Urgent!!!!

[basuca]

Im fostering a baby ball python and it is in very bad situation. It has been more than one month since he has not shed and eaten. The owner put the bp in a bad substract and that caused a open big wound on his belly. The wound is from his neck to the tail. The bp did not have any heat source to maintain him warm. Neither had no hide box.


I put the bp in a rubbermaid tube, increased the humidity, a hide box and put a heat pad to maintain him warm. Please give me some advice on how to take care of him and if the bp can recover.






Thx in advance and God bless

[reptile-girl]

omg! poor snake!!! where on earth did your rescue him from? i would soak him in warm water for the sheding problem and to clean him a little bit... and maybe use a washcloth to rub him gently with while he soaks. i dont know about the other care but thank you for rescuing him!

-Courtney

[Emilio]

Wow, poor thing I don't know what to tell you .

[wendyhoo9]

I would get to a reptile vet as soon as possible. That horrible wound needs treatment. I know you're in Puerto Rico so I'm not sure how accessible reptile vets are but another option may be to find a reptile rescue or sanctuary that would be willing to share their expertise and medicine. Short of a real reptile vet, heck, go to the nearest vet for help.

I don't even know the best way to start, but I definately would worry about the stomach wound before I worried about the shedding and feeding. I would also maybe try Adam's balled up newspaper trick (ball up a lot of newspaper and drop it in the plastic tub to provide more shelter. The paper takes up the free space in the tub and makes the snake feel more secure). It may help relieve some of his stress from his abuse from before.

Good luck finding him medical treatment and let us know how it goes, it looks like you have a tough road ahead.

[mlededee]

oh my, poor little thing. you need to get him to a vet asap. very seriously ASAP.

[ladywhipple02]

It looks like belly rot. I picked this up from another website:


Scale Rot (Neocrotic Dermatitis) appears as enlarged, discolored (rust or reddish-brown), fluid filled scales.

Possible ulceration and breakdown of the skin and underlying tissue. Generally appears on the ventral scales (belly), and can be in one long continuous area or in separate spots. This is a bacterial infection that can be caused by damp substrate, inadequate temperatures, and dirty enclosures. Bad cases will also have blisters, and will require draining by your vet. Serious cases are life-threatening.

Immediately clean the enclosure thoroughly. Raise ambient temperature to 88-90 degrees.

You must keep your snake warm and dry during the recovery process. If your snake tends to soak in the water bowl, it may be necessary to remove the larger bowl and replace it with a very small dish that would

not allow soaking but still provide drinking water.

Clean the entire affected area by swabbing with a 50/50 hydrogen peroxide/water solution.

Must be thorough to treat the entire area because the damaged tissue could be in multiple places.

Apply Polysporin or Neosporin to the affected areas twice a day and work it in and under the scales.

Consult your veterinarian as soon as possible, antibiotic injections may be required.

I would recommend Polysporin, as it doesn't have the agent to deaden wounds. Also, this is ony in the circumstance that you do not have a vet around. Even this treatment may not save the poor little thing with that much damage... try to get him to a vet if at all possible. Good luck!

[reptile-girl]

yes definitely go to a vet

[Shelby]

Aside from belly rot, another thing it could be is popped blisters. My old ball python got blister disease (I still don't know why) and the blisters all popped and looked like your snake does.. just no blood or anything. I treated with bedatine and peroxide twice a day then I put antibiotic cream on it and injected baytril.. but go to a vet!

[basuca]

I will love to go to a vet but I cant here theres no good vets around, the ouner have take him to the vet but the vet dint know what was the problem with the skin. I all rady but him in a dry put a warm pad and but him some Polysporin and let him rest. I guy on king snake toll me that the skin will heal very fast, and if I keep doing that and keepping him with all does things he will recover, well hope he does recover thx for all your help any more will be nice thx and God bless.

(Forgive me for all the mad spelling)

[Shelby]

I guy on king snake toll me that the skin will heal very fast,

From the experience with my ball python, I will say this is not true.

With such a huge open wound, antibiotics in some form are necessary.. I used the topical ointment as well as the injections..