Originally Posted by TheSerpentHouse
my ball python just shed recently so i didnt mess with it for a couple of days... i noticed some stuck shed so i picked it up. when i picked it up i noticed a brown streak going down its belly(rust color) and its tail has gotten a dark color... the humidity is at 50-60% all the time and i give it 2 soaks per month(10 mins each).
the scales also feel kinda rough and they look nasty. i gave the snake a soak but that didnt help so i just put it back in its cage..
this is the first time my snake has had a stuck shed...
i dont know what to do and i dont really want to see a vet but i will if i have to...
what can happen if left untreated?
HELP
Septicemia and death.
You can give the animal baths in ambient temp water with diluted betadine in it. Take out all the substrate in the enclosure and replace with either paper towels or unprinted newspaper.
The animal should really go to a qualified reptile vet if you truly suspect scale rot. While some may advise that you treat this at home and apply a polysporin type ointment, the best stuff available for treating this is silver sulfadiazine which is only available by prescription.
As Heather recommended, please discontinue the two soaks a month. Soaking doesn't really help with anything (treatment for scale rot being the exception) and is stressful for your snake. Contrary to what you've most likely been told, it is actually detrimental to the shedding process. It's really not something you should be doing.
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