Help!!

[Nitewolfie]

Hello, I just rescued three BPs today. On the way home, one nearly died( suverly dehydrated, hasn't had a proper meal in a while probably, etc) he was caged with another snake that would make him spit out his meal and eat it, and probably hogged the water too. The previous owner separated them, i don't know how long ago, seems to be shortly after she gave them to me, but the other snake bit him(not sure where, if it was more than once, etc).
Anyway, to the point, I noticed that near the end his tale under the scales where pink-ish red-ish, several patches. I could post several pictures but uncertain how to at the moment, I just want this out there while I figure out how to post them, if it's scale rot I already have stuff to heal it if it's just on the outside(i've heard scale rot can go on the inside too?) He also is like scratch marks on his underbelly, i don't know what from, nor do i have a picture from the enclosures when i got them(I immediately came home, partially revived him, then changed all their cages and soaked the bowls and hides.)

[Nitewolfie]

Here's after a bit of soaking in water(which he looks 2-3 times better than earlier)-




And these are of the pink/red spots near the end of the tale

[bcr229]

Those look more like burns, I'm guessing that whoever you got him from was using an under-tank heater without a thermostat.

Whether it's a burn or scale rot the treatment is basically the same:
- soak once a day in water with enough iodine/betadine added to make it look like weak iced tea,
- apply silvadene (available online at http://www.mountainside-medical.com) to the affected area,
- keep them on paper substrate, clean and disinfect the enclosure ASAP after the snake makes a mess, and
- make sure that all of your heat sources are correctly regulated so the wounds don't get worse.

[Nitewolfie]

Thank you so much for responding!!
Yes, she used heating mats for under the tank. She also gave to me but i haven't looked at em too much, but doesn't look like they have a thermostat, and several inches of dirt as substrate. What if he tries to drink the water with betadine in it? Would that be okay? When my snakes got scale rot I soaked them in sea salt water everyday, then put betadine on afterwards.
And I definitely keep them on paper towels substrate, only thing in their tanks otherwise is the humidity boxes(has some dirt in it and moss). Other than my boa, I don't generally use heat mats.
What would you say would be a good regular heat source would be for him? He's still VERY dehydrated(and im trying to make sure he doesn't drink or soak in water too much) and very thin. When should I feed him next? Should I still feed him regularly? Or like my last rescue in bad condition, about once a week, sometimes less than a week? The owner said he ate the morning of yesterday, she didn't clearify if he ate three mice himself, or if she fed them each one mice.
I have him in a 20 gallon tank right now, when he's better I'll move him back into a 40 gallon though.
Also, my family and I have a good amount of medical stuff, including the silvadene cream, but we're getting low so thank you for the website

[Nitewolfie]

Also, how long should I soak him for?

[JodanOrNoDan]

That is probably the most emaciated ball python I have ever seen. They are pretty tough though. Good luck going forward.

[Nitewolfie]

I agree, he's the worst one out of them all, even if I include the one i rescued last year(she was in bad shape when I got her too). What's even sad is that those pictures are even after him looking 2-3 times better from when I first got him, I think as long as he has nothing major going on from the inside of his body, he'll make it. Thank you though.

[Ax01]

ive heard that importers soak severely dehydrated BP's in gatorade to breathe life into them. the electrolytes help. it made their belly reddish and cute like this:



i would imagine they would get sticky tho. umm maybe search this method on the forum first lol.

also i would at least add 1 hide to your tanks. i'm sure the BP's are really stressed with the move and being soaked. give them something they can hide away in so they feel a bit of security.


Edit: good luck and thank u for rescuing these snakes.

[Nitewolfie]

All my snakes have at least one hide, water dish(pythons are in the center of the tank) and a humidity box. I rarely see Kenichi(the one that nearly died) move unless I touch him. Thankfully he hasn't laid as though he was dead yet, I'm about to soak him(which I was doing in the one picture, so that wasn't his actual tank) and he's doing much better now, but still in a very bad state. I'll take a picture in just a minute to show you. He also doesn't go in the hide, sometimes he'll have some part of him in the humidity box but that's kid of rare-ish.
I'll definitely look up the gatorade thing Thank you very much!
Thank you for wishing me luck!!

[Freakie_frog]

Pedelite isn't also a good thing to help. Get the clear sugar free stuff.