Sepsis is a very broad definition of things. It could have been started before you even noticed the scale rot. In other words, the scale rot could have been an external symptom of an existing internal problem. The only way to treat it is internally. Nothing you put on the exterior of the animal is going to stop sepsis once it starts. Mix those two statements together, and you are beating yourself up over something you could not have possibly avoided. You can't see the inside of your animal without drawing blood, and if you constantly draw blood to check, you will lead to a weakened immune system due to stress and anemia.
That is all for sepsis alone, though. Scale rot is a common problem. Believe it or not, it is more common for those who do the most for their pet than for those who do less. If you are trying to do the most you can to replicate a "natural" environment in your snake's enclosure by including peat moss for substrate and plants for shelter between natural hide rocks, you increase your chances dramatically more than the person who keeps their animal on newsprint. Scale rot is commonly associated with overly humid settings mixed with high bacteria counts. Natural substrates and live plants help foster the growth of these little beasties and keep humidity high, and sometimes unevenly high to where one area of the tank is too dry and others too moist. The easiest way to avoid scale rot itself is to handle daily for inspection and only once or twice a week for longer periods than this to avoid stress. First sign of abnormal scales, schedule a vet visit. At least that is my opinion on these things.
I am not saying these things to try to make you feel like you did a bad job in caring for your python. You apparently cared very deeply for this pet and are still looking for answers on what to avoid doing/do better with your next pet. I am only saying it so that you might realize that some things are just not able to be avoided. Further, anything I said regarding veterinary medicine is second hand off the internet or third hand from my neighbor, a vet. assistant (I almost abbrieviated "assistant" then realized that would be bad!). Thus please take it with a grain of salt because I myself have barely more faith in it than that.
One last piece of advice I have for you is that the best thing I have ever seen for cleaning my snakes' wounds, cleaning their tanks, or soaking a sick snake in is Nolvasan. You can buy it yourself and mix it yourself here.
I am sorry your snake died, and wish you the best with the future.
Bloodsong
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