Help Ball Python tore scales

[mattj86]

Hello,

Wish my first post was of a better topic. Long story short. I recently got back into keeping Ball Pythons, I had to take a hiatus in keeping them due to traveling a lot at work. I have 2 in a divided 40g breeding with a heat mat, controlled with a Herpstat. I have a CSerpents rack being delivered tomorrow.

My newest snake a Mojave Het Ghost female managed to tear about an inch of scales. As I did not see what happened, just heard her fall, I am assuming she climbed onto her thermometer and it came unstuck. I checked on her and she was in her hide with the thermometer stuck to her. She had ripped about an inch of scales off. I got the thermometer off with vegetable oil (Thanks Google, seems like its not an uncommon thing to happen). I rinsed her off with water and put Neosporin on the cut/tear. I am attaching pictures of what it looks like. I am not sure what to do. I am going to call some Veterinarians tomorrow morning, hopefully I can find one that deals with reptiles. I just moved to Az so I do not know any Vets here yet. Will a vet be able to do anything for her? Will she be able to shed properly? I feel so bad for her. 1 more day and she would of been in the new rack and this wouldn't have happened. Thank you for any advice.



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[mattj86]

I forgot to mention. I replaced her substrate with paper towel to prevent anything from getting in the cut or irritating it.

[Bogertophis]

Good idea using paper towels. Wow, you weren't kidding, that's one heckuva cut. I think she needs stitched, or maybe super-glued (?) to heal well.
I'm not sure what determines when/where glue can be used, but I know that it is sometimes used medically...but I'm NOT in any way suggesting
you do it yourself. I'd have used Neosporin ointment on it too, for now. (only the regular kind, never the "pain relief" version on snakes). I wouldn't
be surprised if the vet puts her on antibiotic too. Shedding will be a challenge for a while...DO get her in to a vet a.s.a.p., one experienced w/ reptiles.

[Skyrivers]

Did you have tape holding the probe on? Tape has not place in a reptile enclosure. Using the cooking oil to remove the adhesive of the tape was a good thing to do to keep from hurting her worse. Just have to make sure you cleaned her well after.

Putting her on paper towel was a good thing. Getting her to the vet would be a good idea as well. They can give you cream to put on it and see if they can put the skin back. She will still have a nice scar assuming infection doesn't kill her. I had a rescue RTB that had open wounds from live feedings when I got her and I would have to look and see the name of the cream they gave me to put on it. It kept the wounds clean and helped her heal.

[Craiga 01453]

I'm so sorry to read this, that looks like a pretty decent injury. I'd say a vet trip is in order.

Good call on the paper towel as substrate while the wound heals.

Unfortunately, those stick-on analog thermometers and hygrometers aren't just wildly inaccurate, they're also dangerous.

I wish you and your snake the best with her recovery. Please keep us posted.

[hilabeans]

Oh man, that looks painful.

1. Vet. Right away.

2. No sticky-backed item of any kind ever in the tank.

3. Let us know how it goes!

[mattj86]

Did you have tape holding the probe on? Tape has not place in a reptile enclosure. Using the cooking oil to remove the adhesive of the tape was a good thing to do to keep from hurting her worse. Just have to make sure you cleaned her well after.

Putting her on paper towel was a good thing. Getting her to the vet would be a good idea as well. They can give you cream to put on it and see if they can put the skin back. She will still have a nice scar assuming infection doesn't kill her. I had a rescue RTB that had open wounds from live feedings when I got her and I would have to look and see the name of the cream they gave me to put on it. It kept the wounds clean and helped her heal.

It was a stick on thermometer. I gave her a good clean after the getting the thermometer off and used Neosporin.

Im going to call the vet as soon as they open this morning.

[mattj86]

I'm so sorry to read this, that looks like a pretty decent injury. I'd say a vet trip is in order.

Good call on the paper towel as substrate while the wound heals.

Unfortunately, those stick-on analog thermometers and hygrometers aren't just wildly inaccurate, they're also dangerous.

I wish you and your snake the best with her recovery. Please keep us posted.

Oh man, that looks painful.

1. Vet. Right away.

2. No sticky-backed item of any kind ever in the tank.

3. Let us know how it goes!

Vet opens at 730, I will be there waiting for them. I immediately removed the thermometer from my other enclosure. I knew it was not going to be very accurate, I never imagined this though!

I will keep you updated.

[Craiga 01453]

Vet opens at 730, I will be there waiting for them. I immediately removed the thermometer from my other enclosure. I knew it was not going to be very accurate, I never imagined this though!

I will keep you updated.

Yeah, unfortunately, they're still so common. They should be taken out of stores completely, along with heat rocks.

Thanks for keeping us updated! Best of luck.

[Bogertophis]

How's she doing? What did the vet say & do?