering him a mouse that he did not eat. I want to help him get better and stop biting!
And if someone would be so kind as to tell me how to add a photo, I would like to do so.

[bcr229]

We also put a stack of newspaper on top of the UTH so that there were additional layers between him and the UTH. The temp now is around 95.

He has been burned again. When you take a temperature reading on the paper there's enough air between the sheets to act as an insulator. When your snake lies on the paper that air is squeezed out and your snake gets burned. Why did you not put a thermostat on the heat pad? They only cost $25-50 to regulate one appliance and would have saved you a vet bill.

I'd bet he is biting because he is in pain. Unplug the UTH and keep it unplugged until you get a thermostat for it. This one on Amazon is decent:
http://www.amazon.com/Zilla-Reptile-...sr_1_1?ie=UTF8

In the meantime treat him for the burns as you did before. If you need more silvadene you can buy it online at http://www.mountainside-medical.com/

[jenlib]

Thank you so much! I did a cursory search previously for something that would regulate the UTH temp, but I did not find anything. I wasn't sure such a thing existed, though I thought it should! I have purchased the one you suggested, so it will be here in 2 days. In the meantime, I've unplugged the UTH and will treat him with betadine and silvadene. Thanks for the resource for more silvadene if I run out. Makes sense why he is biting. Luckily, it doesn't really hurt and will not deter me from treating him. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge! I really thought he was safe from further burns. This is something all ball python owners should be made aware of. I had no idea a snake could actually burn themselves. I always thought they would just move from one side of the tank to the other to regulate their body temp. Thanks again!

[chrid16371]

Thank you so much! I did a cursory search previously for something that would regulate the UTH temp, but I did not find anything. I wasn't sure such a thing existed, though I thought it should!

Any and all heat sources need controlled with a thermostat. Reptile thermostats have been out for years. Any topic in this form doing with heating you will read multiple people saying you need a thermostat. The snake did not burn itself, an unregulated heat mat did. The snake had no choice. Buying a thermostat is something that is 100 necessary before you even considering bringing the reptile home. Its not something you cant buy later its something that needs to be hooked up and running before the animal is introduced to its environment.

[ItsAllNew2Me!]

Thank you so much! I did a cursory search previously for something that would regulate the UTH temp, but I did not find anything. I wasn't sure such a thing existed, though I thought it should! I have purchased the one you suggested, so it will be here in 2 days. In the meantime, I've unplugged the UTH and will treat him with betadine and silvadene. Thanks for the resource for more silvadene if I run out. Makes sense why he is biting. Luckily, it doesn't really hurt and will not deter me from treating him. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge! I really thought he was safe from further burns. This is something all ball python owners should be made aware of. I had no idea a snake could actually burn themselves. I always thought they would just move from one side of the tank to the other to regulate their body temp. Thanks again!

This all comes down to doing research for yourself. I am not trying to sounds harsh but it sounds like you received this surrender and you yourself have little idea on how to care for the BP. Research is key. This site has plenty of information and if you go through just a few of the threads I guarantee you will see multiple enthusiasts say a thermostat is a must. It is all over the place. There are also many stickies that give all the information needed for proper husbandry if one would just look. Yes all ball python owners should be made aware of this but that is through their own research. One should never take the responsibility of a life if one does not know how to support that life weather it is a pet or a human being. Research is a must and you need to get started on that right now. If you did not know about a thermostat then I think it is safe to assume that you don't know many other things about the proper husbandry of your BP. For your sake and his please read more of this site and ask as many questions as you can. You have a lot to cram in in a short period of time. Good luck!!

[chrid16371]

Also another word of advice is since you unplugged the uth you need to keep the room hes in around 84-86 air temp which is a happy medium between there hot and cold side. Whether you do that by putting an oil filled heater in the room or turning your house thermostat up to that. Then once you get the thermostat you need to have the temp on hot side between 88-92 and cold side 80-83.

[Coluber42]

Another reason why he might bite is that you tried to pick him up with the smell of food still around and probably on your hands as well. Even snakes who are not eating can get excited and keyed up when they smell food.

If he's just moved into a larger tank, he probably also needs more cover. Give him some more hides, branches, fake plants, etc. That might help him settle down and feel more secure, which should help with the feeding and maybe also with the nipping.