Albino ball python has red heat pits

[towelie4365]

Hey everyone,

I am currently taking care of my husband's 4 snakes (3 BPs and a hog island) while he is gone for a few weeks/months. We recently moved (drove across the country for 5 days) and as far as we know, everything went well. They have all been eating except for our albino who is usually a great eater. I noticed when trying to feed him it's as if he is interested but just doesn't know exactly where the rat is. This is very unusual because he is usually the fastest to strike.

I thought maybe it was just from the move and he was still stressed. The strange thing is that right after my husband left I noticed that the albino's heat pits were kind of red and looked like they had dried blood on them. His nostrils (not sure what you call it!) were also a bit red with what looked like dried blood. He is also going into shed (could also be reason for not eating), but I noticed the abnormal heat pits 2 weeks before that.

He isn't mouth breathing and I don't notice any discharge or redness around his mouth. So does anyone have an idea on what this could be?

[ZacharyPoller]

http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/foru...-Red-Heat-Pits

Did a little research for you, this post on a forum i found on google looks to just be a capillary blood vessel according to them , I have no experience with this so i had to resort to google , hope this helps
Zach

[patientz3ro]

Any chance you have pics? Based solely on your description, I've got no clue. Possible bleeding is never good though. I'd be making a vet appt.

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[towelie4365]

Zach, thank you so much for doing that research!! I looked at the photo posted, but my BP's is a bit more red and it looks almost like there is dried blood inside and a bit outside his heat pits and nostrils. I was looking at older photos of him and his heat pits were white/slightly pink. So I think I'm going to wait a bit longer till after he sheds and then if it's still there I'm going to take him to see a vet. Thanks

[towelie4365]

Wow, taking a pic was the best idea ever. Now I can clearly see what it is with zoom. It looks like a scab, almost like he was rubbing his nose on something and it got irritated and pink. But then I don't know why his nostrils would also have the red scab... Here it is:

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/2012/Pictures/2014-01-28/052.JPG[/IMG]

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/2012/Pictures/2014-01-28/050.JPG[/IMG]

[ZacharyPoller]

Zach, thank you so much for doing that research!! I looked at the photo posted, but my BP's is a bit more red and it looks almost like there is dried blood inside and a bit outside his heat pits and nostrils. I was looking at older photos of him and his heat pits were white/slightly pink. So I think I'm going to wait a bit longer till after he sheds and then if it's still there I'm going to take him to see a vet. Thanks

Your welcome, hoping he is alright!

[ZacharyPoller]

Wow, taking a pic was the best idea ever. Now I can clearly see what it is with zoom. It looks like a scab, almost like he was rubbing his nose on something and it got irritated and pink. But then I don't know why his nostrils would also have the red scab... Here it is:

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/2012/Pictures/2014-01-28/052.JPG[/IMG]

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/2012/Pictures/2014-01-28/050.JPG[/IMG]

The pictures don't work for me , try uploading them to a website like photo bucket and use the "code for forum" and put that code in the box for pictures

[towelie4365]

[IMG][/IMG]

[patientz3ro]

You have a screen top on his cage, don't you?

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[Pythonfriend]

oh wow, whatever it is, its not quite normal. was there a recent fall or some kind of strong bump against the head?

but then, it also could be some mysterious thing that just goes away in a few days.