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  1. #1
    Registered User aa_ezra's Avatar
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    Scab on the face

    Hello,

    New to the forum and to pet snake ownership. I am still learning the terms here so bare with me please. I just bought a beautiful to me blue eyed leucistic ball python. Bought her February 9th with her tank to reduce stress to her new home and let her acclimate for a few days. So after a few days I noticed what I thought was substrate on her nose but after getting a closer look it appears to be a scab. I will try to post a picture so you can let me know what you think. And she is going to shred again soon I assume as her eyes are becoming cloudy. Will the shed fix the issue or make things worse?

    Some background on her, have not seen her once on the top screen of her enclosure since I have had her. Her analog temp and humidity guages were bad so I know her humidity has been bad and her temp was not to far off and the proof was her bad shed( in pieces when I got her. Also now that I think about it her top of her nose scales looked kinda dry and wrinkly if that makes any sense. Maybe bad she’s as one of her eyes did not completely shed it seems.

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Hi, & welcome. Yes, actually pics would help us to help you. You mention a "screen top" on her enclosure, so I assume she may have scraped her nose on that & caused the scab. When she sheds, the scab will come off but it will do so repeatedly with subsequent sheds, healing better each time. Snakes shed to grow, but also shed more often when healing an injury, fyi.

    I don't know how much of a scab it is, not having seen it, but if there's much of a wound- if it seems raw after she sheds, you might want want to pick up some Vetericyn ointment for topical use on snakes- available in pet stores or online sources. Vetericyn is water-based & made for reptiles, so it won't mess up the sheds the way petroleum jelly-based ointments* made for humans can (*such as Neosporin -WITHOUT pain relief ONLY, or polysporin ointments -they can be used very sparingly) but Vetericyn is preferred, OR a little dab of Betadine (aka povidone-iodine) antiseptic.

    You'll probably want to cover most of the screen top with something like foil that the air cannot go thru...that will help keep the humidity where you want it- inside for your snake. It's VERY important that each time your snake sheds, you make sure that both of her eye caps & also her tail tip has shed completely; she may need some help from you if not- be very gentle about it, but left on they can cause damage. Eye caps get harder to come off, not easier (try giving her a very damp terry towel to rub against); snakes can lose their tail tip from sheds left on, even after only once or twice- there is very little blood flow in their tail tip to begin with, & shed that stays on actually constricts it so the tissues die, & might need surgical amputation later to prevent infection. So just a little bit of checking can prevent these things.

    Snakes aren't hard to live with- but they have their own unique issues you need to know about. Providing the proper temperatures (with heat controlled by a thermostat for safety), enough humidity, and at least 2 hides (one on the warm side & one on the cooler side) will go a long way to keep your beautiful BEL healthy & thriving.

    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  4. #3
    Registered User gerguera's Avatar
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    Re: Scab on the face

    In my experience when you adopt or take in a snake from a previous owner they are often not in the best shape. Owners rehoming their pets are often doing so after not having time for them for a while. If you make sure your husbandry is correct they have great threads on here to help with any and all topics regarding proper BP husbandry I'm sure your new snake will be just fine. One of my best practices is to soak my ball pythons when I notice they will be going into shed soon, I find that helps hydrate them and have a better shed. Congrats on your new companion!

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  6. #4
    Registered User aa_ezra's Avatar
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    Re: Scab on the face

    I yet don’t have the ability to post pictures yet it seems so I uploaded it to my profile picture and other pictures to my album on here?

    i already have some of the vetericyn in a spray and a gel for my other pets but is see they make a specific one for reptiles, is this the one you mean? I’ll get some reptile version and some betadine just to have on hand. I have covered the entire top with high temp foil tape and only left a round hole on top for the basking/uh bout and the infrared heat bulb humidity as 50-60% on hot side and Bout 70-80% on cool side. With the old guages it was showing 55% humidity at all times but in actuality it was 25%! Hence the issues she’s had from previous owner. I got a thermostat coming an Inkbird WiFi version as the non wifi version was hard to use. Likely I just need more schooling on it so I ordered a WiFi version until I can get a Herpstat I believe it’s called. She does have two hides now fake plants an larger lug water dish for he to soak in if need be and a nice piece of wood, and added a jungle background to all sides but the front as he tanks had always been open. I’m much happier she’s more comfortable now.


    If im posting pictures wrong tho I am open for suggestions

  7. #5
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Pictures: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-Post-Pictures

    Yes, of course you want to use the Vetericyn ointment made for reptiles. I know they make all sorts of products for other animals too.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  8. #6
    Registered User aa_ezra's Avatar
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    Re: Scab on the face

    Yeah the owner was moving I a few months, going thru a divorce and was living on military base. And I’m still waiting for her to track down her hubby to provide me the info on the genes of the snake and any other useful information but nothing yet. Asked for me to sell her back the snake in case I didn’t want her. Anymore but that’s. It happening and he was also a bad parrent I think, maybe I’m upset.

    soaking her in about 84-85 degree water about half of her height in depth? Does that sound right? And for bowling and how offer? On a side note since i got her she does not feel as dry as she used too

  9. #7
    BPnet Veteran nikkubus's Avatar
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    I think after seeing the picture that you should have an experienced reptile vet check her out. You can try looking in her mouth yourself, but one issue is that you really don't have a good baseline of what is normal because you are new to snakes, so you aren't going to be able to tell what is abnormal if you open it up and look. Even trying to get her to open up so you can get a good look without injuring her could be challenging if you don't have help and aren't really confident with how much pressure you can apply holding on to her and things.

    I worry that she might have necrotic tissue in her mouth that needs to be removed, or that she might need treated for mouth rot. Her face looks a little swollen aside from the very dark scab, which alone could be an indicator of something pretty serious.
    7.22 BP 1.4 corn 1.1 SD retic 0.1 hognose

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  11. #8
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    I agree with nikkubus ^ ^ ^ on this (a visit to an experienced reptile vet)- her face looks swollen to me as well, & it's hard to know what might be behind that scab- it's not that "tiny" and injuries (& resulting infections) to a snake's face can be rather serious since the head is so involved in various critical life functions (brain, eyes, eating, breathing...).

    This might help you find a vet, if you haven't already: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 02-24-2021 at 07:14 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  13. #9
    Registered User aa_ezra's Avatar
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    Re: Scab on the face

    I’ll try to get a more recent better picture, that picture was about 2 weeks ago. That link for a vet was helpful thank you very much. The vet I take my cats too was on that list which is lucky as they aren’t accepting new customers or what not due to the whole covid thing, most aren’t around here I’ve heard.

    I’ll make a call to the vet tomorrow and describe to them what you guys have mentioned. Swollen face, possible mouth rot and a concerning scab. Is there anything you recommend I do in the meantime? I’m not sure how soon I can get in to the vet.

    Do you guys think it might be from pushing on the tank? According to my girl she remembers it pushing around the glass and screen top the first day we had her so maybe the swelling and scab is from that? She has not done it with me since the changes to the tank with background paper all 3 sides minus the front, foil tape on the top and a few fake plants and a large piece of wood. Maybe it’s wishful thinking her bad tank setup from her old owner is at fault.

    Sorry for the huge ramble I’m just really hoping it’s not something that she dies from
    While waiting to see the vet. She has been eating and is due tomorrow for another feeding that maybe I should postpone until the vet visit ? Ok my rant is over. I do appreciate everyone who has replied.

    Thank you


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  15. #10
    Registered User aa_ezra's Avatar
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    Re: Scab on the face

    figures out how to post a picture.... I think. Taken Sunday the 21st


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