What is this?

[mainer12]

He is perfectly happy, doesn't flinch when I touch the area, and I just touched his heat pad and it's not too hot at all. What is this?

[PitOnTheProwl]

You just touched his heat pad...... What is the actual temperature of it?
What are you using to regulate it?
Looks like a burn to me.

[mainer12]

Unfortunately I don't have anything regulating it atm, but I felt it and there's no way it could've burned it. I also am cleaning his cage and the side of his water dish felt gooey, any idea?

[DVirginiana]

Unfortunately I don't have anything regulating it atm, but I felt it and there's no way it could've burned it. I also am cleaning his cage and the side of his water dish felt gooey, any idea?

UNPLUG IT NOW and leave it unplugged till you get a thermostat to regulate it.

They can fluctuate rapidly. 100 degrees won't feel hot to you because your body temperature is close to that. It will feel burning hot to a snake though. That looks like a burn.

[bcr229]

Unfortunately I don't have anything regulating it atm, but I felt it and there's no way it could've burned it.

Want to bet? They fluctuate and can get hotter over time when something (like your snake) lies on them and traps the heat. Unplug it until you get a thermostat.

I also am cleaning his cage and the side of his water dish felt gooey, any idea?

Put it in the dishwasher and give him a new one.

[mainer12]

I've unplugged it, and am getting him a new dish, how do I go about treating this burn? It's not too big and doesn't look really bad, but I'd like to take care of this as soon as possible.

[rlditmars]

I've unplugged it, and am getting him a new dish, how do I go about treating this burn? It's not too big and doesn't look really bad, but I'd like to take care of this as soon as possible.

You probably should start with a visit to the vet since you don't know if there is more damage then visible externally. As far as immediately, you could put Neosporin on it but make certain it is just regular and nothing with additive for pain.

[mainer12]

You probably should start with a visit to the vet since you don't know if there is more damage then visible externally. As far as immediately, you could put Neosporin on it but make certain it is just regular and nothing with additive for pain.

Thank you, the nearest vet is closed at this point but I'll be bringing him as soon as possible, and I'll see if I have any. Anything else? As far as pain goes I don't think he's in much pain as he idn't flinch or do anything when I just touched the effected area. He's acting completely normal.

[DVirginiana]

Thank you, the nearest vet is closed at this point but I'll be bringing him as soon as possible, and I'll see if I have any. Anything else? As far as pain goes I don't think he's in much pain as he idn't flinch or do anything when I just touched the effected area. He's acting completely normal.

Burns can be funny. It can take awhile before you see the true extent of damage. Hopefully this is minor and will get no worse than just reddened skin, but you may see blisters start popping up in the next day or so. If that happens, switch his bedding to paper towels, since you don't want substrate getting into an open area or prematurely popping a blister.

[mainer12]

Burns can be funny. It can take awhile before you see the true extent of damage. Hopefully this is minor and will get no worse than just reddened skin, but you may see blisters start popping up in the next day or so. If that happens, switch his bedding to paper towels, since you don't want substrate getting into an open area or prematurely popping a blister.

He is already on paper towels. I actually had him out early (about 20 minutes before the burn appeared), put him back, went to feed him and noticed he peed so I went to clean his cage and that's when I saw the burn. So it's pretty fresh, hoping there's no real damage 😔