Help Ball Python tore scales

[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.

[mattj86]

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.

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

[Bogertophis]

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....

[mattj86]

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.

[Bogertophis]

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.

[Skyrivers]

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

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

[Craiga 01453]

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

[mattj86]

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][/IMG]

[Bogertophis]

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.

[Armiyana]

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.