Stuck Snakes/Scale Injuries? Advice please?

[ian.]

So, my ball python has these sort of clamp type things on his heat lamps. Always tries to climb in/through them, I've always stopped him. Today, though, was special. He got himself into the triangular thingy and got stuck. So stuck he was getting a bit reddish and I hacksawed halfway through one of the "bars" on the clamp (not the black ones on him). [IMG]file:///Users/Ian/Downloads/20160622_093147.jpg[/IMG]

That's him right there. Then, I guess he got bored of being stuck and fussed over. He stretched out, made himself skinny, and I just slipped him backwards through the triangle loop. He doesn't really seem hurt, but I'm worried about scale injuries or something? Here's the stuck bit after. [IMG]file:///Users/Ian/Downloads/20160622_100705.jpg[/IMG][IMG]file:///Users/Ian/Downloads/20160622_100600.jpg[/IMG]

Does anybody know if this is an injury or he just... I dunno, ruffled a scale? Also, what exactly do you do if your snake gets a surface injury? Is there some kind of snake antibiotic or cream or something to apply topically? All I have is some 2% chlorahexidine solution. Can anybody give any advice on this issue?

[Morjean]

I'm afraid the pictures don't work! A lil help on how to upload photos is [here]

[Alexio]

Clamp lamps are in general notorious for failing. They almost always move over time or just fall off.
It also sounds like your using the clamp lamp inside his enclosure?

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[ian.]

OP here (can't seem to edit my first post?) Here are the pictures (album here http://imgur.com/a/SDigK since when I tried to embed them they were beyond huge) (Thanks for pointing that out, Mo)

And no, the lamp wasn't inside. It was on top of his tank. I was trying to put him back in and he darted into it. The clamps go around the lamps. Is that bad?

[chrid16371]

I had a similar situation my last feeding day. I've been using regular hot dog tongs (ones with holes on the tips) to offer f/t and I went to feed my killer bee and when she struck she folded in half up near her neck and the folded part went through the tongs. She has ahold of the rat and Im trying to push her folded body back through but she kept tensing up and moving deeper into the tongs, she was already tight in them so I didn't want to make it worse. I was trying to figure out what to do and then she started to unravel and slipped right through. After she unraveled she seen me and let go of rat and retreated into her hide. I figured she definitely wasn't going to eat now but I heated the rat up again and she came out of hide and waited with her nose pressed up against the glass and then ate. That scenario of using hot dog tongs never ran through my head, needless to say I ordered new ones. I figured I would share in case anyone is using the same style tongs I am or is thinking about it.

I also shared that so the op knows that they are not the only one something similar has happened to. I waited a few hours after to check to see if it damaged her scales and I could see where the tongs were around her but after 2 more days I check on her again and the marks were gone. Is that possibly that your just seeing where the clamp was around your snake or does it look to be more than that?

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[ian.]

Chrid, that's exactly what it looks like, a few ruffled scales where the clamp was. It's good to know that this isn't unique or terribly dangerous!

[ian.]

However, now I realize that if he HAD gotten an injury I do not have any of the appropriate antibiotic or even a clue what i would use on a minor scale injury. We were going to take him to the reptile vet instead of posting here if he looked at all injured.

Can somebody point me to a list or link on what I should have on hand in case a minor scale injury ever does happen?

I do take good care of him, and lurk here a lot, it's just in case (He's great at getting into things).

[chrid16371]

I know silver sulfadiazine cream 1% is used to treat burns, scale rot, and some other things. The problem is that you have to get it by prescription. There's one place you can buy it online without a prescription but I can't remember where.

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