Really mild burns (I hope) - Help!

[vpjimmyd]

First, allow me to explain myself. So I bought 1.4 adult bp's two days ago off a breeder who's liquidating his collection (the girls may be gravid). We just bought a house, which we are literally in the middle of moving into, and I haven't been able to keep a ball since we moved into our current apartment, so I didn't have any of the requisite gear on hand when I purchased the snakes.

I quickly ordered racks from Animal Plastics (which will take a month or so to get here, I know) and bought the corresponding tubs so that I could set up makeshift homes for my new friends while we waited for their new accommodations to arrive. Plastic tubs, 1 hide, 1 water bowl, paper towel substrate (until I can get better bedding), and yes, a UTH. I bought medical heating pads with 6 temperature settings, and I've been checking the temperatures regularly with a digital gun. I know that I need a T-stat, but we are literally moving tomorrow, and I haven't been able to pick one up yet.

Temps looked good, even a little low - mid 80s on the warm side, upper 70s on the cool - so I upped the setting by one notch on my UTHs. Temps started looking more normal - upper 80s, lower 90s high, low 80s low. Much to my shock and dismay, when I checked my snakes not 30 minutes ago, all four girls have some pink coloration on the lower half of their bellies. One is almost unnoticeable, two are definitely noticeable but a very light shade of pink, and one is a bit darker than the others. I'm pretty sure that they are burns and I'm just sick about it.

I've got the heat moved to the back wall of their tubs, rather than directly under, until I can get them hooked up to a T-stat. I feel awful, but how it happened is now under the bridge, I've got to figure out what I can do next. I know that the classic steps are "paper towel substrate (check), as clean as you can, and take them to the vet." I guess my question is whether I need to take all of them in when the burns seem so mild on three. I don't have pics yet, but hopefully will by tomorrow. Is there some kind of sign I should be watching for, something that says "now you need to take me to the vet?"

[Jay_Bunny]

Pics would be good, but are you sure they are not going into a shed cycle? I know that when my snakes are about to go into a shed cycle, their bellies get really pink. The first time I saw it, I thought it was a burn or some kind of irritation, but it was just them about to go into shed.

[DShaw]

If you believe your temps are correct then they might just be showing the first signs of going into shed.......pics will help though

[vpjimmyd]

I missed one of the important details. After seeing the pink, I pulled up the paper towel and checked the temps in corners and things more thoroughly. I did find a few spots right in the corners where the tub has a groove around the edge with temperatures as high as 105. Is that high enough to cause burns?

My first thought was shed cycle, too, but the pink doesn't go all the way up their bellies (anywhere from 1/4 to halfway up, I'd say). Is that normal when going into shed? And it seemed strange for all four of them to show the color at the same time. Also, they don't particularly seem like they're going into shed - eyes are clear (except for one girl ) and colors seem pretty sharp (again, I've only had them for 48 hours now, so that's hard to tell).

[Jay_Bunny]

Is there anyway to get pictures?

[Kaorte]

105* for a short period of time should not cause a burn.

All you really do for a minor burn is keep it clean, change substrate to paper towels, and apply neosporin or polysporin withOUT pain reliever. If it is in fact a burn, it should heal with the next couple sheds as long as it doesn't get infected.